The write up:



What can I say... if you can... you all must experience driving whatever type of vehicle you are passionate about with a set of Hoosier's (or comparable tire) mounted to that vehicle and get it out on the track. The experience is amazing, the ability to run all-out (well just about) after your first lap, the smoothness of the ride, the braking, and grip is bar none. So this was the first time I was able to run these in ideal conditions, warm (mid to hight 80's, if not low 90's), sunny, and dry all day. Run sessions were 20-25 minutes. Only once I felt the tires were done. However, unlike street tires, where when they go, you notice it on the turn-ins first, the car just won't turn and wants to go straight. The R6's however, the first sign that they starting to go, you notice it on hard/late braking into the turns...it goes straight under braking, (like when you tap the brakes on the ice or in the snow if you have ever driven in winter conditions). The grip is there but when you trail brake that's when the grip is gone. So just stop braking and keep turning under power. It will work, but it can catch you off guard, especially in traffic.

So, if I had to guess. I'd say the R6's started to go around 18 minutes into running 1:52's-1:54's. I was able to run consistent 1:54's for a full session at the end of the day, at 5:30 pm. We tried to get timing to work on my car earlier in the day but we were unsuccessful. The 5:30 session I was behind my friends Ariel Atom with a Pro Driver at the wheel I had opportunities to pass on T6, T7 and T11 under braking as well as through the turns. Although he was having the Pro in his car to analyze his car's setup and I didn't want to risk an incident, or ruin his learning session. So I stayed at bay. I would hope someone would do same for me if I were in the same position. Remember, we are not getting paid to do this, we are paying to do this, and paying to learn, we are here for the passion not the ego.

The Pro Driver was there with a 2011 CUP Car coaching its owner for the weekend. So the last session of the day its was the Pro P1, me P2, and the CUP car in P3. We were able to fend off the CUP car for 4 laps and then he finally took both of us going into T7 on the inside, under braking. He was going way too hot and over shot the turn and then came back and slammed the door on me in the apex of T7a, had to give the position up. However, once he got by...we never saw him again for the rest of the session. Would have liked to have known what kind of times he was throwing down.

There were a few 458's in my session, but we really can't use those vehicles as mark. I have yet to see a brand new F car really get pushed on the track. I'm sure it happens, I have just yet to see it. However, there was a 2010 Viper ACR in my group. I had a fantastic time chasing him down as he did chasing me down. The second to last session of the day he finally over took me out of the carousel accelerating into T7...keep in mind he has nearly 600hp to the rear wheels and I am currently running a stock ECU (480hp). Once around, he didn't drop me, I was able to maintain the gap and close here and there. He too had R6's mounted up as well. I was really impressed with the ability that vehicle had to hook-up and lay down the power, I never once saw it drift , slide, or push...it was glued to the track....rear wheel drive..I was very impressed.

The ACR-X was on my list when deciding on what car to buy next, but being a huge P-car fanatic since the age of 12 or earlier...I went for my CMS Turbo...its a love hate relationship, but the love grows stronger with every outing (this relationship I speak of is based purely on economics). In the grand scheme of things, there are A LOT of vehicles out there for half the price (or less) with the same performance if not better, but something about being able to fulfilling your dreams can over come making wise financial decisions.

"The 2010 Vipers have customizable looks, with new colors (Toxic Orange and Silver, which was only available on a limited edition last year), Viper and 10 other exterior colors, six stripe colors, five interior colors, three interior bezels, and four wheel options. Limited run of only 500 cars being produced — meaning that chances are each and every 2010 Viper will end up with its own unique look. The one running with us looked exactly like the red and black one (see below), you can also see it in the garage behind my car in the photo above. The White Viper is the ACR-X.



Below is a great video provided by Etchhead working through traffic...be sure to watch the last ten seconds...I just love the sound track of the exhaust note!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x04PAv3hEnE

The next video is Etchhead behind my friends Ariel putting the hurt on coming into T11.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8FugRmv7I4

To put things into perceptive, there were shifter carts there on Sunday running 6+ seconds a lap faster. No seat belts, no suspension, no rollover protection, I'm guessing a $10K investment, and of all the "gentlemen" I spoke to most were 50 or older....NOW THAT'S CRAZY!!!!...1:48's-1:51's before noon under overcast and cool conditions. Koo-koo-koo!

And if you're not quite sure what to do with your time and money, there is always this.

 

Yah those last 10 seconds hurt especially with my line and missing 2nd gear. Either way your confidence at this track and the amazing grip of the Hoosiers had you at a different level this weekend. It took me 1/2 the day to get comfortable with the drifting my cups were giving while your car was just planted.

Switzer exhaust is a week away then need to consider tires after a few more runs as my MPS Cups are showing their wear after a few aggressive outings.

Love the pic of your car- excellent angle and the 997tt fronts are my favorite!

When is the next track day?

