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Old 07-01-2013, 09:37 AM   #1
Dropspeed
2013 Camaro SS1LECTSVZ28
 
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Drives: 2013 AGM 1SS/1LE
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Suburbs of Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,440
2nd Track Day in my 1LE: Gingerman

This is the 2nd of 3 tracks I consider "Home" / have many miles on that I want to run the car completely stock at before I make any changes or upgrades

I went to Gingerman to instruct yesterday and ran the 1LE on stock tires, pads, suspension...so on again. (has Motul 600 fluid) As a point of reference, Gingerman is my "home" track as we have family property 4 miles from the track so I have a few miles on it: (about 35 to 40,000 )

My student again was Becky D from Rodgers in her white ZL1, which surprisingly did not melt during its first outing in the rain! There was one other ZL1 there (the red one) edit: that is a member here as well (Crangie). Thank you to him for providing the video of him chasing me around a few post below. Becky did very well, but I will let her share her lap times and experience if she wishes.

Thoughts/notes:
  • Weather: 80 and sunny.....did not run in or after it rained.
  • TC/Stability: All nannies completely off (held button for 7+ seconds)
  • Brakes: Gingerman is very hard on brakes: stock brakes did very well/better than expected. No fade or soft pedal. (I only ran 2 (very hard) sessions) First step will be a compound change and air ducts
  • Seat/belt: I spent more time trying to stay in my seat than anything else...Harness and or seat upgrade will be coming as they are a must.
  • Gearing/tires: This is something I noticed at Grattan as well. There are some corners that 3rd didn't have a enough grunt (for me) and second was too aggressive and would result in wheel spin. In second the inside rear tire would break loose and spin on corner exit. In 3rd the tires set-up is perfect and worked fine.....If I want to drive more aggressively (drop into 2nd) I believe the 305 rear tire may help this. (a better limited slip would be the fix....but tires are cheaper to try).....I will also add power mods which will make this (perceived) lack of power in 3rd disappear, but may induce wheel spin in that gear?
The group I run with has a fairly unique run group system. Group 1: race rules, open passing, wheel to wheel OK, no rubbing. (serious race cars/fast street cars) Group 2: Wheel to Wheel OK, Point to pass in corners...then group 3 and 4 that are more conventional, limited passing, straights only, driver side only, instructor....

I ran in Group 2 as I am still getting a feel for the car. Some mentionables from my group were a stock Boss 302, Corvette GS: Race seats, Race tires, Corvette Z06: race tires, cam, headers, Stock ZL1, Mustang Bullet, Mustang Race car: gutted , cage, suspension, race tires,Spec Miata, RX8

Driver experience is unknown in all, but without exaggeration I had no issues with catching and passing or walking away from all of the above (and others) Reality caught me when a BMW 3 series race car slowly caught me.....but his rear wing was higher than the roof line and wider than the car so I figured that was OK

Note about the BOSS 302 (because I was going to by one before the 1LE package came out) I passed him in my first session and tried to talk with him....he really was not interested in talking with me . In the second session I followed him out and then let him have a lap to warm up his tires. After he turned up the wick I noticed (just as magazines had stated) the rear of the car was not planted and he was fighting as it was dancing around.....After about a 1/2 lap of me knocking on his backdoor he let be by and by the end of the session he was at least 1/2 track (1 mile) behind)

Lap Times:

Fastest Lap: 1:47.34 (long course) Full tank of gas and with a passenger (Becky D) I backed it with other 47s and some 48s. I was slower in the second session with less fuel, no passenger and trying the 2nd gear downshift. I had more fun spinning and drifting in the second session but lap times suffered.
  • Compared to Automobile Magazine with a race car driver in a GT500 and a ZL1 on the same course I am within 3 seconds of a ZL1 and about 2 of a GT500...I am OK with that for only two session in it.
Me:Stock 1LE: 1:47.34
2012 ZL1: 1:44.53
2013 GT500: 1.45.21

Pictures from tower during the downpour late afternoon and from Automobile magazine listing lap times and track layout.

Matt
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Last edited by Dropspeed; 07-02-2013 at 07:35 AM.
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