Road America FCA International Event

Returned from a fabulous three days of track time at Elkhart Lake's Road America track. Enjoyed over 600 miles of track time. It was my first time at RA, so I took advantage of a driving instructor on Friday. He helped me with some of the details and intricacies of the course. Time well spent! I really got to know his track and loved all of it, but the approach to Turn 5 was probably my favorite section of the course.

Friday morning sessions were on new Michelin Pilot Super Sports with alignment settings as noted previously in another thread and the car lowered 10 mm on OEM springs. Used ProSpeed synthetic brake fluid, Pagid RSC 1 pads and 98 octane fuel. VeilSide rear spoiler. Everything else as it came from the factory. Started out at 32.5 psi cold and the tires would work their way quickly to 38 psi hot.

At noon on Friday, the second set of wheels were ready with the Hoosiers R6 slicks installed. Started at 30 psi cold and they would go to 37 psi hot. It was important to get them warmed up on the first lap before going hard, especially in the cool mornings. The Michelin PSS gave more warning at their limit as compared to the Hoosiers. When the Hoosiers were hot, they would squeal some but with these alignment settings, the car handled quite well. I was able to go a bit quicker by a touch of trail braking with the Hoosiers. This did not work well with the PSS as the front would just push a bit.

The Pagid RSC 1 pads were superb. They were warm enough for good bite by Turn 5 of the first lap. By the start of lap 2, they had full bite. The long straight away from 14 - 1 would reach speeds around 164 mph. Braking began just past zone 3. That is punishing on brakes but they performed exceedingly well lap after lap, with 30 minute sessions, a 3 minute break, and then another 30 minute session back to back. Turn 5 is also a high speed approach with a long descent into the turn. Speeds there are in the 143 mph range and requires a full on brake effort. Excellent bite! Not a single issue with this fluid or these brake pads.

By comparison to OEM, one of my friends went thru a set of OEM pads on his 458 Italia and Service Brakes light came on Sunday morning which shortened his track time. Another friend had constant troubles with his 360 Spider and actually boiled the fresh fluid several times. one time required an oh **** emergency hand brake pull to slow a corner before spinning out in the grass runoff.

There was something that surprised our group. The 458 Spider was an even match to the 16M when accelerating the 14-1 long straightaway up the hill across the start finish line. It was always dead even acceleration. With the 458 Spider's slightly added weight and horsepower but tighter gearing ratios, we thought the 458 would pull on the Scud Spider but it just wasn't the case.

I never hit the bump stops....ever. Coming into Turn 6 is a good example of unloading the suspension followed by a full load as you enter the turn (up a hill, over the hilltop right when you need to brake, then a blind hard left hander. If you are going to hit bump stops, it would happen here. There is also a dip coming into Turn 14 in the deep braking zone. Standing full on the brakes with this dip loads the car pretty hard, but again, no bump stop.

How hard was I driving? Best early lap times with the PSS were in the 2:43 range. Compare that to my best lap times of 2:18 on the Hoosiers. There was not a single factory 599, 458, or F12 that could come within 10 seconds of those times that I was aware of. For comparison, the best CCR race time was around 2:17.

All in all, I was very pleased with this setup on the car. There was more the car could give, but I wasn't racing and no need to risk bending metal for a couple more seconds. It was a joy to drive, exceptionally well balanced for my driving style, and represented the Passion of driving a Ferrari to all the fans attending. One of only 3 white cars in attendance, it was a memorable Spider on the track.

Driving front and back of Jim Fuchs in his 512 BBLM was an experience I will never forget. I also got to meet the Founding President of Ferrari Club of America, Mr. John Lundine and his marvelous daughter "Peggy".

Road America track was clean and focused on safety. All of the track personnel were courteous and very helpful. I think they were surprised by the passion, skill, and driving etiquette of our FCA drivers as a whole.

What a wonderful event and track experience!

Photo from a high speed sweeper with a passenger at RA on the Hoosiers:
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Thank you for posting your experiences. I was there for the concours only but saw your car parked in Elkhart Lake with the other race Ferrari's on Thursday night. I looked around for someone who looked like the owner but just did not make a connection. Car looked great and it is obvious from the lap times that you were really moving on track. I credit the shift paddles myself

 

The Race Car Parade was very cool. Normally, it is just the Race Cars that are escorted by the police (since not street legal) for the parade. They were willing to take 75 cars and there were not that many race cars so some of us got to go along with them.

