Autocross and Suspension: First Place Finish

[PfadtRacing]

Just wanted to make a quick post and congratulate JDP for their 1st place victory at Sturgis! I've had a lot of PM's asking about his setup, so I thought I would take a few minutes to discuss it.

He currently runs the ZL-Spec Stage 5 package from us. In autocross, its all about grip. That seems simple enough, but what that translates in suspension terms is managing/tuning weight transfer and optimizing the contact patch of the tire with the road. Here is a quick breakdown of what that means to us:

Tires
Alignment
Weight transfer

So I don't want to post a bunch of boring stuff, but I think a few things are worth pointing out when talking about tires/alignment/weight transfer.

1. Once you pick your tires, you need to make sure you have the best alignment settings for your course/driving style/car. The thing to remember is that as the rubber bushings on the suspension components get pushed hard, they deflect a tremendous amount. This deflection while somewhat predictable, can lead to inconsistencies on the track. To select an alignment, and have consistent and predictable alignment and thus handling, Jordan is running sphericals on his critical suspension mounting points. This ensures that his alignment is ideal throughout the course, and that his grip isn't being compromised by poor alignment from shifting bushings. Remember, we have to maximize the contact patch of the tire with the road!

2. Next, once your alignment/tire setup is on point, we have to "tame the beast" .These 5th gens are bigger/heavier cars and because of that they have a lot of body roll. The biggest issue with body roll is that it changes the weight distribution on the tires. This is where BOTH coilovers and Swaybars will help you excel. The sway bars aren't there just to reduce body roll (which they do quite well), they are there to properly balance the ratio of roll between the front and the rear. By balancing the body roll, you have a huge effect on the grip between the front and rear tires during turns. This directly translates into correcting an oversteer/understeer situation. Coilovers also have an influence on tire grip between the front to rear. By adjusting the valving, you can control the weight transfer front to rear during braking into a turn, and acceleration out of one, which will optimize the initiation of a turn, and the exit from an apex. The name of the game is grip, and with sways & coilovers you can optimize grip for the various stages of taking a corner at the track/course.

There were a lot of really powerful cars out there competing that week, many with much more HP than JDP, but they still couldn't get faster times. Even with the added HP, good tires, and various random suspension upgrades, they couldn't keep up. If the power doesn't make it to the ground, it doesn't mean a thing. By selecting the proper suspension components, and selecting components which are all designed to work with the Camaro to optimize grip, he was able to get the most out of his car and dominate the competition! Its important to point out "work with the Camaro". We don't and won't use generic Chinese valving in a Camaro body, and call it a camaro coilover. Those rates aren't optimal, and won't get the same results.

Well, I hope that answers all of the questions I've been getting. Let me know if I can help with anything else, and have some fun!

[Ir0nM4n]

humm wondering if this is in my future. I have new tires, sway bars, lowering springs... need helmet, then I could see how far I can push my set up. I currently have some R1 slotted rotors with hawk ceramic, but found out ceramic is not the way to go. Wondering if I can just use ceramic for now.. since I have already purchased the pads....

[So Cal Camaro]

Originally Posted by MINI HLK

humm wondering if this is in my future. I have new tires, sway bars, lowering springs... need helmet, then I could see how far I can push my set up. I currently have some R1 slotted rotors with hawk ceramic, but found out ceramic is not the way to go. Wondering if I can just use ceramic for now.. since I have already purchased the pads....

If you're doing mainly autocross, ceramics are fine...if you are doing actual track days, where you have 20 minutes sessions on the track, ceramics likely won't cut it....

[Mikamaro]

It's a beautifull Track Car. I love it.

[BullF-16]

Congrats! Are you guys still running the CTS-V conversion? If so, what pads? Rotors? Inquiring minds want to know

[JusticePete]

Well done Jordan!

[JDP Motorsports]

Originally Posted by PfadtRacing

Just wanted to make a quick post and congratulate JDP for their 1st place victory at Sturgis! I've had a lot of PM's asking about his setup, so I thought I would take a few minutes to discuss it.

He currently runs the ZL-Spec Stage 5 package from us. In autocross, its all about grip. That seems simple enough, but what that translates in suspension terms is managing/tuning weight transfer and optimizing the contact patch of the tire with the road. Here is a quick breakdown of what that means to us:

Tires
Alignment
Weight transfer

So I don't want to post a bunch of boring stuff, but I think a few things are worth pointing out when talking about tires/alignment/weight transfer.

1. Once you pick your tires, you need to make sure you have the best alignment settings for your course/driving style/car. The thing to remember is that as the rubber bushings on the suspension components get pushed hard, they deflect a tremendous amount. This deflection while somewhat predictable, can lead to inconsistencies on the track. To select an alignment, and have consistent and predictable alignment and thus handling, Jordan is running sphericals on his critical suspension mounting points. This ensures that his alignment is ideal throughout the course, and that his grip isn't being compromised by poor alignment from shifting bushings. Remember, we have to maximize the contact patch of the tire with the road!

2. Next, once your alignment/tire setup is on point, we have to "tame the beast" .These 5th gens are bigger/heavier cars and because of that they have a lot of body roll. The biggest issue with body roll is that it changes the weight distribution on the tires. This is where BOTH coilovers and Swaybars will help you excel. The sway bars aren't there just to reduce body roll (which they do quite well), they are there to properly balance the ratio of roll between the front and the rear. By balancing the body roll, you have a huge effect on the grip between the front and rear tires during turns. This directly translates into correcting an oversteer/understeer situation. Coilovers also have an influence on tire grip between the front to rear. By adjusting the valving, you can control the weight transfer front to rear during braking into a turn, and acceleration out of one, which will optimize the initiation of a turn, and the exit from an apex. The name of the game is grip, and with sways & coilovers you can optimize grip for the various stages of taking a corner at the track/course.

