348 Challenge preparation

The Challenge silencer on my car sounds OK, but nothing like the Tubi. The open pipes are "loud race car" when you get on it.

I think the F355 with a Tubi has the nicest sounding exhaust note I've ever heard coming out of a car.

 

The 550's torque and acceleration on the superspeedway tracks like Daytona and Pocono is breathtaking. Once I turn into the road course, all that changes and I have to remember I'm piloting a two ton car through those turns.

The F355 can't accelerate like the 550 and reach the higher speeds the 550 can get to, but it takes the road course sections and the pure road course tracks like Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motorsports Park as if it was designed for that purpose. After I've learned the correct line, it's like a dance!

The F355 takes the award for "fun to drive."

 

The 550 tends to understeer slightly. I corrected that a bit by replacing the 17 mm rear sway bar with the 19.5 mm HGTC bar. I drive it on the track in SPORT mode with ASR active. It's neutrally balanced and it takes a lot to get into trouble with it. I drive it conservatively anyway on the road course sections.

 

No way! I know my limitations. And I don't want anything to happen to these cars.

Plus I have to be at work the day after.

 

Here I am at Daytona in the 550, Rocco. I touched 150 coming out of Turn 12...




[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKEsNJNH9TA]Ferrari 550 at Daytona International Speedway - YouTube[/ame]





I lost traction in Turn 3 on the first lap. The tires were cold and it rained a bit about 45 minutes before on my previous session.

 

^

Barry , nice video. Couple questions ?

Dd you have the a/c on ? Or the windows open ? If you had the a/c on, did you notice a difference in performance while running it through the paces?

I have always been curious as I have always run the car without the a/c on and window open and if others have tried both and noticed any difference ?

 

Thanks.

The 550 has a climate control thing so it's active whether you need heat or cooling. On the track, it's windows open always. I turn the HVAC off.

On cool days on the streets, I drive with the HVAC off and open vents by leaving the recirculate switch off. The 550 feels most lively on days like that, but that's probably because the engine likes cool air.

With all the HP and torque the Maranello has, it's hard to tell if the AC, when in use, is robbing any of the car's power.

 

The GoPro on the suction cup mount doesn't show what the high banking at Daytona is like.

This is how it really looks from inside the car...




[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtlmkWG4Jcs]New In Car Cam - YouTube[/ame]





There's all sorts of banking on that track except on the road course.

 

Just got home from St. Augustine...spent 6 hours at Jacksonville airport due to rain but it was worth it when i think what's following me up soon.

Thanks Art, it was a pleasure dealing with you. Your brother was a great and extremely helpful during my time with the car. We all hope you can make it up to Canada for Marques d'Elegance this summer.

Talk soon! Felice

 

Thanks Jay looking forward to it! Summer is just around the corner I feel it!

 

Thanks Fav,can't wait to show you it! It's going to be fun racing this summer.

 

Welcome home Felice, can't wait to see the car this summer !

 

It will be, hitting the track April 21st!

 

wow! 3 days not looking at this thread and now there are a lot of progresses. I like it very much, things go fast here. And in the right way.