Fun > numbers...
11-27-2015, 05:17 AM
#53
Registered User
Here is an example. I was hanging at Summit Point last week and a dude with a GT-R that has owned the car for a few years was tracking with the PCA guys. Every time he came in from a session, all he bitched about was traffic and how boring it was to be stuck behind so many slower cars. That's when it occurred to me that I would have to be in the advanced class if I ever wanted to enjoy the viper at any track events. Currently, I'm nowhere near that point in my driver education career to be in the advanced PCA class. The Viper is really a fast car that can hunt down anything on a straightaway with ease and take corners at higher limits than most cars on the track. Hope it makes better sense to you now.
11-27-2015, 05:27 AM
#54
Registered User
A nice used C5 ZO6 would be the perfect bridge from the S2 to the Viper.
This is why I totally agree on Fun>Numbers. I think the point is being made pretty well here. Most of us can't drive such powerful cars to the limits. Hell, even a lot of car magazine writers that have a ton of seat time in many many nice sports cars still become a little weary of getting strapped into a Viper and driving it to its limits. A lot of them clam up and get nervous from what I read.
Just read the newest articles on the ACR track tests. Most of the test drivers can't comprehend the limits of that car and drive it at 65-70% of its true potential.
I never knew we had a few Stigs in car talk. I'm completely humbeled that so many could take my Viper out at the track and kill it like they are driving a S2000.
11-27-2015, 06:27 AM
#55
Well said.
11-27-2015, 06:36 AM
#56
In my eyes the track is a far safer place than public roads.
There isn't a public roads safe enough, quite enough or long enough to really push a viper or for that matter any powerful car. Touching well into triple digits lands you in jail.
If you run with the wrong group you will be a target for boy wonder race car wannabes. Happens to us all. Find better groups or just be willing to point by. I don't run in open passing groups to help avoid close calls or "racing"
I really think you should reconsider your risks and take your driving to the track. I almost never push hard on public roads, too many risks and people!
There isn't a public roads safe enough, quite enough or long enough to really push a viper or for that matter any powerful car. Touching well into triple digits lands you in jail.
If you run with the wrong group you will be a target for boy wonder race car wannabes. Happens to us all. Find better groups or just be willing to point by. I don't run in open passing groups to help avoid close calls or "racing"
I really think you should reconsider your risks and take your driving to the track. I almost never push hard on public roads, too many risks and people!
11-27-2015, 04:39 PM
#57
Maybe I missed something, but if the discussion is whether you should push your car hard on the road, I am way against that. It's too risky. If it seemed like I was endorsing that, I didn't mean to.
Naturally, there is a difference between giving it some stick when you're the only one on the road and zipping in an out of traffic, but I generally dislike the idea.
Naturally, there is a difference between giving it some stick when you're the only one on the road and zipping in an out of traffic, but I generally dislike the idea.
11-27-2015, 05:14 PM
#58
Registered User
Maybe I missed something as well. When did we talk about driving recklessly on public roads? I live in VA... There is no speeding here without going to jail for a weekend or having a felony on your record. Ha
11-30-2015, 07:10 AM
#59
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Palo Alto
Posts: 5,387
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The old man comments and discussion of track driving got me thinking about the SCCA events I went to in the late 70s and early 80s vs the June Sprints I attended a few years back. In the 60s and 70s people in their 20s with decent jobs could afford to race something like a FF or FV. These days formula car racing is really a old man's game because they are the ones who typically can afford it. Yes, you do have the young kids who are racing on someone else's money but for the true amateurs, few are young. I'm sure many 20 and 30 something year old car nuts would LOVE to race a FF but when a new, front running FF is costing around $100k and track weekends are costing at least a few thousand if not $10k ($10k if you pay a team to do much of the work) it's easy to see why young men who would want to drive a real formula car often don't. When I was in my 20s I would have happily driven a Maserati or Jag or AMG S-class. It wasn't in my budget and even if it was it wouldn't have been my first choice but seriously, cost is often what keeps younger drivers out of "old man" cars... well that and often later in life you do want to carry passengers with some level of comfort.
11-30-2015, 08:21 AM
#60
SkiLLeDS2000, where do you attend PCA HPDE's? Your comments are making it seem like PCA track events are amateur hour with a bunch of nuts behind the wheel. Every PCA event I've attended in the southeast has been very well run with few incidents and few daisy chains. i.e. none of the things you're complaining about.