 

To paraphrase Adam Carolla regarding vintage racing, "Those 19 minutes are perfect....you think about nothing else in your life other than passing the car in front of you...nothing else matters...TAXES, braces for the kids, making money, etc..."

Just a priceless quote coming from a celebrity...NUMBER ONE ON HIS THOUGHT LIST WHEN NOT ON THE TRACK... TAXES!

I concur.

Stumbled across this photo today...its was a good day...new RE-11"s mounted up, a fresh set of R6's just got delivered, and a crappy set of MPS Cup's on their way to be dismounted.



Fresh ECU due back from Champion tomorrow. Looking forward to getting the car back on the road, to enjoy yet another "good day".

Today's music pick: Elbow/Build a Rocket Boys

 

Great pic, D. Gettin' down and dirty in the garage What's the deal with the ECU? Did it brick?

 

Everything was cool ECU. Just needed it back to stock for some warranty work. Didn't want to risk any chance of claim rejection. In the end there was nothing wrong with my vehicle...just user error : )

Champion did mention they sent it back with their newest software package and I should be seeing/feeling a little more power. Its no 775, but plenty fast for track work.

How are things shaping up for October?

 

Removing your ECU:

Sharkwerks has a great link on this procedure. However, they have left a few VERY IMPORTANT TIPS OUT.

1) Definitely read through the whole SW's link before getting started.

2) Once you are ready to start ROLL YOUR WINDOWS DOWN. If you don't, you won't be able to close your doors once you disconnect the battery because your windows won't automatically drop down a half inch or so when opening. When the windows are all the way up they hit the B-pillars, therefore the doors will not close.

3) With your front seats in their "normal" position, flip your seat backs in the forward position, like as in having access to your rear seats.


4) Now, move your seats all the way forward on the rails. This will give you the maximum amount of space in the rear to start the ECU removal process. If you slide them forward on the rails first the seat backs/headrest will hit the ceiling and sun visors before reaching the maximum forward position.





I placed a towel over the center console to protect the leather. You end up sitting right on this while working on removing the sub, carpet panel, etc. Also make sure you have bling free jeans on, else all those annoying buttons, zippers, and rivets will scratch up your leather interior.



^^^ You can see there is a fair amount of room back there once you have the seats all the way forward.

5) Now you are SAFE to disconnect the battery!

6) After disconnecting the battery I like to put something between the lead and the battery post just to ensure the connection will stay terminated throughout the course of the project.



7) VERY IMPORTANT!!!! DO NOT CLOSE YOUR TRUNK! You will never get it back open in unless you go through a PITA procedure of accessing a side electrical panel / fuse box located on the left side of the drivers footwell. If this happens, you will need a car battery and some mini jumper cables to give the vehicle enough power to release the front hood latch. See your owners manual, page 248 (for MY 2009). Don't ask how I know this ; (



^^^ I placed small hand towel over the latch to ensure no one would accidentally close the hood on me while I shipped my ECU out.

8) Okay, you are now ready to move forward with the Sharkwerks DIY link:

http://sharkwerks.com/porsche/techni...2-and-gt3.html

9) Its very easy and quick...the longest part is reading the DIY link, understanding everything before you start and getting all your tools together. However, if you close your trunk lid add another 24 hours of F-factor on to your allotted time.





Its a piece of cake....and takes about 5 minutes to put everything back together once you get your ECU back!

 

Sick car and awesome pics. That must have been a blast

 

Darin,
Great write-up but I have a question. Have you been running around on the track all this time with that 40lb sub in there? I took mine out the first time I had to remove the ECU and NEVER put it back.

 

Do you get any brake squeel or any noises over the stock setup?

 

Thanks! ..."must have been a blast"... It is a BLAST!

Hopefully you have had, or will have in the near future to get and do it yourself. Downside, you won't want to drive on the street anymore!

 

Darin,
Great write-up but I have a question. Have you been running around on the track all this time with that 40lb sub in there? I took mine out the first time I had to remove the ECU and NEVER put it back.


LOL! You're too funny....remember they are still street cars, not too sure if 40lbs will make that much of a difference (considering your 775 kit ) . Although the correct air pressure will yield huge dividends!

B, I hope you didn't put the piece of carpet back in then with the sound deadening foam. I had a hard time figuring which was actually heavier, the carpet or the sub?

 

Yes, Pagid RS 19 pads. When I first installed them they were way loud. I pulled them out and put some Quiet Stop on the back side of the shims and that seems to work very well when things are clean, even when the brakes are cold. However, when things start to getting dirty, they start to squeal again (cold). A good wheel washing will rectify any noise for 10-14 days. After a track day, they are quiet for 3 weeks or so (very nice). Just driving around town and never using your brakes is when they squeal a lot...they like heat...which is very difficult to achieve when street driving. You just cannot get them hot enough. They still offer plenty of stopping power though for the street. You need to be a little careful after washing, that's when they feel like you don't have any brakes the first few times you apply them.

