US Track Times for GT40s

Ron Earp

Admin
This is sort of an offshoot of another thread. Cliffbeer indicated he knew of many CAVs and ERAs running on tracks and I was wondering what tracks they are and what the lap times were? Also details on the car configuration, especially the tires.

I'm interested in any information that folks have with their GT40 on US tracks, with times, especally in the SE, but I'll take anything I can get. Might make a little database, or at least take the time and compare them to standard race times we see and print on the forum. Be interesting.

Thanks,
Ron
 
Ron,

I am also interested in what times people are turning at various tracks.

Cliff in WA........Have you ever taken your CAV around Seattle International Raceway and know what lap times you were turning?

For anyone in Europe: Has anyone taken their GT40s around the LeMans track and compaired their times to what was done in the 60s...and I know the track is now configured differently ......But still, it would be interesting information.

Thanks,

Gary Kadrmas
 

Ron Earp

Admin
I do rememeber Buzz's laps and had those around somewhere. But Cliff indicated there was possibly more data out there that would be worth seeing.

Ron
 

Steve Briscoe

Lifetime Supporter
Lap times will be good to monitor as the various 40s become more active. I'll keep the information that comes out of this thread. As data develops, there is an opportunity to calibrate what wings and air dams will do on certain lap times. Tasteful and effective air management systems make a big difference in lap times and the technology has certainly developed far beyond the original cars. When Pikes Peak International was still open below Colorado Springs, I know of an F40 that had a 10MPH faster speed on the long sweeping corner on the south end with just changing the OEM wing to a Le Mans wing. I'd like to know how similar adaptations will impact the GT40 and base laps times. For the purist, I'll be interested in changeable air management systems so the car can be returned to original. It all starts with understanding US track times.

Thanks,
Steve
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Gary,

Can you remember how they timed it?

The 2005 results that Buzz ran in are here:

One Lap of America - the Official Webpage

But the times are really screwy. For example at VIR which you and I know well the times for cars are in the 4 minute and up range.

I've driven the 4.2 mile grand course there once and times are around a 3:20 or so, therefore, I know those cars are much faster than I and aren't on the Grand Course for the One Lap.

A 4 minute lap also doesn't jive well with the Full Course, were we run 2:25s or so in Miata. Could it be two laps? Well, if we divide by two then we get a lot of 2 min laps which are faster than a lot of SPO cars (ex-NASCAR stockers, and all sorts of fast stuff) and I don't think that is right. Might be wrong on that, but 2:00 on the Full Course is dang fast.

Same thing happens at the Roebling Road data that I know approximate times for, except there if I divide by two the numbers are much more believable except the lap times seem too high.
 
Sorry about that. Yes the timing was different. Standing start on S/F line with a 3 lap run and flying finish. Do divide by three but then there is the standing start. For VIR on the front straight is zero versus 140+ MPH flying at the same point on the track.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
CCX33911 said:
Sorry about that. Yes the timing was different. Standing start on S/F line with a 3 lap run and flying finish. Do divide by three but then there is the standing start. For VIR on the front straight is zero versus 140+ MPH flying at the same point on the track.
Did they run the North Course, or South Course maybe? It still doesn't make 100% sense to me and I'm just thinking about flying laptimes since that is all I know from club racing.

For example, take the 5th place fellow in a Z06 (older one, 405 stock hp) with a 4:03. If it is two laps then his average is basically 2 mins 1.5 secs per lap - damn good! Account for a standing start then he definitely did a less than 2 min lap on the Full Course because the first lap would be above the average in terms of number of seconds, and the second lap far below the average. That seems mighty fast for a Z06, even highly modified, but it is what it is I suppose if that is how it was done.

Divide by three as you suggest and it gets unbelievable, must be a two lap timing.

Ron
 

CliffBeer

CURRENTLY BANNED
Gary Kadrmas said:
Ron,

I am also interested in what times people are turning at various tracks.

Cliff in WA........Have you ever taken your CAV around Seattle International Raceway and know what lap times you were turning?

For anyone in Europe: Has anyone taken their GT40s around the LeMans track and compaired their times to what was done in the 60s...and I know the track is now configured differently ......But still, it would be interesting information.

Thanks,

Gary Kadrmas

Ron and Gary,

I did get to run my gt40 at SIR without a lot of other traffic on the track (during a low key testing session for a few local SCCA type racers and a smattering of exotics who had rented the track) and the best I could do was 1:34.5. That's about 140 on the straight which is good but my brakes went off pretty quickly (need to change the fluid to racing blue) which slowed my times. My best time was faster than any of the ferraris except a 355 challenge and any of the porsches other than a heavily modified 911 twin turbo. A fun day but I trashed the tires so it wasn't cheap.

I know there are a good number of gt40s on the track in the UK. I believe Roy Sayles races his car in the San Diego area. I don't know much about the east coast gt40 track activity unfortunately. In any case, let's get more of our cars out or club track days! I'm planning on several track days with the local alfa and porsche clubs in '07 - should be fun.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
CliffBeer said:
I did get to run my gt40 at SIR without a lot of other traffic on the track (during a low key testing session for a few local SCCA type racers and a smattering of exotics who had rented the track) and the best I could do was 1:34.5. That's about 140 on the straight which is good but my brakes went off pretty quickly (need to change the fluid to racing blue) which slowed my times.

I checked on MyLaps for some SIR races and it looks like 1:35 or thereabouts is a few seconds faster than a Spec Racer Ford (dedicated race car, 105hp spec) and a few seconds slower than a T1 or AS car (Touring 1, Stock Covette C5 w/cage race rubber and others, AS American Sedan Fox Mustangs/F Body Chevy, 350hp thereabouts).

That gives me a good idea for where your car is at in comparison to cars I know at home tracks. Naturally your car will be faster with race rubber, engine/transaxle development, and lots of chassis development.
 
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