I ran the NASA DE at Mid-Ohio yesterday (you can find my $0.02 on the new Dunlop comp tires in https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=98266). I was hoping to see some other Evos (or even STis) but the turnout was a little lean. This was my second time out, first time at Putnam, so I'm still in group 1 and I came into this with a little concern about running on the big boys' track. Well, veni, vidi, velociti, Mid-Ohio was a blast!

The car is bone stock with the most agressive alignment I could get out of it. Mid-Ohio is more brake-intensive than Putnam and I did experience a little fade at the end of the back straight. Maybe I'm driving a little harder now, or maybe it's the alignment, tires, concrete patches, whatever, but I noticed the dreaded understeer this time.

I never took T1 as fast as I should. It's a mile wide and should just take a touch of the brakes at the 150. We used the chicane, which is good, because the keyhole would have been even harder without -- it takes forever to get around that damn thing!

Because of the brake fade (and the fact that I still can't do a 2 gear downshift smooth enough) I just took it to the top of 4th down the back straight. The concrete patch is the perfect turn-in point and I could use a little trail braking and the car felt really good.

T5 (the left at the top of the rise) was the one I was worried about. Last week at the Run-Offs I saw a lot of spins there. I eventually went with a tighter line (just a little less throttle coming out of 4) and as long as I was pointed the right way after cresting the hill I could get on the gas and feel planted. If you go too early, while the track is dropping out from under you, the car gets really light and a little loose drifting out to the right.

I always seemed to have a hard time getting the car to turn in at 6, but trail braking made it feel too loose. I could never get that one right. Once you have the track in your head (a lot of it is blind through here) you get on the gas at the apex and head towards T9 as fast as you can go.

T9 was the other place where the car understeered but you can still come out fast, square up for 10 and take a straight shot at the carousel. And the carousel is a ***** -- is it ever going to end? I tried to be about mid-track going in but it was hard to hit my mark. You come in fast and brake hard. There's a very slight rise a little before the turn-in but I was always still braking a bit on the downside and feeling very unstable. But if I put my right front on the little concrete patch and looked *all* the way ahead I could wind it in just right and be full on the gas through the left on to the front straight.

I need to work on the keyhole and carousel as I usually came in a little early and made some mid-corner corrections (bad!) to keep my line.

So, why the title? Well, except for the two Z06s I got some arm from everyone (some more than once in the same session!). A Mustang GT driver thought he was comfortably on his own when he suddenly noticed I was on his bumper and provided the title in the paddock. I could hang with the Z06s in the corners but they lost me on the back straight. It's hard to make up a 130HP handicap. I'm almost consdering doing something about that.

This is it for me for the season, but next year I hope to see some evomers at Putnam, BeaveRun, and Mid-Ohio. I'm hoping I'm close to the point where I could benefit from some Evo-specific track tips and I know there's some hardcore out there!

Dave H.

 

Great write up...check out my sig. You do that stuff (minus the valve job) and those Z06's will be behind you. For a $3000 investment, you will OWN them.


-chris

 

Well, realistically, you'll need more than just power mods to OWN a stock or mildly prepped Z06 on a road course -- add a full suspension upgrade and at least upgraded brake pads as well.

And if the Z06 has engine/suspension/braking upgrades, he'll own you right back.

 

Smoothness is the key. Even though you are down on the horsepower department for the straights, you can take them in the corners. Just make sure you turn in later. Late apex and have the power pull you out of turns. Give it extreme negative camber so it helps on the turn ins.
Look at the Puma Evo in Japan. The camber on that thing is extreme.
Also stickier brake pads will help too.

Depending on how much you want to spend on the Evo you can make it go faster and faster. But try the inexpensive route first and then go for suspension next!

 

Exactly my point! At this time, I have 20 more HP than a Z06, but not the torque.

 

I'll be at some DE's next season. I'm in Cinti. There are a few other members on this forum from the area that have done DE's this year at Putnam, Mid-Ohio, and Nelson Ledges.
Have you tried Nelson Ledges? It is cheap, fun, and the fastest road course in the country I went up there once this year.
992gnt and chickenbrest are doing a 2 day DE at Putnam this weekend. I was supposed to go but couldn't 992gnt had to replace his Victo's and is using shaved Dunlops. Chickenbrest is using RA1's. 992gnt also did a DE at Mid-Ohio, a DE earlier in the year at Putnam, and a Fun Day at Nelson Ledges

 

Z06s are also some 150lbs lighter...

 

Hmmm. Tossing back seat, sunroof, carpeting, dash, spare tire, other miscellaneous crap...Ah! Now my EVO is lighter! It's also cheaper on insurance too. The only thing I'm missing is the V8 sound. But hey, I already own two Mustangs...muahaha!

 

...
Not sure how much weight it will save.. but Joe's car at nationals has racing
bucket driver seat, wheels, removed A/C, removed stereo.. and still weigh 3028lbs

Stock 04 Z06 weighs 3116lbs... so you're at 88lbs advantage.

As for insurance, brand new $50k 03 Z06 has lower insurance premium than my
7 years old 97 M3 in socal region last I checked. After I bought the EVO, I dont
think EVO's insurance was lower than my M3s (though I switched to a diff
company)

It's hard to beat the Z06s... maybe gas mileage?? If you drive the EVO slowly,
you'll probably beat the Z06s by 1mpg..

 

Ain't that the truth? I felt really good when I could put together a couple corners each lap "rolling" the weight around the car, not throwing it. The Z06s pulled away on the back straight but I could make up a little bit of ground from 4 through 9. Then we hit the front straights and tail lights got smaller again. With a little more entry speed, later apex, and
back on the power earlier I may be able to keep up. Regular 'vettes are not a problem!

I'll probably keep things stock through next season and then look into some coilovers and freni grosso. Though I may pop for some camber plates for the Spring.

Dave H.

 

Alright, I'll see you there! What clubs run at Nelson? NASA doesn't seem to like it because the facilities are not so hot and neither is the safety factor. But it's a lot shorter haul than Putnam. I wanted to make the last event at Putnam but I just bought a house in the 'burbs and I'm selling the "farm" so time is tight. It's this time of year I wish I lived in the South where the season never ends.

Dave H.

 

alwaysdepends on drivers...and the course of the track...i think...

 

Here is a link to some info on Nelson Ledges: http://fastone.com/
The facilities aren't top notch but the track is fun. It is really laid back...especially on the Fundayz. We ran whenever we wanted for however long we wanted.