There were a lot of really powerful cars out there competing that week, many with much more HP than JDP, but they still couldn't get faster times. Even with the added HP, good tires, and various random suspension upgrades, they couldn't keep up. If the power doesn't make it to the ground, it doesn't mean a thing. By selecting the proper suspension components, and selecting components which are all designed to work with the Camaro to optimize grip, he was able to get the most out of his car and dominate the competition! Its important to point out "work with the Camaro". We don't and won't use generic Chinese valving in a Camaro body, and call it a camaro coilover. Those rates aren't optimal, and won't get the same results.

Well, I hope that answers all of the questions I've been getting. Let me know if I can help with anything else, and have some fun!

Thank you for taking the time to share info on our Win at the Sturgis Camaro Rally Autocross!! We took 1st in class and fast time of the weekend as well on Michelin Pilot Super Sports which are a 300 tread wear tire.. The car is pretty impressive to say the least.

This has been a good month for us with our Camaro Performers feature and the win in Sturgis! We're running the Pfadt Stage V ZL Spec Package with the exception of the trailing arms and toe links which are Spohn Del-Sphere pieces. The stopping power comes from our CTS-V Stage 2 Package with ZL1 Rotors, Hawk DTC-30 F and Hawk HP Plus rear pads. We're currently making 480 RWHP and 442 RWTQ with our N/A Cam Package, Roto-Fab intake, VMAX TB w/velocity ring, FAST 102mm, KOOKS 1-7/8" LT's w/cats, Magnaflow 3" cat-back and a JDP dyno tune. We have Pfadt engine mounts along with a DSS drive shaft and DSS RR Axles. Next up will be our Stage II head package and we're looking to break 500 RWHP on the stock bottom end using 91 octane fuel.

The important thing to remember is I drive this car everyday set up exactly as it is when I run at the track a side from a few small damping changes... It is a full weight car and when the coilovers are set on the softer side it is a pleasure to drive. The responsiveness and overall balance of the car is perfect. Thanks again for making such great chassis components.

Originally Posted by MINI HLK

humm wondering if this is in my future. I have new tires, sway bars, lowering springs... need helmet, then I could see how far I can push my set up. I currently have some R1 slotted rotors with hawk ceramic, but found out ceramic is not the way to go. Wondering if I can just use ceramic for now.. since I have already purchased the pads....

Originally Posted by So Cal Camaro

If you're doing mainly autocross, ceramics are fine...if you are doing actual track days, where you have 20 minutes sessions on the track, ceramics likely won't cut it....

I don't suggest Ceramic pads to anyone except street cars that want reduced dust. They don't stop nearly as well as the HPS pads and I would consider them dangerous for any type of high performance driving. Please feel free to call, email or PM me anytime with questions.

Originally Posted by Mikamaro

It's a beautifull Track Car. I love it.

It's a street car that we take to the track but it does look pretty sporty! I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by BullF-16

Congrats! Are you guys still running the CTS-V conversion? If so, what pads? Rotors? Inquiring minds want to know

I am still running the original kit we installed almost 3 years ago with the same pad combination. I have the DTC-30's up front with the HP Plus in the rear. It is an amazing package! I appreciate your business and support and you'll be pleased with your set up.

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Well done Jordan!

I appreciate it, Pete!

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

[BSX_Camaro]

Great runs Jordan, well after the 4th!

I'm commin to getcha now!

[JDP Motorsports]

Originally Posted by BSX_Camaro

Great runs Jordan, well after the 4th!

I'm commin to getcha now!

That course had me confused initially!

I'm waiting for you buddy!

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

[VictoryRedRacer]

That is one sick car!!! Love watching it go around the track at Miller Motorsports Park!!! Nice job Jordan!!

[SPCBA]

Way to muscle that heavy chevy around! SIM is such a beautiful color on these cars. Title really should be "Driver gets workout muscling 2 tons of car and wins first!"

[BSX_Camaro]

Originally Posted by JDP Motorsports

That course had me confused initially!

I'm waiting for you buddy!

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

Do me a favor and make sure Jeremy brings his car with all 8 cylinders running this time! Love that car.

Doing a halo install this weekend for ya too!

See you guys in a few weeks!

[JDP Motorsports]

Originally Posted by VictoryRedRacer

That is one sick car!!! Love watching it go around the track at Miller Motorsports Park!!! Nice job Jordan!!

We need to get you out there soon!!! I appreciate the support and have a great weekend!

Originally Posted by SPCBA

Way to muscle that heavy chevy around! SIM is such a beautiful color on these cars. Title really should be "Driver gets workout muscling 2 tons of car and wins first!"

I appreciate it and the article in this months Camaro Performers is "Two Tons of Fun"!

SIM is hands down my favorite color.

Originally Posted by BSX_Camaro

Do me a favor and make sure Jeremy brings his car with all 8 cylinders running this time! Love that car.

Doing a halo install this weekend for ya too!

See you guys in a few weeks!

Yeah, we got that sorted out. That is what we get for pulling an all nighter before leaving... It is a BEAST!!

Awesome!!

Sounds excellent! I'm not sure what our plan is so far as the Fest goes yet but we'll be there one way or another. See you down there!

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007

[Ir0nM4n]

I guess its time to contact the place and see if I can do a trade. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.