I thought the parade would be a little bit of nothing, but there was a very large turnout all the way along the streets of the parade. Then we parked near the Osthoff Hotel on a closed section of street with thousands of spectators to walk around and view the cars.

Those extended shift paddles really did make a difference in the turns. Both my instructors commented on them as being much improved over the stock Scuderia paddles.

 

2:17 in a street car is well and truly moving at RA. Don't take this the wrong way, but personally, I'd never drive a car (let alone an open car) without a cage at that pace at RA. You had to be carrying 140-150 into 5, Canada and maybe 1 and all that runoff will seem really short if something goes wrong, and god forbid you end up upside down.

You have real pace; you should think about a race car before something happens.

 

agreed.

to the OP: a friend from STL was there in his gray 16M, did you meet him? it was his first time on track, I believe. not a bad way to start, 16M at Road America

 

That's fast for a road car. The GT3 cup GTC cars were around 2:12-2:14 last year during the ALMS race at Road America. GT cars were 2:04-2:10 and LMP1 cars were running 1:50-1:53. I remember seeing a XJR14 do a low 1:49 back in the 1990's during practice for an IMSA race. It crashed that weekend(was the Silk Cut FIA championship Teo Fabi chassis).
The Audi's did a 1:46 back in 2008.

 

25 SECOND improvement on the Hoosiers???

I would like to see the data...

 

sure.

5 seconds in the tires, 20 in the driver.

 

great post, good to see you "optimize" the car and drive it.

IIRC watching RaceMonitor, Cooper MacNeil and Mark McKenzie were turning 2:18's in their 430 Challenge cars with race Pirellis. I think Cooper was "sans aero" (better top speed) and Mark had aero (speed and stability in corners, better exits). Both are among the fastest drivers in these cars.

I could not make RA this year, but at our local track a 430C met the armco at maybe 120-140 this weekend. All people fine, but I think the cage, seats, harnesses, window net and HANS had soemthing to do with it. I just ordered new halo seats myself....

 

Point well taken. You are absolutely correct. Will work towards that end.

At the time, I never felt like I was driving 9/10's and the rhythm felt good the way the car was set up. Yes, 145 into 5 and Canada and 155-160 into 1. Exiting the carousel at 115-120.
Alignment changes, a touch lower, much better brakes and slicks all contribute to a better balanced car that is already exceptional from Ferrari.

25 second improvement is a combination of things, but mostlly driver getting to know this track and getting into a rhythm that I haven't felt in along, long time. It's been many years since my karting days. The slicks provide a consistent tire for the entire session, while the PSS street tires begin to fade after just a few laps. Fading tires get you out of rhythm and cause you to do stupid things. I never felt like I was pushing things, just enjoying the car on that track.

Exactly!

Yes, we met. There was also a red 16M present. Three 16M's on the track was pretty amazing.

 

Well....I saw the video of the 360 spider crash in the Canada Corner and end upside down. Horrific. It was part of the Coppa Bella Macchina. In fact he had passed the Concours and mechanical portion, and was about to complete the driving portion when things went wrong. The car clipped the inside of the turn skidding across the grass, and went sideways into the tires. They exploded upward and outward, with the car bouncing back just a few feet and upside down at the same time. Both walked away.

There was a 599 destroyed as well as several Challenge cars crashed. Someone said on the last day that four collided in the first turn. The previous day a wheel came off one of the cars.

The cars are getting faster and faster. The older cars are safer than they were, but in this litigious society, one day, like in California a few years ago, disaster may strike....But overall it was a very safe weekend.

 

I can see your estimated speeds on the straights, but surprised at your estimation exiting the Carousel.

Purpose built cars (Can-Am, Tran-Am and older F1 cars) are hard pressed to register that speed through the Carousel, and not usually a lot more until the car is completely straight.

I see you had a GoPro out front. Would you mind sharing one of your complete, faster laps?

I think those times are remarkable and would like to see how you do it!