 

10.17.2011 Performance Mod:

Guaranteed to Increase Track Performance and to Decrease Lap Times 3-4 SECONDS....what is it? CLEAR VISION!

After miss calculating a few nautical maneuvers I found myself less one pair of sunglasses, thus finally allowing me to justify the purchase of some new prescription sunglasses that fit in my helmet!



SPECS:
Oakley HDO Rx SPLINTER's
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium Polarized
Frame: Matte Black with matte blue inner frame (cool feature)

If only the world looked as good as it does through these lenses. The color, definition, and clarity is unbelievable. This is my forth or fifth pair of VR28 Black Iridium Polarized fitted sunglasses, but my first pair of prescription sunglasses. Worth every penny...sucks getting old... and the eyes start going.



VR28 RESULTS: 3-4 Seconds off my last visit to Thunderhill!

Well, there were a few other items thrown into the mix. I finally had time to ship my ECU back to Champion and they told me that they updated it with their latest software/program that will ensure the most power possible for my set-up. Previously it was tuned for 565HP/550TQ. So I'm guessing my new tune is somewhere between 590-610HP. It pulls really strong and the power curve seems to ramp up toward redline. Around 6,300rpm it feels like it even accelerates harder.

Also, it use to bounce of the rev limiter around 7,000-7,100 rpm's and cut off the power. Now it seems to go to 7,300+rpm's, and its still strong. No rev limiter stutter, or power cut off. I do feel like it has reached its maximum power, as far as the power curve and it starts to flatten...thus indicating to me its time to shift. There were some adjustments made to the torque limiters, they have been removed. The car is very trackable and a joy to drive. I still want more power though!

I signed-up for an instructor for the first session as well to help me through my weaker turns (3, 4, 5, & 6). Ended up taking him out on the parade laps before the sessions begin for the day. This is a nice feature our club does. It allows you to re-familiarize yourself with the track in a low speed setting, 55 mph limit. This also gave us the ability to actually communicate with each other because helmets are not required for this session. So as we finish I dropped him off in the pits and then it was time for my run group. Took the car through the paces pulled off a little early and then jumped right into my instructors track/race Spec 911 to go back through everything again at his speed/pace. This was a huge help, letting me know just how hard and late I could brake for the turns in question.

Below it a in car 2:07 video compliments Ecthhead iPhone set-up. (I or he can go into more detail why this was in my car an not his.)

7th day on RE-11's. They are only making 18 minutes before they go by-by now. I'm still very impressed with these tires. Can't wait to get my Hoosier at TH.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhgAm10IGQo

This is a in car from Ecthhead turning a 2:10, I'm directly in front of him with traffic. BTW, EH shaved another 1-2 seconds off his time as well before....well see the image...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5I3Q...eature=related


Hmmm, EH will have to update us over the weekend. I believe he is heading up tomorrow to retrieve his car.



Also, was fortunate enough to make Rennsport on Friday. Came back to my car at the end of the day and there was my OEM (stock) Twin parked next to me:



Couple other pic's from Friday, a little 962 love/lust:









More to come...have a great weekend!

Cheers!

 

Rain & More Rain on RE-11's (11.20. 2011)



Well our season has finally ended much the same way it started, COLD & WET, only colder and much wetter. High of 46º and non stop rain and standing water, it was miserable to say the least.

My first lap out at a snails pace I spun and lost it three times! It was like driving on ice. The water was deep and the temps were cold, thus I couldn't get any heat into the tires or the brakes. Essentially I had no grip and no brakes it was very scary. I sat out the next session, and then tried it one more time after lunch. Same results, only this time I persevered and stayed out for the full session to see if things would get better if I kept circling...not the case....very unpredictable vehicle behavior which did absolutely nothing for my confidence.

Several other drivers were experiencing the exact same feeling/characteristics and didn't bother going again. However, there were many doing quite well and able to carry some speed. So I'm not sure if it was me, too cold for the tires, too much standing water, tires too old/too many cycles, or too much torque initiating wheel spin and lost of control. Definitely a very frustrating day and the first time I have ever packed-up early to head home. I think I could have gone faster in my F-250 quad cab long bed diesel! It was pathetic.

I have only seen the traction control light come on three times since I have owned this vehicle. Yesterday it seemed like it was stuck on 80% of the time on every lap. I have had some great rain days this year...its an awd car after all. Yesterday my tires felt like steel wheels on ice...just crazy.

Well I just snapped some pictures of my tires...hmm pretty much slicks at least the rears...oh well it was still a great year!

LEFT REAR:



RIGHT FRONT TIRE: Doesn't look that bad?

 

The R6's definitely rock i did get them after talking to you & reviewing this thread great help thanks .I had a track day this past weekend at OCRC & loved them it was very cold out but did notice them letting go about 20 mins into my 30 min session.Also noticed i was getting kinda quezzy before my session ended which never happened before,because i was going so much faster than before i'm guessing