How is this related to the latest and greatest +General Motors "certified supercar"? If someone would insist on living in a world where delusion and marketing bullshit create a valid realm of life, and if someone gave enough credence to the words of greatness spoken by none other than +Tadge Juechter, the newest Corvette C7 Z06 had to be the new champion of the performance car world, winning any kind of competition thrown its way, on the road course, race track, drag strip and perhaps hillclimb event? Hell, why not pressurize its cabin and send it out in space, conquering a true intergalactic race?
Unfortunately (and fortunately for those who want to know what lies beneath the marketing fairy tale), the real life as we know it disagrees with this preconceived notion of greatness much too often, in fact, so often than besides treating anything that comes out from Juechter's mouth or can be found on the Chevrolet website nothing less than complete bullshit, nothing else seems to make sense.
Here is a list, a list of laptimes from a race track known as Sonoma Raceway or Sears Raceway et al.
This list provides lap times around this track, along with the make and horsepower of the cars that managed to record a great time around this track.
Top 30 Sonoma Lap Times
- 1:39.328 (Bill Brinkop; 99 Corvette; A6; 385whp/3100lbs w/driver; Nov 14, 2014)
- 1:40.224 (Michael Hedlund; 09 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup; Yokohama Slicks; ~360whp/2810lbs w/ driver; July 11; 2014)
- 1:40.866 (Scott Winders; 1989 Porsche 911; Avon Bias-Ply Slicks; ~310hp/2375lb w/driver; March 16, 2013)
- 1:41.511 (Tony Colicchio; 1996 BMW M3 GTS-3; A6; 250whp 2750lb w/driver)
- 1:41.635 (Dean Thomas; 95 Miata by TC Design; R100; 297whp; 2,200lbs w/Driver; 04/14)
- 1:42.431 (Amir Haleem; 93 Mazda RX7; Hankook C71;382whp/2680lbs w/driver; 03/11)
- 1:43.927 (Oli Thordarson; C5 Z06 ST2; A6; 460whp/3230lbs; Nov 13)
- 1:44.575 (Andy Kern; Lotus 2-Eleven; Yoko A005/S01; 230whp/1840lbs w/driver; May 12, 2013)
- 1:44.663 (Andrew Morton, 1992 BMW 325is, A6, 241rwhp, 2650 lbs w/driver 07/12)
- 1:44.712 (Sean MacKenzie; 06 Evo Mr; R6; 399whp/3350lbs w/driver; Jul 09)
- 1.44.957 (Darius Khashabi, 2014 Viper TA, Hooseir R7s, 540rwhp, 3,530 lbs. w/driver; 05/14)
- 1.45.2 (Passmenow; 1988 IMSA GTO Camaro; GY slicks; 640hp/2750lb; 5-14).
- 1:45.838 (Jack Fried; Lotus 2-Eleven; Yoko A005/S01; 255whp/1800lbs w/driver; May 12, 2012
- 1:46:137 (John Lawrence, 2003 Z06, A6's, 365 rwhp, 3,260 lbs w/driver, Sept. 2012)
- 1:46.793 (Gordon Jennings; 94 Miata; C71; 4??whp/2350lbs w/driver; Mar 11)
- 1:46.79x Robert Walia; 2011 Z06; MPSC; 505hp/3200lbs without Driver; Sept 3 2014)
- 1:47.247 (Jim Tway; 2002 Z06 T1; A6; 400whp/3230lbs w/driver; July 12 sheet)
- 1:48.972 (Emilio Cervantes; 04 Miata ; A6; 158whp/2320lbs w/driver; 05/11)
- 1:49.1 (Jon Burgis, 95 BMW M3, 245/40/17 R6, 237 HP/2,900 lbs., Time Trials Nov 2013)
- 1:50.507 Lyle Hall - Western Fire / AZZON Racing 350z Hoosier R6 425 rwhp/3,330lbs w/ driver 9/30/12)
- 1:50.72 (Robert Walia; 2011 Z06; MPSC; 505hp/3200lbs without Driver; June 1 2014)
- 1:51.412 (Chris Ronson Jr.; '02 Z06 T1; R6; 370whp/3230lbs w/driver; Sep 09, 2013)
- 1:52.433 (Aaron Schroeder; '83 Mustang CMC; RA1; 253whp/3150lbs w/driver; Nov 11, 2012)
- 1:52.909 (William Chen: 99 PTD Miata; SM6; 143whp/2320lbs w/driver; Sept 12; 2014)
- 1:53.007 (Owen Guo; AP1 S2k; RA1; 198whp/2700lbs w/driver; Jun 09,2014)
- 1:53.831 (Moti Almagor; Blackbird Fabworx Miata; NT-01; 115whp/2160 Lbs w/driver; May/13)
- 1:54.387 (Glen McCready; PTE Miata; SM6; ~128whp/~2330lbs w/driver; Nov 2012)
Is there a problem here? The best of the lap times the heroic driver of the latest "certified supercar" managed was 1:59:02 which is not even close to the Miatas in places 26 and 27 short about 500 hp when compared to the "certified supercar".
What makes it even more peculiar is the second only to Porsche 918 Lightning Lap the amateur drivers managed during that fine event... Perhaps Tadge Juechter could do some math here? If the "certified supercar" cannot outrun a lowly Mazda Miata, how it is exactly a "certified supercar"? Tadge, have you gone completely mental? This supposedly driver piece of shit should yield results better than Miata, right? No matter who drives, supposedly....
