It's Monday morning and have just returned from Willow Springs. It was the Cobra Owner of America Club Fall open track weekend. We took 4 cars, a Hi-Tech Cobra, FFR spec racer, Mustang, and of coarse the RF GT-40.
To give you a little idea of the track it is a 2.38 mile, natural turrain road coarse, That a 90-100mph lap average is normal. In very well prepared Cobra's I've turned lap times in the 1:27 range.
Some of you know we took out the stroker motor out of the 40 and put in a very linier 306 that I could turn higher rev's with. Although it had 100 less hp I liked driving the car much better. I also put a set of Kuhmo Victoracers tires on it but didn't change the chassis at all.
The first session out I was immediately aware that I definately wasn't driving a Cobra. The car stuck much better in the turns. All weekend I was saying it was like driving a Cadillac compared to the Cobra.
I found it takes a very different driving style. At first I was trying to drive it shifting alot and manhandling the car because that it what I was used to. By the third run session I realized that shifting was something that the car didn't need at this track.
Driving Willow in a Cobra from start/finish you are in 4th and down shift to 3rd for turn 1. Hard acceleration from 1 then a hard tap on the brakes for 2 and pitch the car in and through the turn. After it's hard braking into 3 and down shift to 2nd. Run 2nd through 3 and 4 and grab 3rd coming down the hill. At 5 it's hard braking and pitch the car through 5 and hard accellerating over the cresting turn 6, grabbing 4th as you crest the hill. turn 7 really isn't a turn and it is flat on the floor through turn 8. in a Cobra turn 8 for some is 140mph, I have done it faster but it will make you suck up 6 inches of seat doing it. After 8 it's hard braking for the set up into 9 and down shifting to 3rd. Then hard accellerating up into 4th for the long front straight.
Now, driving the 40. There is really no comparisson. From start/finish, the top of 4th gear you wait very late and just tap the brakes and turn in for 1 still in 4th gear. Hard throdle and just a slight lift on the gas for turning in to turn 2, then right back in to the gas. 2 is a very long turn and in a Cobra you are constantly fighting the wheel. In the 40 you just turn the wheel and hold it in position and it drives throught the turn. Coming into 3 it's hard braking and down shift into 3rd then back on the gas through 3,4, and down the hill. At turn 5 just tap the brakes and drive the car through then up the hill for 6 shifting into 4th at the crest. you plant your foot on the floor and hold it all the way through 8. I think I was going somewhere around 145mph on my fastest lap and I know I could go faster. Setting up for 9 you really don't have to use the brakes. just a light tap and turn the car in getting back into the gas, by the apex it's flat on the floor in 4th and just feels smooth as it gains speed on the front stretch. I beleive I reached 160-165mph on the straight. and the car was smooth and stable.
I was only driving the car about 80% this weekend and know there is so much more in her.
Willow is a track that will eat cars alive and the RF didn't miss a beat the entire weekend. I didn't change the set up at all from the standard street set up with the exception of putting a few clicks in the rear coil overs and adjusting tire pressures.
I would like to thank Robert Logan and Roaring Forties for building one of the finest cars I've ever driven and for allowing me the privilage of driving it.
To give you a little idea of the track it is a 2.38 mile, natural turrain road coarse, That a 90-100mph lap average is normal. In very well prepared Cobra's I've turned lap times in the 1:27 range.
Some of you know we took out the stroker motor out of the 40 and put in a very linier 306 that I could turn higher rev's with. Although it had 100 less hp I liked driving the car much better. I also put a set of Kuhmo Victoracers tires on it but didn't change the chassis at all.
The first session out I was immediately aware that I definately wasn't driving a Cobra. The car stuck much better in the turns. All weekend I was saying it was like driving a Cadillac compared to the Cobra.
I found it takes a very different driving style. At first I was trying to drive it shifting alot and manhandling the car because that it what I was used to. By the third run session I realized that shifting was something that the car didn't need at this track.
Driving Willow in a Cobra from start/finish you are in 4th and down shift to 3rd for turn 1. Hard acceleration from 1 then a hard tap on the brakes for 2 and pitch the car in and through the turn. After it's hard braking into 3 and down shift to 2nd. Run 2nd through 3 and 4 and grab 3rd coming down the hill. At 5 it's hard braking and pitch the car through 5 and hard accellerating over the cresting turn 6, grabbing 4th as you crest the hill. turn 7 really isn't a turn and it is flat on the floor through turn 8. in a Cobra turn 8 for some is 140mph, I have done it faster but it will make you suck up 6 inches of seat doing it. After 8 it's hard braking for the set up into 9 and down shifting to 3rd. Then hard accellerating up into 4th for the long front straight.
Now, driving the 40. There is really no comparisson. From start/finish, the top of 4th gear you wait very late and just tap the brakes and turn in for 1 still in 4th gear. Hard throdle and just a slight lift on the gas for turning in to turn 2, then right back in to the gas. 2 is a very long turn and in a Cobra you are constantly fighting the wheel. In the 40 you just turn the wheel and hold it in position and it drives throught the turn. Coming into 3 it's hard braking and down shift into 3rd then back on the gas through 3,4, and down the hill. At turn 5 just tap the brakes and drive the car through then up the hill for 6 shifting into 4th at the crest. you plant your foot on the floor and hold it all the way through 8. I think I was going somewhere around 145mph on my fastest lap and I know I could go faster. Setting up for 9 you really don't have to use the brakes. just a light tap and turn the car in getting back into the gas, by the apex it's flat on the floor in 4th and just feels smooth as it gains speed on the front stretch. I beleive I reached 160-165mph on the straight. and the car was smooth and stable.
I was only driving the car about 80% this weekend and know there is so much more in her.
Willow is a track that will eat cars alive and the RF didn't miss a beat the entire weekend. I didn't change the set up at all from the standard street set up with the exception of putting a few clicks in the rear coil overs and adjusting tire pressures.
I would like to thank Robert Logan and Roaring Forties for building one of the finest cars I've ever driven and for allowing me the privilage of driving it.
