1:53.810 Limited RWD in 2014.

Weight had to be around 2300lbs I'm guessing and maybe between 450 and 550whp if I had to guess? He was on 17" wheels with Hankook TD's and was wheeling it halfway decent. I had a media pass that year and was on the infield for most of the day. Actually have footage of him getting air over the hump after grapevine.

 

So it out Miata's a Miata? What's not to like?
If anyone's seen the video of Cleetus's C5 kart in the windtunnel, it completely agrees with E and doward. Aero (or the lack thereof) over 100mph is no joke.

 

We're having a customer picking up his car tomorrow from the shop, an LS3 swapped car with some good stuff in it.
I'll try to put it on the scales before it leaves, but that thing has much of the right stuff - built LS3 that should put down ~550 WHP, 20 point cage, lightened chassis, Penske DAs copied from my car, decent aero with DRS.
Driver is intermediate so there will definitely be a learning curve there, but I am looking forward to see what this baby can do, might jump behind the wheel for a few laps if i want to scare myself
I'll post pics soon.

 

Another factor is I believe they are already using a Quaife sequential transmission. My thought is a similar Quaife unit for LS motors (they have to make one for the LS right?) would only carry a marginal weight increase.

Yeah I'd definitely be interested to see the weight of that. It seems that all comparisons are really apples to oranges. LS swapped cars say "I've gained X weight over the stock BP motor", but that's a different case when we are talking about a built, big turbo, huge intercooler engine. I suspect the weight differential is less than most people think.

Let's take a scenario on paper:

Say 949 looses their mind and for some stupid reason listens to me, and they swap in an bolt-on, E85 LS7 into Vegas and gain 100 pounds and make around the same HP with similar area under the curve. I would venture to say I would almost guarantee lap times would drop due to two different factors:

A. NA powerband with no turbo lag up to 7,100 rpm+ (8K with valves) might make the car exceedingly easy to drive (like a beefed up LFX car)
B. With reliability concerns out the window, the little time you have on time attack days can be better used to fine tune the suspension/aero/brakes rather than worrying about powertrain issues

Just my train of thought. It's all just theory-crafting since nothing like this has been done at this high of a time attack level before.

 

LS7 has oiling issues and even with the factory dry sump tend to grenade themselves every now and again, so reliability concerns are definitely not out the window.

 

Yeah, that was ridiculous. Even in drag racing, losing the body panels helps your 60 ft but not your overall time once you get fast.

 

Scaled it at 2376 Lbs, with complete passenger safety setup in place (Cobra Evolution, side mounts, Schroth 6 pt, window net).
Removing passenger safety bits probably saves ~35 lbs, so in competition it'll probably be a 2340 Lbs car.

 

In regards to Vettes doing well at GTA/GL:

 

JFC, I can't imagine feeling comfortable touching nearly 150mph on track without a cage, HANS, etc.

 

Yep. And 3pt factory belt.

He's trail braking into T1 getting the rear light and almost running out of room and that's not a fun place to go off. But then he's braking early for 10a and going slower through 10a than he obviously could.

I was afraid of that track last time I was there. I'm out of practice and/or my ***** are shrinking with age.

 

Fast drivers are much rarer than fast cars unfortunately... Even more so when you get to that level of performance. A Vette is a harder wheel than an Evo or WRX I'd wager.

 

Yeah. Not good. You're reinforcing the point lol.

That is like 6 seconds off the record pace of Limited class times at GTA. Which is almost a direct crossover for Track Mod.

 

I thought Ian's vette was Street Mod class.....obviously mistaken. I do know it's a SSP prepped C5z.

Never the less, did you watch the same video I did? He's obviously wheeling that thing pretty well. He also gives no ***** in several departments. Big ***** plays a big role at Road Atlanta.

 

He is wheeling it that's for sure, but it's not exactly a fast lap... So many mistakes and overdriving. Still better than most who don't even try but yeah, realistically it's not that great.

 

Welp, don't want to derail the thread any further, lol.

​​​​​​I'll end my comments on it with....3350lbs, 380rwhp, oem aero, 100tw 275 Goodyears. Bad lap for track mod, good lap for street mod, great lap for that car.

 

Jeez you guys, give it a rest with the V8 stuff....949 / Trackspeed etc is much more valuable to us in a BP than any one off Miata lap records with a v8.

As I pretty much follow their leads, simply cant afford a LS swap if 949 and Trackpseed get the v8 bug.

Im hoping they crack the reliability factor for a BP runing 450 whp soon

(if a 1600 can do 380 .....wasn't so long ago the challenge was on for a 1600 to crack 300!)

 

This. LS motors are great street and drag engines. On a road course, they are a hot dumpster fire. Massive oiling system issues, drainback issues, cooling system issues, oil temp issues, valvetrain issues (literally every LS7 needs valve guides done). You can absolutely build a reliable 600whp LS motor, but don't pretend for a second that it won't be at least 150lbs heavier than a comparable BP, and come with all its own baggage regarding cooling system packaging and other reliability issues related to the requisite items to actually fit the motor in the chassis, and cost $25-30k when it's all said and done.

 

I've read quite a bit about the track oiling issues on LSx motors and saw my own anecdotal evidence this summer. One of our regular track attendees (usually running in the Time Attack group) has a beautiful FD with LS swap (caged, well-developed aero and CF bits). He's an excellent driver with a very fast car that typically takes FTD. In the middle of the season, his engine made the expensive smoke and he trailered it home. I haven't talked to him about the outcome yet, but I have a pretty good idea he experienced the inevitable oil starvation issue.

 

Yep, true dry sump is the only way to really run them on track. The ls7's isn't a true dry sump either.

 

90mph, ~1.8g