Today's results from VIR thus far...

[Cobra4B]

Car did great... new tires are amazing. I've never run on brand new ones. Went w/ fresh R6s. I was going to try A6s for TTs, but just couldn't stand the thought of spending so much money $$$$ for tires that heat cycle away so fast.

I set a new personal best w/ a 2:09.1, and that's in traffic... got no 100% clear laps. I finished 3rd in TTS and 6th overall in time tirals.

Only issue we had w/ the car is the passenger lower body panel support rod broke itself. The thin end that bolts to the panel work hardened and broke. I was able to drill the remaining bit out and zip tie it in place. It'll work just find for tomorrow. Last year the bolts backed out and it came loose on track. I'm guessing that event weakened it so that now it eventually broke.

We got lucky w/ the weather today... rain all around but other than a sprinkle here and there it stayed dry.

I finally put my Panoz emblems on that I got from Eric so people could actually figure out what the car was Going to get some sleep... 5:30am comes early.

[Cobra4B]

I ran a 2:08.850 first timed session this AM which was a new best. Finished 3rd in TTS behind Fritz Flynn's RX7 that ran a 2:07.78 and Dan Kroll's STi w/ a 2:08.4

2nd session they finally gridded us properly so I started 4th behind the Element Tuning WRX, Forged Tuning GTR, and Dan's subi. I set a new personal best w/ a 2:07.371 (2nd place) (my first lap) to Dan's 2:06.671 (his 2nd lap)... I was on his tail the whole lap. On my 2nd hot lap behind Dan (the lap he ran his 2:06 on) I was on his tail and took a staight line into roller coaster on the back straight to ake up ground and spun while trail braking in. Dan's STi would pull 3ish cars on me coming out of Oak Tree, I'd make up a little on the high end, and I'd catch him in the big braking zones... but after that spin I was done going fast. Car was vibrating and I did a few more medium paced laps and came in. Found that my LR tire had some huge globs of rubber on it and my left side wheel bearings have play in them... thanks to VIR being mostly right turns.

I have to say I have a new level of respect for the GTR... those guys ran a 2:00 w/ bolt-ons and stickey tires. A car you could drive to work in auto-mode everyday.

Oh... I also learned that WRX's are horrible on brakes. Dan said he has a Brembo BBK and has to swap rotors every weekend. The WRX has about 60% of it's weight up front. That's crazy.

Met a guy named Mark Nunnally who has a TTA C5Z06 w/ no mods other than swaybars and tires. He ran 2:07.1... flyin'.

[eric1h]

Brian, Thats AWESOME Congrats on the new personal bests! i hope to be right there with you soon, the new NEW motor is almost done and should go back in in the next week or so!

There is a one day event at VIR full the Monday after Thanksgiving, you should come out with us. just an open lapping day, would be great to have another Panoz out there!

BTW, lets see the pics of the decals!!!

[Cobra4B]

Hmmm... might consider it. Car needs the left side wheel bearings re-done as they have play in them now. How hard is that to re-do?

I'll get pics up once my father uploads them. Was using his camera this weekend.

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by Cobra4B

I ran a 2:08.850 first timed session this AM which was a new best. Finished 3rd in TTS behind Fritz Flynn's RX7 that ran a 2:07.78 and Dan Kroll's STi w/ a 2:08.4


I have to say I have a new level of respect for the GTR... those guys ran a 2:00 w/ bolt-ons and stickey tires. A car you could drive to work in auto-mode everyday.

Nice work Brian.

Yes those GTR's can fly alright. Not sure if you have seen a super modded one in action. We race against one over here in endurance that is stripped out, converted to 2wd, Jerico 5 speed with sequential flat shift, 650+hp, great aero's etc etc. They run approx 6 seconds a lap faster than us on a track that is only 2.8kms. Not sure of their top end but it would be approx 40mph faster than us I am guessing. Seems like you have missed a gear when they fly past there is that much of a speed difference. Thankfully it seems to be another thing to get one to last 6 hours...................!!

Keep up the hot lapping Brian.

[panozracing]

Wheel bearings are easy to replace. Just get a race driving set. I bought a cheap one at harbor frieght and it works great...it broke a little but still working. Thats harbor frieght tools for you...

I bought this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95853

But I see they have an alternate:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=66989

[Cobra4B]

Woot... it's official. I win 1 free Hoosier for my efforts. First time winning anything.

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=1346451

Top 2 cars are TTU, and mark Nunnally's C6Z is in TTA. So I officially finished 2nd in TTS w/ my 2:07.3.

[Cobrafang]

Originally Posted by Cobra4B

Woot... it's official. I win 1 free Hoosier for my efforts. First time winning anything.

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=1346451

Top 2 cars are TTU, and mark Nunnally's C6Z is in TTA. So I officially finished 2nd in TTS w/ my 2:07.3.

Brian,

CONGRATS! That is great!

[eric1h]

Originally Posted by Cobra4B

Woot... it's official. I win 1 free Hoosier for my efforts. First time winning anything.

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=1346451

Top 2 cars are TTU, and mark Nunnally's C6Z is in TTA. So I officially finished 2nd in TTS w/ my 2:07.3.

SWEEET CONGRATS!!

Three more races and you have a set of tires! :-D

[Cobra4B]

Originally Posted by eric1h

SWEEET CONGRATS!!

Three more races and you have a set of tires! :-D

I just need to get better Sat and Sun count as two seperate "events" for the contingency. So if you win both days you can get a full set. I'm just stoked to see that the car we built can acutally compete in the class we built it for.

What's cool is that I'm only at 9.09lbs/hp corrected... so i can drop about 100lbs from the car to get to 8.7:1. Ditch the passenger seat, ditch the fuel cell for a 22 gal unit, and put in my lexan windshield and I should be close.

[Cobra4B]

Chasing the turbo-pig... Eric you can see the nose emblem here. I'll try and find a pic of the back one.

[eric1h]

NICE! Emblem looks good!

[Squerly]

Originally Posted by panozracing

I bought a cheap one at harbor frieght and it works great...it broke a little but still working. Thats harbor frieght tools for you...

Friggen Harbor Freight... almost without exception everything I have ever bought there has broken. WTF keeps me going back.

[Cobrafang]

Originally Posted by Squerly

Friggen Harbor Freight... almost without exception everything I have ever bought there has broken. WTF keeps me going back.

price

[David Eastman]

I stopped buying tools years ago.