AchTTung--Vollgas

ACNA staged an HPDE at Mid-Ohio this weekend, and since I'd been on the track three times before I decided to take the RS 4. Let me say I was not disappointed with the car on the track. I'd used the car on a track once before (the very tight and busy Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point), but the car really came into its own here IMHO. This was the most fun I've had driving on a track to date. I've had trouble shifting smoothly in this car with its quick-revving engine, but this was largely rectified by Sunday afternoon (although I only used 3rd and 4th gears throughout the track). I'm not skilled or experienced enough to bitch about the car's tendency to understeer, but the car does rotate nicely at several points around the track with a breathe off of the throttle. The DRC performed well enough for me; a student in my group in a C6 Z06 (who could've blown by me whenever he felt like it) even asked if the car had a modified suspension. The only mod on the car is the Milltek resonated exhaust, and that garnered quite a few compliments as well, with people even saying it eclipsed the Corvettes in note quality.

Bleu CHEEZ was there as well with his awesome-looking titanium package gray car. Unfortunately I didn't get much chance to talk with him since we were in different groups, but he seemed to be enjoying himself. Of course, behind the wheel of one of these cars, why wouldn't he? After my last session on Saturday I sat on the hill above Madness to watch his group. Even with the stock exhaust, hearing the car come thundering down the back straight and downshift for turn 7 was thrilling. We definitely an aurally pleasing vehicle.

The brakes seemed to hold up well. I wasn't braking as late or hard as I could going into turn 7, but the pedal stayed firm and the car slowed consistently. The only brake mods for the event were Motul fluid and Pagid RS 14 Black pads. I did feel the rear-end shimmy at the end of the back straight, and it was unsettling at times. The car never got too upset from it, however.

The tires fared a bit worse than the brakes. I dropped the pressures before the first session to 36 psi, which worked nicely at Summit Point. I should've realized better for this faster track, because at the end of that run the front left tire was up to 48 psi. I dropped them all down to 41 again and that held for the rest of the weekend. The left front tire still took a beating. Compare the right rear (notice the COTE EXTERIOR text):
<img src="http://images39.fotki.com/v1235/photos/2/226513/6441017/IMG_0975-vi.jpg">

with the left front (the same text is approximately on the tire's 1 o'clock):
<img src="http://images39.fotki.com/v1226/photos/2/226513/6441017/IMG_0974-vi.jpg">

We did get some footage of the car on the front straight, so the exhaust note is evident. Unfortunately, I had the video camera in the car with me, so a digital point and shoot camera was doing the filming. YouTube further screwed the audio, but the person behind the camera reported that a couple of guys on the observation deck stopped their conversation to comment on it during one pass. That video is available <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJMsg3zSWMc">here</A>.

For those masochistic enough to sit through some in-car footage, my last session is online in three parts <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=5Ls3JXRCvXk">here</A>, <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=TBRWvCzditQ">here</A>, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zqYB7zOXa4">here</A>. The Z06 comes out of the pits in front of me on my second lap and is gracious enough to let me by. I was ready to return the favor as the checker was coming out--that car is wickedly fast. It was on runflat tires, and had the traction control on the whole time. And yes, the small red car I passed twice was a Ford Focus that showed up for that session for whatever reason. Bleu CHEEZ is visible three cars ahead of me beginning at ~1:30 of the third video. The tail-end waggling can be sometimes seen in the original video files, but YouTube may have compressed it out. Criticisms and comments are welcome.

I also ordered a CD from Sideline Sports Photography, and I'll shamelessly post up some of those pics when it arrives.

bpp

42 psi HOT, maybe +2 on the rear, is the magic number ftw...takes a watchful eye. )

AchTTung--Vollgas

I wasn't too far off, then. I'll try the rears a touch higher next time though. Next target for the RS 4 is VIR.

<img src="http://images31.fotki.com/v1099/photos/2/226513/5958549/nasafeb06249-vi.jpg">

WVUfan

When are you aiming to get to VIR? My first trip there will be 7/26 w/ NASA.

AchTTung--Vollgas

I'm gonna see when ACNA goes again and see if that meshes with my schedule. I'm gonna be in Snowshoe, WV, the weekend of the 26th for TT-East. BTW, if you know any TT people who are free that weekend, it's a great time.

Have fun at VIR!

bpp

Your gonna build lots of speed there, YIKES!!

JJO

You were very quick too. Knowing how heavy a car the RS4 is, I was very impressed with how well you were handling, hence the question about your suspension. I enjoyed the ride. Look forward to driving with you at another event.

BTW, the Focus was a rental car. The driver was in an A6 on Saturday but her wheel bearings failed. You may have seen her car off-track between 1 and 2 on Saturday. My friends encouraged her to go pick up a rental car so she could finish the weekend.

AchTTung--Vollgas

Thanks very much. Yeah, I did see the A6 pulled off. She was thinking it was a brake problem initially IIRC, but I'm glad it was diagnosed and that she stuck around for Sunday. She probably learned more that day in the Focus than any day in her car.

Would you wanna give a breakdown of what you thought of the Vette on the track? There were a couple of times I was behind you coming out of the keyhole that made me giggle--you guys were simply gone. How much more throttle did it have? Thanks.

AchTTung--Vollgas

Only as much as I can bear.

JJO

The Z06 is amazing. The only modification to the Z06 was changing the brake fluid to ATE Super Blue. The car has so much power we were running with the AC on. More power than I could use at my skill level. Most of the time I was lifting at around 120 at the end of the straight going into 7, no sense using up brakes, except for one of the laps you captured on video when I let it go up to between 140 and 150. The car is also very easy to steer with the throttle. It only required a very slight lift of the pedal to tighten up rotation in the keyhole and in the carousel. Much, much easier to rotate than my A4.

I'm heading to Road America and then Waterford Hills in September. Do you have any other events planned this year?

Did you get a chance to watch that Buick Lucerne on the track? I thoroughly enjoyed watching Scott drive that around. He was even squealing tires on the cool down lap.