Corner speed vs. horsepower

[bobby.is.rad]

I was browsing youtube and found a Cayman S that ran almost the exact same lap time at VIR as I did in my Boss 302. Both videos had data overlays from Harry's Lap Timer, so I was able to compare corner and straightaway speeds. I setup a youtube doubler and fiddled with it a bit to get them both in sync, which you can see here:

http://youtubedoubler.com/akKY

The biggest shock to me was that the Cayman with 100+ (maybe even 140+) hp deficit was only 4mph slower than me on the back straight at VIR, which is a very long straight. If you watch the video, you'll see that he was able to exit Oak Tree nearly 10 mph faster than me. So he had a 10mph advantage right off the bat. Then my hp starts catching up, but because his brakes were better, he was able to stay on the throttle longer and brake much later than I did.

I was able to run almost the exact same speed as him through the esses, which makes me happy (there's more speed there for both of us though.) Hog pen's mph were off, but it looks like he was a bit faster there too.

Sorry if this is boring to anyone else, but to me it's amazing to see the contrasting ways to hustle a car around a track. I had an S2000 show me the importance of corner speed the last time I was at VIR.

 

[Jimmy Pribble]

Lose 500 lbs. and you will be just fine.

 

[Jimmy Pribble]

As a reminder to how closely these cars are matched, for the 2011 Best Driver's Car competition, Motor Trend (Randy Pobst) ran very close lap times at Laguna Seca:

Boss 302 LS: 1:41.1
Cayman R: 1:41.6

 

[bobby.is.rad]

Pobst ran around VIR in 2:13 in a Cayman S in this video. No idea if it was stock or not, but that's pretty damn fast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS4IUfT5s2o

 

[sadil]

How can a Cayman S lap VIR in 2:13 and a 1LE did 2:58, had to be different configuration.

 

[bobby.is.rad]

Yes, the 2:12 was VIR full, and the 2:58 was on VIR grand. Car and Driver does all of their Lightning Lap testing using the VIR grand configuration (which is frustrating for me because it's almost never available, so I can't benchmark myself against their times.)

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Like Jimmy said, it's all in the weight...

 

[13Boss#3328]

Do you think lower and stiffer suspension setup will overcome the weight issue? To which extent?

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Suspension can help but can't completely overcome the issue. Also you're going to have to beef up your tires (size, grippiness, or both).

You just can't beat physics.

Additionally, a lighter car has lower consumable (fuel, brake pad, rotor, tire) consumption when driving at the same level of intensity since there is less kinetic energy that has to be turned into heat or noise while accelerating, braking, and cornering.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I was talking to a drag racer buddy of mine and those guys figure 100 pounds is equal to a tenth of a second, now I know they run from a stop, but if you figure that we accelerate off of every corner those tenths
adds up pretty quick.

 

[mcmmotorsports]

If you offered me a $5,000+ Penske double adjustable coil over setup or 500lbs of weight savings with my stock suspension, guess what I would choose?
Granted, I have a little more race experience than most but at the end of the day a rookie with option B and me on option A, I would get beat like the NY Giants.

 

[13Boss#3328]

Suspension can help but can't completely overcome the issue. Also you're going to have to beef up your tires (size, grippiness, or both).

You just can't beat physics.

Additionally, a lighter car has lower consumable (fuel, brake pad, rotor, tire) consumption when driving at the same level of intensity since there is less kinetic energy that has to be turned into heat or noise while accelerating, braking, and cornering.

How much does your car weigh?

 

[VoodooBoss]

Cayman S = Slick
Boss 302 = Brick

 

[blacksheep-1]

Cayman...Cayman..isn't that the Porsche version of the Miata? 8)

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

How much does your car weigh?

3475 with driver and fuel.

 

[bobby.is.rad]

Additionally, a lighter car has lower consumable (fuel, brake pad, rotor, tire) consumption when driving at the same level of intensity since there is less kinetic energy that has to be turned into heat or noise while accelerating, braking, and cornering.

Yep. This is a big part of why I'm selling my Boss and turning my S2000 into the track car. Money. Brakes and tires add up fast. The decision was made much easier when I had to give an S2000 on r-compounds a point by at VIR. I couldn't believe the speed he was carrying, and I thought for sure he had a supercharger or something. Nope, stock engine, just ridiculous cornering speeds. It really does make a huge difference on a track.

So to all you guys saying lose weight, I'm losing about 800-900 lbs. Too bad I'm losing about 200 hp too. And a beautiful exhaust note. And torque. Haha

 

[13Boss#3328]

Yep. This is a big part of why I'm selling my Boss and turning my S2000 into the track car. Money. Brakes and tires add up fast. The decision was made much easier when I had to give an S2000 on r-compounds a point by at VIR. I couldn't believe the speed he was carrying, and I thought for sure he had a supercharger or something. Nope, stock engine, just ridiculous cornering speeds. It really does make a huge difference on a track.

So to all you guys saying lose weight, I'm losing about 800-900 lbs. Too bad I'm losing about 200 hp too. And a beautiful exhaust note. And torque. Haha

You are selling your Boss?!!

 

[blacksheep-1]

I drove a guy's S2000 at an autocross and he drove my 99 cobra, it was pretty funny,. the guy looked at me and said "What is that?" I told him "The rear tires lighting up " to which he replies, "Oh yeah, torque, my car doesn't have that". Which spawned the T-shirt "Torque Happens..unless you own a Honda"

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

"My lugnuts need more torque than your Honda makes"

 

[mcmmotorsports]

"My lugnuts need more torque than your Honda makes"

"Your engine is 1.8 liters but my bottle of Mountain Dew is 2 liters?