First track experience, thoughts and a few questions

[Dmayhew26]

Hey guys. Got my car to the track today finally after owning this thing for just over a month now. Got the 1500 break in miles, changed all fluids and then it was off to the track. Buttonwillow had an open test so it was the perfect time to put some hard miles on her.

The first thought was the power was pretty stout for being stock plus a CAI. Handling was pretty close but for sure was on the tight, or pushing side however you want to call it, in quite a few places on the track. Gotta work on that before the next track day.

The brakes I changed fluid to the Castrol srf so they held up good as far as fade but didn't have the stopping power I had hoped and heard about from the stock pads. What does everyone use for a good track pad that will actually have some gripping power?

Now on to my biggest question. How are you guys getting all the traction control turned off. Quite a few times the car was just getting ready to get into a nice slide and power off corner and the damn thing would studder and cut power and make the rear diff act weird. I tried all the setting 1-5 and then would just put into sport mode and hit traction control once and that was best but I'm hoping there is another mode to completely turn that crap off?

Also does the digital oil temp gauge go past 266. Seems as though it was stuck there but the gauge on console was reading closer to id guess 280-300 which I felt was a little much. If that is right I'll be looking into a better cooler for that as well.

All in all I had a blast and can't wait to go back. I race cars all the time but there was something cool about taking my daily driver and driving the piss out of it on the track and passing full blown racing cars and having passengers at the same time. I'm working on posting a video and will attach to this once I get it all figured out. Thanks for any answers in advance to the questions I had.

[backeddy]

The only pads I use after 1300+ laps is Carbotech XP12 in front XP10 in rear, as long as bedded properly, they are fine as my DD too.....These pads are capable of rotating the tires, so you will have all the stopping power you ever will need.

[rcandiloro]

To turn the traction control completely off you need to hold the button down for 10 seconds. You'll see the first light come on and then the second one and it will be off. Full power with zero intervention! I do this all the time just because I like to have full control.

[Dmayhew26]

Thanks guys. Those two things will help performance considerably. I appreciate the help. Still working on the video. Should have it soon. It wasn't the best lap but decent.

[Dmayhew26]

Also does anyone know if someone sells different brake pedals so I can get it closer to the gas pedal? It's a little to far apart for me to heel toe consistently.

[Dmayhew26]

Here is the vid. http://youtu.be/DUEXNX4z4C0

[Stephen12ZL1]

Originally Posted by Dmayhew26

Also does anyone know if someone sells different brake pedals so I can get it closer to the gas pedal? It's a little to far apart for me to heel toe consistently.

Sullivan racing has nice pedals.

[z28lt1]

Originally Posted by Dmayhew26

Thanks guys. Those two things will help performance considerably. I appreciate the help. Still working on the video. Should have it soon. It wasn't the best lap but decent.

Good luck and have fun with your continued track efforts. As a note, since GM kept advertising that the PTM modes are faster than turning them off, Road and track did a test with Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner trying the various PTM modes in a ZR1 for a corner. He was actually fastest in mode 4, then all off was second fastest. Obviously, each track and each corner will result in different results and the Zl1 is not the ZR1. That said, I've seen several magazines say they were faster with PTM on than off. I've seen one comment that Randy Pobst was a tiny bit faster with PTM off, but haven't seen the actual article mentioning it.


Where you properly in the PTM modes? The intervention in PTM 4 and 5 isn't unnoticeable, but somewhat more subtle than what you described. PTM 5 allows for a lot of slide before intervention. Also, I suspect the sliding you are desiring and not getting in PTM 4 or 5 won't speed up your times. I'd love to hear some back to back comparisons of your times in PTM 4 or 5 versus all off when you get back to the track, but I don't know anyone else who has claimed they are faster without it.

Have fun on the track!

[Dmayhew26]

Originally Posted by Stephen12ZL1

Sullivan racing has nice pedals.

Thanks. I'll take a look at those.

[KaBoom1701]

I stick to PTM #4 & 5.

That seems to work the best for me on track days. I start out with PTM4 on the first session then move onto PTM5 for the rest of the day if I feel I know the track well. On new tracks I stay in PTM4 for the whole day and then I move to PTM5 the second time I'm at the same track.

[Dmayhew26]

Originally Posted by z28lt1

Good luck and have fun with your continued track efforts. As a note, since GM kept advertising that the PTM modes are faster than turning them off, Road and track did a test with Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner trying the various PTM modes in a ZR1 for a corner. He was actually fastest in mode 4, then all off was second fastest. Obviously, each track and each corner will result in different results and the Zl1 is not the ZR1. That said, I've seen several magazines say they were faster with PTM on than off. I've seen one comment that Randy Pobst was a tiny bit faster with PTM off, but haven't seen the actual article mentioning it.


Where you properly in the PTM modes? The intervention in PTM 4 and 5 isn't unnoticeable, but somewhat more subtle than what you described. PTM 5 allows for a lot of slide before intervention. Also, I suspect the sliding you are desiring and not getting in PTM 4 or 5 won't speed up your times. I'd love to hear some back to back comparisons of your times in PTM 4 or 5 versus all off when you get back to the track, but I don't know anyone else who has claimed they are faster without it.

Have fun on the track!

Thanks for the info. I was definelty in the correct ptm mode. I tried 4 and 5 with both over correcting to much for me and also tried just tc off in sport mode. There were only a few corners where it was pretty noticeable though but still I am confident with them off I could be better. The brakes being soft and not near aggressive enough was by far my biggest time limiting factor though. Next time out I'll make 3 runs each in a different mode and get the results from that, also interesting to see what the time sheet says vs the feel in the seat. I do feel I'm driving a level most won't drive the car though and could see how for a less experienced driver how the ptms would help. Next track day for the car should be the 25th so we will see how it goes. Thanks again and I'll keep Ya posted.

[himmy33]

Looking forward to the update!

[Dmayhew26]

Anyone have any info on the gauges? Does the digital gauge in dash limit out at 266 for oil temp or will it go above that? The gauge down on console I'm guessing was reading above the 266 reading on dash from what I could tell. Prolly closer to 300 which is way above what I feel safe running it at. Thanks for any help.

[z28lt1]

Originally Posted by Dmayhew26

Anyone have any info on the gauges? Does the digital gauge in dash limit out at 266 for oil temp or will it go above that? The gauge down on console I'm guessing was reading above the 266 reading on dash from what I could tell. Prolly closer to 300 which is way above what I feel safe running it at. Thanks for any help.

Yes the DIC gauge, seems to not go beyond 266. Seems like a waste. You can use the guage by the shifter (although I have no ability to see that while I'm driving, but you can look at on the cool down lap or so) or you can log it through an OBDII logger. Both of those options seem to go beyond 266.