fastest track day cars
Discussion
At the risk of going over old ground, a question....
I had always been under the impression that a (powerful) TVR, Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo etc... could hold its own with a 7-type car round a track (given level driver talent).
However, yesterday, a mate of mine told me about a track day (Goodwood) he did with his uncle, in a Caterham. Apparently, the Caterham absolutely DEMOLISHED everything. Not just 1 or 2 seconds per lap, but 12 or 14!!! And this was a fairly standard Caterham...
can anyone shed any light on this?
I had always been under the impression that a (powerful) TVR, Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo etc... could hold its own with a 7-type car round a track (given level driver talent).
However, yesterday, a mate of mine told me about a track day (Goodwood) he did with his uncle, in a Caterham. Apparently, the Caterham absolutely DEMOLISHED everything. Not just 1 or 2 seconds per lap, but 12 or 14!!! And this was a fairly standard Caterham...
can anyone shed any light on this?
Driver skill, driver not wanting to push car too hard, circuit.......
IMO you are never going to get a true comparison until all are in a competitive environment where (presumably) everyone is trying to lap as quickly as possible.
That said, there are circuits that will suit a Caterham better than a more powerful but heavier and slower cornering TVR, Porsche or Ferrari (and I'm not familiar with Goodwood as a track so can't comment in this instance).
I still believe that driver ability has the most impact: a skilled driver in a TVR could probably see off a less experienced Caterham pilot.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 18th September 14:02
IMO you are never going to get a true comparison until all are in a competitive environment where (presumably) everyone is trying to lap as quickly as possible.
That said, there are circuits that will suit a Caterham better than a more powerful but heavier and slower cornering TVR, Porsche or Ferrari (and I'm not familiar with Goodwood as a track so can't comment in this instance).
I still believe that driver ability has the most impact: a skilled driver in a TVR could probably see off a less experienced Caterham pilot.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 18th September 14:02
quote:
However, yesterday, a mate of mine told me about a track day (Goodwood) he did with his uncle, in a Caterham.
Hmmm... Goodwood certainly suits the more powerful cars what with it's 3 long straights. I think it would depend on how hard your friends Uncle was trying... not every car on a trackday is out to prove something so however fast he was round the track doesn't reflect on how fast or slow the other cars were.
In my experience the more powerful cars had a distinct advantage at Goodwood, simply because they kept accelerating beyond 120mph where as most 7 type cars & Elises simply slow down. The Honda Civic Type-R that overtook my Elise there proved that point.
I agree with Adeewuff about Goodwood being a power circuit, I did a trackday there last May and it's not really suited to a (low powered) Caterham (unlike Folembray which I thought was very well suited to the CaterFields).
Having said that I'm sure a well driven R500 (top speed 150mph?) would wipe the floor with any standard(ish) road car around Goodwood.
>> Edited by MikeE on Wednesday 18th September 14:32
Having said that I'm sure a well driven R500 (top speed 150mph?) would wipe the floor with any standard(ish) road car around Goodwood.
>> Edited by MikeE on Wednesday 18th September 14:32
quote:
In my experience the more powerful cars had a distinct advantage at Goodwood, simply because they kept accelerating beyond 120mph where as most 7 type cars & Elises simply slow down. The Honda Civic Type-R that overtook my Elise there proved that point.
I know Elises aren't the quickest cars in the world but they don't exactly "slow down" at 120mph they just stop accelerating.
Goodwood is a very fast circuit so definitely suits more powerful cars but I have witnessed a Vauxhall Vectra hire car blowing away everything there (Evo's, Scoobeys, Elises et al) on a track day. It's definitely a lot to do with the driver.
Ted - this is your forum so I will give you a choice of answers:
A) It's a Sport 190 super dooper wikkid turbo edition and I am an ex racer with many championship wins under my belt.
B) It's a bottom of the range 118bhp bog standard Elise with 86KG of slightly loose nut behind the wheel.
A) It's a Sport 190 super dooper wikkid turbo edition and I am an ex racer with many championship wins under my belt.
B) It's a bottom of the range 118bhp bog standard Elise with 86KG of slightly loose nut behind the wheel.
quote:
Answer A. Thank god for that
LOL! If answer A makes you feel better then I won't tell a soul the truth honest
quote:
Gaining on me in the corners I could handle, it was the speed you carried past me on the straights that was embarressing for me.
Well the more speed you carry through the corners the faster you are on the straights. I've found the secret in the Elise is to maximise your corner exit speed especially with the standard car because it really is gutless above 80mph. The tyres I had on may have helped
Given the same driver there is no question that a fast Seven (remember they have lots of different specs) will lap quicker round any circuit in the UK. Slow Sevens or slow drivers will just drive slowly.
Just to give you an idea of how much faster a Caterfield is... I've done a whole bunch of tracks in an M3 E46 - generally lapping at the same speed as a Tuscan, 160 Elise - perhaps a second or so slower than a 911 twin turbo - a few seconds short of a GT3. Will overtake the lesser powered Caterfields with ease.
I've also done a bunch of (the same) tracks in an R500, which 'destroy' my lap times from the M - sometimes by 20 secs per lap.
Only on REALLY fast circuits will tin tops get close to the quick Caterfields. The Seven R500 does 60 - 0 almost twice as fast as a TVR and 70 - 90 in the same time as a McLaren F1.
Power to weight.
(of course I'm talking road legal here - any amount of race spec / slick tyred monsters will be quicker)
>> Edited by getcarter on Wednesday 18th September 16:57
Just to give you an idea of how much faster a Caterfield is... I've done a whole bunch of tracks in an M3 E46 - generally lapping at the same speed as a Tuscan, 160 Elise - perhaps a second or so slower than a 911 twin turbo - a few seconds short of a GT3. Will overtake the lesser powered Caterfields with ease.
I've also done a bunch of (the same) tracks in an R500, which 'destroy' my lap times from the M - sometimes by 20 secs per lap.
Only on REALLY fast circuits will tin tops get close to the quick Caterfields. The Seven R500 does 60 - 0 almost twice as fast as a TVR and 70 - 90 in the same time as a McLaren F1.
Power to weight.
(of course I'm talking road legal here - any amount of race spec / slick tyred monsters will be quicker)
>> Edited by getcarter on Wednesday 18th September 16:57
quote:
Another question along similar lines, how do Ultimas fair round tracks? They certainly have the stats to put on a good show... anyone seen it/done it care to share?
Well, depends on who's behind the wheel, how well it's set up etc.etc.
I've kept up with a 500bhp GTR round Donington in a race Locost (1300cc - 69bhp). It destroyed me on the straights but I could make it all back in the twisty bits.
However, a well driven Ultima with someone who knows what they're doing behind the wheel should absolutely cream most things.
After 2 years of racing, I hope to find out first hand when mine gets out on the track
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