Have been glimpsing upon the site and even though you may be right to the point that the C7 may not actually be a good car (since you seemingly own one..), you still have to consider that all those cars on that list are modded in various ways. I'm reading things like Hoosiers on that list... so you're basically comparing a STOCK car to cars that may have been weight reduced, engine buffed up etc etc... no matter the tremendous HP difference from a C7 to one of the Miatas on that list...
ReplyDeleteBesides, if you really do hate your car to the point of bashing almost every GM advertisement for it, you might as well just sell it while what it is worth... since you seem to have the Z06 (however with manual tranny, which I'd say would be harder to sell..) you WOULD be able to stretch out some really sufficient amount of money to replace it. Might as well buy a Tesla, they've released the 70kW version a while ago. Save the environment than touring around a race track with, from what you expressed to be, a junk, overheating, problematic car...
Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age.
DeleteWhy would the most capable Corvette ever and certified supercar worry about modifications to 128 hp Mazda Miata? Thank you for playing. Make sure NOT TO DONATE your kool aid soaked brain to science.
These cars are modified, but the weight reduction is only part of it. You see that a vette is listed #1 and it is followed by the older 911's. The car is only part of it, the driver is the biggest factor, and most drivers are going to modify a car that has good handling attributes, thus you see lots of Miata's and 911's. For a track you need a adjustable suspension, which means coil overs and the current Z06 is still using Leaf springs mounted just like a horse buggy.
ReplyDeleteThe Sonoma Raceway has 4 different track configurations. It seems like you may not have done your homework this time PJ. You're using a top 30 list from a web forum posted in 2009 and comparing it to a graphic that was sourced from who knows where. No one is citing track configuration and the length of track goes from 1.99 miles and 10 turns to 2.52 miles and 12 turns. It's quite possible that the Z06 did do better than the Miata because you may be comparing apples to oranges in this case. I'm guessing the weekend warriors are using the "chute" configuration of the track. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma_Raceway
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm totally off on what I found, but I'm just running with what was out there based off what you're reporting. Just a thought.
Unlike Juechter, I AM NOT A CROOK!!! Yeah, and I am not familiar with Sears Point at all, LMAO... Perhaps you should visit that place in person instead of quoting Wiki..
DeleteOh shit son! I just found the source of the Z06 'times'. You sourced a graphic from the corvette forums of some guy's first time ever out on a track in traffic? Dude, I get that you had the corvette and everything having to do with the corvette, but you're starting to pull politician tricks just to try to prove your point. I'm normally intrigued by your posts and love keeping up with the flaws in the vette, but this post about lap times is pure weak-sauce my friend.
ReplyDeleteDo not sell yourself short Herr Mack about the reason why you stop by this blog... Once again, I AM NOT A CROOK!!! And is Tadge running for a political office in lieu of designing even better Corvette than the current one? He may as well...
DeleteWay to not address what I posted.
DeleteYou posted a 'top 30 list' of track times from a web forum post from 2009. The post does not cite the track configuration, just what people wrote in with as their times.
You posted a graphic of Z06 lap times from that same track from 2015 without citing that source. We do not know the track configuration once again and the person that was racing the car was out for the first time ever on that track and in traffic with other slower cars.
That is a complete misrepresentation of both situations. It's a weak post and borders on the edge of being a flat out lie and misdirection.
Very disappointed.
So in a nutshell, Herr Mack, I'd be copying GM and Juechter at VIR, claiming that bullshit record and using old ZR1 lap time to make the new POS look better when compared against 918 and ZR1?
DeleteNo such luck, this is all directly comparable. If a journalist can supposedly record second best time lap, a Z06 owning schmuck is just as suitable. Pretty obvious these things continue to fly well above your head... Hate to break it to you bud but I do my homework, you just do not pick up on certain things...
Sorry to tell you, mein kind angeber, that once again you've reported squat. Pick up on certain things? Shouldn't be necessary when you're the one reporting the story. Spell it out. Quit leaving out details so you can help further your cause. You don't need to. Just report the facts and let them speak for themselves. Basically all of your stories are things you get from the corvette forums that you pour over relentlessly. Just be honest and transparent and there's no issue. I'm not saying you should change the tone, just provide the facts. It still gets your point across.
DeleteQuick re-write:
Here is a list, a list of laptimes from a race track known as Sonoma Raceway or Sears Raceway et al. This track has multiple configurations that range from 2 to 2 1/2 miles around. It also has between 10 and 12 corners depending on how it is setup.
This list provides lap times around this track, along with the make and horsepower of the cars that managed to record a great time around this track.These numbers come from a forum post where people report their own times from organized race events.
Top 30 Sonoma Lap Times
(list redacted for space consideration)
And here is this fine lap time, the latest "certified supercar" managed to record on the same track. This lap time was produced by a member of the general public that was on the track for the first time ever in an open event. He made mulitple passes around the track while dodging slower traffic and posted his best times from that day.
(picture redacted for space consideration)
Is there a problem here? The best of the lap times this driver of the latest "certified supercar" managed was 1:59:02 which is not even close to the Miatas in places 26 and 27 short about 500 hp when compared to the "certified supercar".
What makes it even more peculiar is the second only to Porsche 918 Lightning Lap the amateur drivers managed during that fine event... Perhaps Tadge Juechter could do some math here? If the "certified supercar" cannot outrun a lowly Mazda Miata, how it is exactly a "certified supercar"? Tadge, have you gone completely mental? This supposedly driver piece of shit should yield results better than Miata, right? No matter who drives, supposedly....