Road And Track Best Sports Car

[Kai SRT10]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?print_page=y&section_id=31&article_id=1949&page_number=1


This Road and Track article was discussed previously, I know.

I was re-reading it, and one part didn't make sense to me, that's the Viper's top speed down the long straight (section 4.)

I'm not sure how long it is, but it looks like it is the drag strip and the shut down area. From the data, it took the Viper 13.75 seconds to traverse this section. Also from the data, the Viper entered this section at more than 100 mph. How is it that you enter a straight at over 100, drive for a total of 13.75 seconds, and have a top speed of only 142mph? Do you think the driver was trying to drive in 5th gear?

Can anyone familiar with Buttonwillow shed a little light on this for me?

 

[Brad04Mamba]

Very familiar with Buttonwillow but have never run that configuration. There are over 25 configerations to Buttonwillow. Viper Days always goes over lost hill which is right in the middle of the "drag strip". Riverside is a very fast sweeper, I don't think the drag strip is really that long, and then remember you have slow way down to make the sweeper, so that does add time.

 

[Socrates]

Oh come on, the BoreVette took 1st place? That magazine must be sponsored by GM...

 

[GTS Dean]

Regardless of what the mags say, *WE* all _know_ that the "objective comparisons" of road course performance is complete BS.

 

[vipersrt10]

Oh come on, the BoreVette took 1st place? That magazine must be sponsored by GM...

of course, they prolly get a few vettes for free to drive around and beat on, so they give it the best ratings

 

[Fast Viper Dan]

The straight is not that long. If they went down to Mazda turn that would add another 100 yards +/-, as well as another 10 MPH. The sweeper at the end of the drag strip is a little tight. It's also a reducing corner that averages an entry speed of around 60 MPH. 142 MPH is fast!
There comments a bought a gear change at the end of the esses is there lack of knowledge of the Viper! In the Viper you should drop into 4th as you enter the esses. The car has so much torque (as you know) you can then power thru with the car being much more stable and there is no need for a gear change at the exit of the esses. Just a slight lift to bring the rear end around and back on the gas! No more Vette behind you. (Nothing' but tail lights)

 

[Wicked]

Also notice what octane of fuel they used in the test of all the cars. They put the highest octane in the Corvette.

The whole article is BS and was really frustrating reading it. Then to read on other car forums about the C6 "smoking" the Viper. /sigh

The viper would rock the C6, and to write otherwise is just dumb. imho...

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

FastViperDan is 110% correct-a-mundo!! Skinny Bob Woodhouse said the exact same thing when he read the article ------------" What the heck are they downshifting there for???!!" Dan is da Man with the right gear selection, and that in itself would have changed the times. The problem with our car is the reason we love it. You can jump into a myriad of cars and master them in weekend, but a Viper takes time. That is the single reason we continue to have smiles on our faces, as the surprises keep coming, and the car continues to be fun and a bit of challenge. It is a primal muscle car, and Viper Owners ( male and female ) do not want a car they can tame in a couple of days--- we bore too easily, ha. Hence , the Borevette, doesn't appeal to many of us, as the challenge is such a brief moment in time.

My analogy from a decidedly Male point of view:

Both of the above cars are attractive blondes, the exciting thing about the Viper is we find out it has a brain - now that makes it very challenging,indeed.

 

[sun diego]

Great description, Bill. I'd like to say that the Viper needs the driver to have a brain, while the Vette has a pre-programmed brain that thinks it knows best. I've road coursed both.

P.S. Please place an order for the new coupe for me when it comes out with more power and that great Silver/Graphite combo. I'm not kidding.