Finally got to race my GLA45 at Laguna Seca
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Thanks for this. You drove with a few weenies on the track! I know I’d be one of them...
i have dreams to do what you did there, once every other year or so. What did you need in terms of equipment (helmet, etc) to get on the track, and do you recommend a particular drivers school/class around the Bay Area? Thunder Ranch, Buttonwillow, etc?
drivers ed for track was on my list of things to do in 2020, then a funny thing happened in April...
i have dreams to do what you did there, once every other year or so. What did you need in terms of equipment (helmet, etc) to get on the track, and do you recommend a particular drivers school/class around the Bay Area? Thunder Ranch, Buttonwillow, etc?
drivers ed for track was on my list of things to do in 2020, then a funny thing happened in April...
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The first two sessions are spent following the instructors after classroom instruction. Then they turn you loose. All passing must be point by, so you cant pass unless given permission by the car being passed, This is only for novices. You can drive slow or fast, they line you up depending on how fast you want to go so the slower ones are not in front. I lapped a couple of people during the 20 min session. Just need a helmet!
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I know this is off topic but I think my GLA friends here will appreciate this video. Both in car and out....Amazing stuff, a new world record with his F1 car pulling 5gs at 200mph through the turns.
. Be sure to go full screen and turn up the volume...
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'Fraid not -- It's real. You must not have seen the last part of the video with video of him on the track.
As a German, Vettel has his home track totally memorized (as has any one like myself who has over 1500 laps at a Colorado track.) If you are an F1 enthusiast, you'll appreciate the absolute incredible performance of both car and driver. Cars cornering and braking at 5gs, doing this for an hour an a half or more. F1 reveals the roundy-round of NASCAR different, but mundane.
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I had the ECU looked at after it "self-healed" over a couple of hundred miles and they found no problems and could not replicate the problems. I signed up to go back to Laguna Seca on 1/30/21! I know it's a VERY fast car and that while I can't keep up with the supercars, I sure can embarrass a few others! I ran a 12.5 in a 1/4 mile timing in "standard mode" and on that same run only did a 6.2 0-60. While the suspension is really tight from the factory, hitting turn 1 at 110+ gets kind of loose.
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Turn 1 at Laguna Seca in a car like the GLA at 110 mph should get you loose!!!!
As you say, it is a fast car capable of embarrassing many others, but that is highly dependent on the driver.
Enjoy your track time. The elevation changes on that track keep it entertaining.
As you say, it is a fast car capable of embarrassing many others, but that is highly dependent on the driver.
Enjoy your track time. The elevation changes on that track keep it entertaining.
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I need to grow a pair and rather than let off the gas at 110 right before turn 1, I need to push it in the blind. I figure I can get about 120-125 if I keep it going and can keep it straight down the turn. This in itself would shave off many seconds on my lap times.
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Have a look again, the lap is done in the sim Assetto Corsa using a SF1000 mod.
I would know I play it daily with a skinned version of the RSS Hybrid F1 2020 cars LOL
The channel owner even sates the mod used in video description.
I am a massive F1 and sim racing fan, if Seb did that lap in real life it would have been bigger news!
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162 Posts
I was told I needed a larger heat exchanger to prevent the ECU from retarding power due to heat of 500hp. Upgraded the HE and going back to Laguna Seca this weekend. This time with a new set of PS4's to race with my friend who just got a new C8.
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if you are handy, and the way its packaged, very small handy, you could get at very least extended run time with the good olde misty trick.
run a line from the washer to the IC heat exchanger, rig it to point at the core with a spray tip. crimp off the the windshield sprayers, and those pesky high BAT's will not be causing your ECU to 😳
Its just not practical as a DD trick, but a track day, runnin distilled water and some ISO
zoom zoom
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He should theoretically have an advantage, but my driving is much more aggressive than his. I hate reading YouTube videos that read something like "My 325i beats McLaren", obviously not the car, but the driver that makes the biggest difference. The last time I went I was all over the butt of a CTS-V, I was much better in the turns and could hang on the straights, and he was an aggressive driver taking his car to the limits.
"The fastest and most powerful Cadillac ever released, the CTS-V sedan was released in 2015. With a 640 hp supercharged V-8, the car is able to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 200 mph."
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Well, my engine issue appears to have been fixed. So, I should have all my ponies (500) now. Replaced my good Pirelli Rosso with new PS4's and I am going back to Laguna Seca on 2/28 AGAIN. This time with my C8 friend in tow and in Point by group, so hopefully get away from the much slower novice class. I should be able to beat my slow lap time of 1:53 this time if there is no traffic. Watching my last trip videos, I cringe watching it, specifically when I left it in auto, it needs to be in manual to control the shifts.
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There you go! I totally agree. I always say, "Spend your $$$ on yourself, not your car. Attend as many driving schools as you can. What you learn will stay with you all your life, long after the car you've modified is history." And when you go to the track, assume that there will always (at least likely) be someone there who has more experience and more $$$ to spend on their car than you do. So at the track, be smooth, look ahead and enjoy the man-machine ballet.
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590 Posts
Great! I'll see you there, I got off the waitlist and squeeked by the wife acceptance factor to register on 2-28. (Huge thanks for the org tip, it got me off my butt to do this). I'll definitely be in the novice class though. Booked full day instruction too, for whatever that will be worth given the Gorgonzola 19 restrictions. Just a measly 435 HP here, but maybe we can compare notes on tires, I'm running Bridgestone Potenza RE71R's.
Are you on OEM brake pads, BTW? I put n Hawk HPS 5.0 last Sunday and am on the fence about them still. Which might change once I get them raging hot.
What was the issue with the wastegate? hope not just something simple like a loose bolt or seized up spring?
Are you on OEM brake pads, BTW? I put n Hawk HPS 5.0 last Sunday and am on the fence about them still. Which might change once I get them raging hot.
What was the issue with the wastegate? hope not just something simple like a loose bolt or seized up spring?
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