That was with a damp track, engineers driving with a passenger and a standing start.

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1993032&page=4

Sport Auto tested both the Z06 and GTR and the Zo6 was faster?

Thats kinda misleading. Sport auto ran a 7:49 (supertest) with the z06 .Thats the fastest lap they got with the z06 going all out.The 7:50 they ran with the GTR was NOT A SUPERTEST it was a Fahrberichte test. Meaning they test drove it around to describe more of what the car feels like and their impressions of the car. In other words they were not even trying , and it was within .1 sec of the z06's (Fastest lap) of the ring. Not only that, it was ran on the first and only lap.They dont run a supertest until the car is for sale in there country, so they wont go all out with it until later this year. There supertest with the GTR going to be alot faster then 7:49 or 7:50.

Just to put this 7:50 into perspective with other actual supertest times that sport auto(not manufactures) has recorded at the Ring.When they actual want to go fast and push the GTR all out there are going to run a very fast time.

Sport Auto lap time comparisons:
Ferrari F430 F1: 7:55 seconds (supertest)
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano: 7:47 seconds (supertest)
Porsche 997 911 Turbo : 7:54 seconds (supertest)
Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06: 7:49 seconds (supertest)
Ford GT:7:52 seconds (supertest)
Nissan GTR: 7:50 seconds (Fahrberichte)

http://www.sportauto-online.de/test_...8540_14469.hbs

 

The Z06 was also done this way (after the original Jan fast lap). There are now export rear shocks for Europe. Don't be surprised to see Jan or Johnny O give the Z06 another try. The 7:42 was done from a standing start (I know this for a 100% fact). Mr. Shoemacker who runs the Ring told GM this is how it's done.

The fact that Nissan decided to use a flying start was done on their own accord. If Jan or Johnny 0 tries to improve on the 7:42, it will be done from a standing start, then they might just do a lap with a flying start just to prove the Z06 is faster around the ring than the GT-R’s 7:38.

One more thing, if you look at the weather for the last 2 weeks they would have been lucky to get 2 or 3 days of dry track. Next week doesn’t look good either, but if it is, believe me, the engineers will be working hard to complete the car in preparation for Jan or Johnny.

My guess, you will see times in the low 7:30’s or high 7:20’s JMO. Weather GM decides to use a standing start (common practice) or a flying stare (Nissan practice) will remained to be seen. But because of all the controversy from the Z06 lap times, I’ll bet they will be crystal clear with proof on how the lap was run.

 

Some more info I found from Corvette fourm and various places:



GM does a standing atart as standard practice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOtAouKf_A0

GM standing start Cobalt SS with Heinricy driving.

GTR does indeed do a FLYING start from the VIDEO:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uGe_fyhQazg

On the GT-R video, look at where the clock stops for the 7:38 time. Now go back to the start of the video from approximately 1 or 1:01 to 1:06 or 1:07 would be the time to add that skipped portion of track back.
How much time did the GTR save by not running the pit stretch? No need to wonder, look at the VIDEO. Check the gap from 1:01 - 1:07. To compare it to Jan's I can at least reason that the Z06 should at least be able to make that section of the run just as quickly.

The GT-R was timed with a rolling start that ended about 100 feet from where it began. Time starts right before they dip in the first left hander and end right after laps last right hand turn, leaving the whole Tier13 out of the measurement! That is 6-7 sec. difference compared to measure start and stop from the same spot.

Note the time taken to cover the distance from the video time 1:01 to 1:07. Use the blue wall on the right for reference as it appears during that time. That is the vehicle's run up to the start which occurs at 1:07 at the end of that short stretch of road. If you watch the video you will note something interesting. After the car exits the pits 1:01 it blasts down to the timing traps. This takes it approximately five seconds to camera freeze at 1:06. For reference, note the blue portion of the wall to the right of the car from 1:01-1:06. If you watch closely, the car really trips the trap at 1:07 because at 1:06 it hasn't actually reached the lights.

Now fast forward to the end of the video and watch for the video freeze where they put up the 7:38 time on screen, it's at 8:49 on the video. You would think that would be back at the end of that short stretch which is where they started. But if you look to the right you will see that the blue wall has, again, only just started. The video does not end at the 1:07 start point but at the 1:01 run up to the start point. Yes the GTR cheated, they start in one place and then finish in another!!!

