Took my GT350R out to Laguna Seca [vid]

[2morrow]

I'm always of the mentality that brakes are cheaper than trannies.

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[Todd15Fastback]

A GT350R and a Viper ACR? Life is good

Mr. Treynor has quite the car collection if you aren't familiar with it

 

[tyshenry]

it's less about protecting against tranny damage...rev matching on track is really done to insure that you don't upset the car's balance with the sudden addition of engine braking. If you are 'threshold' braking (ie. braking as hard as the car's mechanical grip will allow) and you add engine braking, you are going to go for an unwanted detour.

+1

Not rev-matching is also going to add wear to the clutch. Not sure its really an "issue", but it isn't really needed/warranted/necessary.

 

[Trackaholic]

+1

Not rev-matching is also going to add wear to the clutch. Not sure its really an "issue", but it isn't really needed/warranted/necessary.

Exactly. It's all about maximizing smoothness.

Any time you are jerking the car around and making it unbalanced, you are losing time. Of course for many of us, the act of heel/toe causes us to pump the brakes as we hit the gas, which also causes some lost time.

But when you get it right, it's awesome.

Plus it sounds sweet!

-T

 

[Q8_TwinTurbo]

Ben,

Thank you for sharing the video. Looks like a blast to drive at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. I take my hat off for your cool fast driving. Love the wife's pedal to the metal pass. I think she has a good chance to be a pro driver. Love the 458, it looks great.

I must admit that having to lift-off for exhaust db level restriction killed me, while watching behind my pc. Can't imagine the frustration while being there.

Nonetheless, great stuff.

 

[CSL]

Treynor, great video....thanks for sharing. Now that you have had some time to acquaint yourself with both the R and non-R on the street and track, can you describe the notable differences between the two....especially on track.

 

[2morrow]

opcorn:

 

[treynor]

What's the poof of gas or vapor or whatever that occurs as you drive by?

There is a decibel meter between T5 and T6 which reads sound levels.

 

[treynor]

Treynor, great video....thanks for sharing. Now that you have had some time to acquaint yourself with both the R and non-R on the street and track, can you describe the notable differences between the two....especially on track.

The differences between the R and the track pack 350 are incremental. On the street the non R is the car of choice - more feedback from the tires at street apeeds, more ride compliance, better seats, and less interior noise. At the track the situation is reversed: The R has significantly more grip due to its tires, and stiffer suspension offers faster responses. The R seats which are confining in street use are supportive and grippy at track speeds.

Can't go wrong with either.

 

[treynor]

Mr. Treynor has quite the car collection if you aren't familiar with it

Um. Yeah. Car guy marries car gal, chaos ensues.

 

[CSL]

The differences between the R and the track pack 350 are incremental. On the street the non R is the car of choice - more feedback from the tires at street apeeds, more ride compliance, better seats, and less interior noise. At the track the situation is reversed: The R has significantly more grip due to its tires, and stiffer suspension offers faster responses. The R seats which are confining in street use are supportive and grippy at track speeds.

Can't go wrong with either.

Is the suspension stiffness pretty pronounced or mildly different? Is it just a stiffness difference that you notice? I'm trying to figure out why so many of the rags say the difference is profound? Would you guess it is primarily reflective of the vastly enhanced grip of the R?

 

[Zitrosounds]

Is the suspension stiffness pretty pronounced or mildly different? Is it just a stiffness difference that you notice? I'm trying to figure out why so many of the rags say the difference is profound? Would you guess it is primarily reflective of the vastly enhanced grip of the R?

I do not think you can notice much on the ride but in handling terms the difference on track is vast. The difference really comes down to the wheels and tires. Yes the car is lighter, little lower, suspension tuned for the lighter wheels and additional grip. Ultimately the increased steering feel, turn in response, agility and grip offered by the R wheels and tires is the main difference.

 

[CSL]

I do not think you can notice much on the ride but in handling terms the difference on track is vast. The difference really comes down to the wheels and tires. Yes the car is lighter, little lower, suspension tuned for the lighter wheels and additional grip. Ultimately the increased steering feel, turn in response, agility and grip offered by the R wheels and tires is the main difference.

Understand the differences well....just looking to hear the specific impressions from someone who has first hand experience with both. I'm floored by the out of the box performance level of the track pack on the track. With cup2s coming and R spec wheels coming, I just can't imagine there is too much left on the table. I have been very interested since the brochures came out what the advertised "suspension tuning" differences were in the R, and how much difference there actually is.

 

[treynor]

Is the suspension stiffness pretty pronounced or mildly different? Is it just a stiffness difference that you notice? I'm trying to figure out why so many of the rags say the difference is profound? Would you guess it is primarily reflective of the vastly enhanced grip of the R?

The suspension stiffness difference is mild; if you look at the spring rates you can see that for a fact. The tires are the large factor; the Cup2s are close to DOT slicks in grip level, and what they give up on the street (cold blooded, hydroplaning, tramlining, noise) they give back at the track with traction and feedback. The Supersports are excellent street tires but are too compliant and treaded for ideal track performance.

No doubt the R's wheels make a small difference; one could run CCWs and get most of the delta for a small fraction of the price.

 

[treynor]

Ben,

Thank you for sharing the video. Looks like a blast to drive at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. I take my hat off for your cool fast driving. Love the wife's pedal to the metal pass. I think she has a good chance to be a pro driver. Love the 458, it looks great.

I must admit that having to lift-off for exhaust db level restriction killed me, while watching behind my pc. Can't imagine the frustration while being there.

Nonetheless, great stuff.

Mitigating the frustration was the fact that I brought two mustangs to the track that weekend. The GT350R was just for fun - I was curious what it would do, and I'd promised a bunch of folks I'd get it on the track. I did most of my laps in my Boss 302S, which has GT500 mufflers and diverter pipes and blew a cool 88dB at full throttle. That car is a hoot at the track!

[ame]

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