 

Teachdocs- It was nice to meet you and you were hauling the mail in that 16M! What a Beautiful car.
I was with Randy on Friday in his 458 and then again with him on Sunday in Austin's Scud. He did an excellent job in learning that track and was super smooth. Later on Sunday I took the his Scud out for a session and ran high 2:30's- low 2:40's. My passenger got a vid of only a single lap and it was a 2:42, this lap was not our fastest.

I was conservative with it under braking and several corners- here's my numbers T1 160, T5 145, deep braking into T6, easy rolling through T7, Carousel I ran through at 85-ish, kink at 100, and 145 into Canada corner.

-John

 

I never look at the speedo and it isn't accurate anyways. GPS speeds were monitored by my passenger. 115 was pretty consistent at the late apex exit out of the carousel, 120 was the best.

I see you coach for a living. How about we trade a weekend of coaching for a demonstration of how I do it? Just kidding......I'm in this for the fun and the passion of it. I wasn't there to race or beat some time. It is what it is, that's all. Besides, I figure since the photographers were charging $50 per photo, a 2:25 video clip at 60 fps would be about $27,900,000. 😄😄😄. In other words, priceless! I have over 1 TB of video so it will take a while to get it processed, but yes, I will share a video clip or two if you promise not to heckle me. 😄

Great to meet you too! Thanks for the compliment on the 16M. I'm a bit biased, but that car in white is simply stunning in person.

Austin has a strong Scud for sure. Randy is one of the most spirited daily drivers I know. I'm sure he had fun at that track. His 458 ended early due to worn out rear brakes so glad to hear he was able to get into another car for a bit.

 

Good numbers, John! More along the lines of my experience.

But to even do within 10-15 seconds of Coop and Mark, in a street car, is incredible...

 

Thank you very much Peter!

Here's the lap that Missy got on her camera laying down a 2:42. This was our 3rd lap and there was more left on the table as you can tell and we got faster once the brakes & tires came in more. But this is literally just jumping in his car and going! not too bad for a Firebird owner

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRXU9IoiHgY]430 Scuderia at Road America 8-4-2013 - YouTube[/ame]

 

A few pics I got of you on the grid
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$27,500 for a video is reasonable - pads, cs rotors, service - that would be a bargain

 

You're SURE of those numbers exiting the Carousel???

I can see that kind of speed at a VERY "late apex exit," after passing under the pedestrian bridge!

I coach a little differently from many guys, relying on detailed study of speeds, forces and car placement that is objectively measured. I routinely collect nearly 100 GB of video and data working with just two people, most recently at Elkhart Lake for a week in May of this year and for a week at the HAWK in July.

My curiosity and frankly, my skepticism, comes from having a pretty clear vision of what various cars and drivers are capable of based on this kind of study over the last few decades, and I do find it surprising that you were able to go from low 2:40's (your estimate) to time(s) that equal the fastest of the challenge cars in a convertible street car in shirt sleeves, with a passenger!

If you think your video was expensive, you would not find my pricing schedule very economical! <very big grin>

1TB of video sounds like you must have had dozens of GoPros on that car!?!

I promise I won't heckle, only sing your praises, if I can see you do what you stated that you did!

 

A 2:17 at RA in a open top street car on slicks and Mark M. does a 2:17 in a full race set up with Aero. It's a little hard to believe. It's possible, but it sounds like a fish story.

 

As a point of reference, I participated in the June Sprints and the winning GT2 car, a 2009 GT3 Cup car, turned a best lap of 2:17.8. The June Sprints tends to attract the best club racers in the country in the best equipment, so I think this is a pretty stout time for a Cup car.

The results for the various classes are here:

2013 Results | The Chicago Region June Sprints

I was not kidding when I suggested a race car; 2:17 is not just fast, it is prodigy fast in a 16M street car with top down and resulting poor aero. Reminds me of Paul Mumford back in the day - he used to do DE's for fun and then jumped into World Challenge. As a rookie, Paul won in a Viper Competition Coupe at Laguna Seca in fall 2003, besting greats like Randy Pobst.

 

Word.

RIP, Paul. One heck of a driver!

 

+1

haven't heard that name in years, RIP.

just think of what he could have done in a pro-Am series like GTC, with another decade's worth of experience. gone too soon

 

And Paul could talk trash like no one's business. He'd be banned from here in about 30 seconds

 

I think in socal, trash talk is all they teach you in class at your first DE