At the end of the run they stop the clock not back at the timing traps which are at the end of that stretch marked by the blue portion of the wall on the right at 1:01 - 1:06 but the instant the car hits the beginning of that short stretch 8:48. Did the video stop with the freeze frame 7:38:54 before they got into the timing light?

They start time just before left hander at Tier13, and end time, just after last right hander back into Tier13, taking out 400-500 feet. They had speed going into the start timer!!

Jan`s drive @ 7.42 is even more impressive! What if the Z had Sport Cups? According to Walter Rohrl Porsche saw an eight second improvement from 7:50 to 7:42 from standard tires to the sport tires with a 997 Turbo at the Ring. If the same improvement was noted on a Z that would imply a 7:35 lap!

 

Suveat69, good info. I think it boils down to this: until we get the Z06 and the GTR to the 'Ring with the same (neutral) drivers, we really can't compare numbers.

If I win the lottery, I volunteer to do this and invite credible drivers. I'll throw in the ZR1, Viper Competition Coupe, and GT3 as well.

(not too worried about winning the lottery)

 

That'a funny about the lottery, LOL! If shiit were worth something I would not have a butt hole, LOL!

 

Great finds Suaveat69. I guess I was under the impression that a Ring time was a standardized time like doing a lap at Daytona or Indy. Seems like what we have is first a very significant difference in where the start line is and then an option to do a standing or running start.
I would think until both cars are run at least the same way, standing or running. But until then neither time can really be compared. I'd say the running start is quicker. It should not be hard for Chevy to run the same practice that Nissan has done as they seemed to publicize it with their own video.

As for that GT-R video. First it's obvious the car is very fast and balanced. It has great acceleration, strong grip and the trans is well tuned and well set up for the cars power.

That being said I think Nissan didn't even follow their own start point. They used one end of the "front" straight to start the clock and the other end to end it. Even under their own acceleration in the begining it took them 4-5 seconds to get to their start point from the point they used to end the run. I'm shocked that they would put this obvious mistake on their video.

If the Z06 ran the lap at 7:42 from a standing start to the same point it should run a few seconds quicker than the GT-R.

Also watching the video and the famous "wheel lift" seen in pictures from that test. At the Carousel turns on the videos 5:38 or lap time 4:38 and 7:40 and 6:30 times you can see the very outside driving line and the car is turned into the banked curve as teh road drops below the car. It's not lifting the wheel or even carrying it due to super tight suspension but more of driving over road at high speed that dips away. It's easily audible and visable in the video that the car drops down hard once it enters the banked area.

 

The cars need to meet up on the same day, and run the same kind of tires (whether they're streets or racing tires). Run the exact same configuration (whether it's a standing start, or running start).

Then we'll have real answers.

I think the Z06 would be a lot closer than we're lead to believe. And the ZR1 will leave both of them behind, wondering WTF just happened .

 

This is Edmond's take on it.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=126032

 

And here's Edmunds take on what the ZR1 will do...

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=126040

 

Not sure what your point is here???

I would hope a vehicle that will likely cost well north of six figures and pumping out approximatley 150 HP more and carrying less weight around should be able to shave a little bit of time off the GT-Rs current record.

 

What's wrong with letting the manufacturer run whatever will give them the best time (which is, I suspect, exactly what they do including Chevy)???

As long as they are all free to do that, I don't see the issue...the track record for a production car is the track record for a production car.

 

I think the question I have is why isn't there a standard (it kinda makes it hard to compare different models)?

Also wouldn't a standing start benefit the GT-R (AWD) against the competition.

 

I think there are some "standards" for a vehicle being considered a "production" vehicle but also keep in mind, these tests aren't really done for "our" benefit; they are mostly a test, for a manufacturer to see how they "stack up" with what they've created as well as good old bragging rights.

As far as the standing start goes, yes, it would probably give the GT-R an advantage (I can tell you, it's almost unbelievable how well and how fast the thing lanuches) but how many track records or track qualifying laps for that matter, are done from a standing start?

I would say that virtually all if not all track lap times are done with the vehicle making many laps around the track and never from a standing start.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a standing start; just that I think it would be unusual (and I"m also not sure what more it would really tell us that an rolling start would not).

 

All that link proved was that some people claimed that the car was running low 7:40's.. nothing official..