Track Guys Sebring Sensation 2011

[Sharad]

I ran the Track Guys HPDE at Sebring this weekend to do some testing for an article I'm writing in 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords Magazine. We started with my stock '06 GT and added one mod before each session so we could describe how each part affected the car. It was a lot of fun. I met WesleyK from here on S197forum and his brother. (you did say you guys are brothers right, or did I just make that up in my head?) Anyway, they were both running great looking S197s this weekend. I'll post up all of my track photos after I upload them to my photobucket account.

In the meantime, here's a picture of my car as it sits after the event:

and here's a video of two traffic-free laps during my fourth session:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmv9bhVBwY4

 

[Cone Sweeper]

Great to hear you had fun out there man!! Hope to see you at the SCCA Autox event upcoming at PBIR. It'd be nice to meet ya

 

[Sharad]

Thanks dude. The PBIR autocross is definitely on my to do list, but my bank account is still reeling from Memorial Day weekend. I think I could probably run ESP with the car as it sits, even though I killed the second set of new brakes at Sebring. (they're still on the car)

I'd say it's a definite maybe!

 

[Cone Sweeper]

two sets of brakes you killed at sebring? what kind of brakes?

 

[Sharad]

We installed new oem brakes for the event so that we'd have a baseline. By Saturday night the front rotors were warped, pads were cracked and had what looked like burn marks on them. So we installed Hawk Quiet Slot rotors, HP+ front pads, and HPS rears, all with the stock fitment. After three sessions on Sunday, the front rotors are pulsating a little, and they have small radial cracks.

I'm still driving the car like this. There is plenty of material on the pads and rotors, but the front brakes have some vibration to them.

 

[Cone Sweeper]

Honest man, best investment for road racing for brakes, a spare set for just racing rotor's and a set of dtc 60's or 70's upfront. They're amazing! And they don't brake down as fast due to being a race pad

 

[almost heaven]

Honest man, best investment for road racing for brakes, a spare set for just racing rotor's and a set of dtc 60's or 70's upfront. They're amazing! And they don't brake down as fast due to being a race pad

+1. Also sounds like you need cooling duct set up.

 

[Sharad]

Honest man, best investment for road racing for brakes, a spare set for just racing rotor's and a set of dtc 60's or 70's upfront. They're amazing! And they don't brake down as fast due to being a race pad

+1. Also sounds like you need cooling duct set up.

I couldn't agree more with what BOTH of you said. The problem here is that I did all of this for an article so some decisions are out of my hands. The Hawk pads & rotors were an EXCELLENT modification for a mostly street S197, but we simply overdrove them toward the end of the weekend.

I badly want to invest in a set of 14"/13" brakes, Shelby/CS/Steeda fascia with cooling ducts, adjustable shocks & struts, and a Watts link, but I can't make any moves until my boss tells me if & and when he wants to do anything else with my car.

No matter what happens with the work situation, I really want to push this roadracing thing as much as possible. Now that I live within driving distance of Sebring, Daytona, PBIR, and Homestead, there's just no excuse not to spend as much time as possible on the roadcourse.

 

[fordrocks]

Sebring was awesone, I only did the test drive portion and I'm hooked now. My car felt pretty solid. I will be trying out more of these events as $ allows.
Here is my car near the bays. I need some 18's to beat up on, these 20's are eh.

 

[Sharad]

Sebring was awesone, I only did the test drive portion and I'm hooked now. My car felt pretty solid. I will be trying out more of these events as $ allows.
Here is my car near the bays. I need some 18's to beat up on, these 20's are eh.

Sweeeet! I remember your car. You had more painter's tape on it than anyone else there. To be fair, my car is a beater, so I can't say I blame you. If my car was that nice, I might tape it up too.

 

[fordrocks]

Sweeeet! I remember your car. You had more painter's tape on it than anyone else there. To be fair, my car is a beater, so I can't say I blame you. If my car was that nice, I might tape it up too.

Lmao!! Yeah, coming from Kendall all the way to Sebring was nearly a 3 hr drive, my buddy Anthony with the Black ZO6 got hammered by those damn bugs on the way home. I will use that road wrap thing next time like others did.
By the way, were you that guy with a white 5.0 shirt with bad ass cameras?

 

[Sharad]

MORE PICS:

I was terrified that this guy would be in my group and he'd pass me. Don't laugh! At my first HPDE, there was a guy in a Volvo stationwagon KILLIN' people!!

Possibly my favorite car there. I can drive, please?

BONER TIME!! This car looked like a street car, but he was FAAAST on the track:

Centerlock wheels... uuuugh. DROOL!

Tough lookin' splitter:

Legit '65-ish Shelby GT-350. It was a BEAUTIFUL car!

GM High Tech Performance Magazine project car:

okayyyyyyyyyyy:

The ONLY car that passed me all weekend, and it was only once! Instructor in a new 911 Turbo on SLICKS. How am I supposed to deal with that?!? (he wasn't actually in my group. he just came out for two laps during one of my sessions)

Parked with the Coyote Cobra:

Reppin' my set:

Steeda boys kickin' butt on my car:

BRAND NEW pads, cracked and burned:

Editor Johnson shootin' the car for the mag:

Car was using over a 1/4 tank per 20 minute session. The MPG calculations in the dash computer are still jacked up!

End of the weekend. Racing is over and the car is loaded down with all of my gear. Can you see the tires and wheels in the backseat? LOL!!

My instructor's GR-40 GT500:

 

[Sharad]

Beautiful track:

 

[Sharad]

Lmao!! Yeah, coming from Kendall all the way to Sebring was nearly a 3 hr drive, my buddy Anthony with the Black ZO6 got hammered by those damn bugs on the way home. I will use that road wrap thing next time like others did.
By the way, were you that guy with a white 5.0 shirt with bad ass cameras?

That was probably Editor Johnson that you saw with the cameras. (there's a picture of him up above^^) I was wearing black/gray long sleeve shirts all weekend for driving, and a white 5.0 shirt at the Banquet Saturday night.

 

[Ch4r1ie]

Excellent, I look forwarded to reading that piece when it comes out

Great pictures too

 

[Sharad]

Excellent, I look forwarded to reading that piece when it comes out

Great pictures too

Thanks man. The article's coming along. (would be farther along if I'd just log off of S197Forum) LOL!

Glad you like the pictures. Those were taken with my phone. (aside from the very first picture at the top of the page, taken with my Nikon D90) I photographed Steeda's work at their shop, Johnson photographed the trackside work and the car on the front straight. Also, I bought the photo package from Colour Tech South and they gave me permission to use them in the article as well.

I think it will come out nicely. The hardest part is that I have so much to say, so the word count is getting up there pretty quickly. Editing now. Gotta go!