Where are the HPDE and Time Trial Drivers??

[Gray Ghost GT]

For the longest time the Mustang was not an ideal platform for road course activities. The S197 platform was a step in the right direction.... then came along the S550 with IRS and the great GT350 with that awesome 5.2L. Who here are planning an upgrade strategy for the road courses? There is a large population of drag racers. So, it will be interesting to see all the new "converts" or new to Mustang buyers that are jumping into the road course ring to use this car for what its designed for.

I tracked a race prepped Corvette C5 for several years; focusing my efforts in learning the esses and turns - dancing with the car at the performance edges of traction through the apex, taking it to the Porsches and other sports cars. However, there was always a large population of Corvette "gas pedal monkeys" that only wanted to play in the straights, and had no idea what to do in off and on camber turns with elevation. I hope to see many GT350s at the road courses this summer. A great platform!

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[Tomster]

Where are the HPDE and Time Trial Drivers??


They are around here somewhere. I'm sure they will be along shortly.

 

[Tractor Junk]

I plan on running quite a few TT races this year. My experience is with HPDE, but I’m converting the R to fit TT rules competitively. The 350’s fit well in the SCCA Tuner class and Grid Life Street GT.

 

[oldbmwfan]

Scroll through some of the threads and you'll find a bunch of us. Many of those are long-time track junkies who have migrated to the GT350 from BMWs and Porsches. It's an awesome road course car despite being big and fairly portly.

 

[Hack]

What's an HPDE?

On a serious note, the GT350s that have coolers from the factory (all 2017+ models and earlier track packs) are ready for the track from the factory. They actually work great without major modifications IMO. I have rear subframe lockouts from BMR, but I don't think they are needed. If you are only doing HPDEs (no street driving) you may want caster/camber plates in order to do a track oriented wheel alignment. I haven't done that and I think the car still works great on the track. However, I just go to the track for fun - I'm not trying to run the best times possible. And most of my driving time is on the street. There are others here who are a lot more hard core than I.

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

Great to hear the GT350 is "turn key" ready for the road courses from the factory, and owners are using them in a performance environment.
It's sad when people buy a GT350, Corvette Grand Sport/Z06, BMW M4, Porsche, etc. and never take it on a road course to truly experience it.

 

[Dig-It]

https://trackmustangsonline.com/

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

https://trackmustangsonline.com/

I'm a member there and hadn't visited the site in awhile. Thanks!

 

[nastang87xx]

I'm "retiring" from autocross. Unfortunately sorta forced too. SE Wisco/Milwaukee region lost Miler Park as a site. We're trying to get it back. But either case I want to do more HPDE and Time Trials this year. I'm going into Tuner 1 class which is where I think most of us would end up going anyway. I'm trying to figure out if I do heads and cams if I'd still be in that class or if I get pushed into Max 1. The rules are extremely confusing.

 

[TheDeadCow]

I've been doing HPDE for the last year and a half and am going to start running time attack at my local nasa events. Time attack is local ladder class to nasa tt, it's only one timed 3 lap session for $25.

Currently I have CC plates, adj rear camber & toe links, and FP springs. Looking to add FP sways, extended wheel studs, and 19x11 wheels all around. I'm also going to purchase a Simpson hybrid-s HANS that works with a factory 3pt belt.

 

[Next Phase]

Run my GT350 R at VIR every chance I get... Will be going next month to kick off the season.

 

[tracktardicus]

I'm planning on running in NASA time trials this season, though I doubt I'll be competitive against the lighter aero'ed/race slicked Corvettes in my NASA TT2 region. I started in HPDE with an Audi RS4, gravitated to a track-prepped E46 M3, and then a NASA Spec Z race car, which I found was too expensive and too time-consuming for my tastes (that and the other Spec Z drivers in my region are all experienced track assassins...) The GT350 is a great car for having fun in HPDE and light TT duty, I've found. There are several GT350's in my region running in HPDE.

 

[honeybadger]

There are quite a few of us track rats here! The 350 is a hell of a platform. Just pretty high $$$ still. The consumables cost this year is going to murder me.

 

[Austinj427]

 

[tlisotta]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TrackShelbyGT350s/

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