Lightning Lap 2018 Results

[G.Irish]

Several of the new supercars were not only faster, but obliterated the previous high watermark set by the Ford GT.  The Mustang GT performance pack was also pretty damned impressive.  Closer than it really should be to the GT350R, but some of that might be driver and conditions.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/li...g-lap-2018

[JPolen01]

Why the hell is the Accord Sport included in this group?

[G.Irish]

Why the hell is the Accord Sport included in this group?

They tend to throw an oddball car or two in every year.

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[ViPER1313]

Waiting for DJ to poo poo this.

My main takeaway is that it’s crazy how much tires have improved in the past 10 years.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Waiting for DJ to poo poo this.

My main takeaway is that it’s crazy how much tires have improved in the past 10 years.

This: Amazing what sticking the famed Super Cup 2 slapped on a Mustang will do. 

 Even so, that the Mustang and Camaro are up there is crazy impressive. I am interested to see how this plays out since the SS 1LE dominates any mustang currently and most think the PP2 won't have enough or even be close.  I am stoked though, hoping this keeps pushing both Ford and GM to keep making these pony cars handle amazing.

Also having the car not be able to do more than 3 laps without overheating is retarded. Nice job Ford.  This is what is stupid about the early year C7 Z06s too. Track pack, but limp mode in 3 laps!  Guarantee next year the PP2 gets a diff cooler.

[G.Irish]

My main takeaway is that it’s crazy how much tires have improved in the past 10 years.

Tires and aero.  All of the fastest cars have some serious aero packages.  When the Aston Martin Valkyrie and MB Project One come out I can only imagine that they are gonna blow away the current fast times by 8-10+ seconds.

[ScottyB]

its pretty cool to see how many wildly different cars are hovering in that 2:55 to 3:05 range. if you want to go fast you've got quite a variety of ways to do it these days.

the mustang is amazing given its size, and price but yeah, put some streetable tires on it (or let other cars run psuedo-R comps) and i bet its not such a standout.

they need to give the poor BRZ a rest, its such a backmarker at this point. until they update the powertrain there's just no novelty in including it any more.

[BLINGMW]

Tires. Tires. Tires. They should change article to "Pointless Lap". There's no track in which the Vette beats that McLaren if they had the same tires. And a car should be DQ'd if it cannot make 5 hotlaps. I bet the BRZ beats the Kia Sled on lap 3.
I have to say I'm impressed by the Type R though considering it only priced itself out of being in the lowest class by $600.

[GTBrandon]

This makes the Mustang extremely appealing based on it’s low price, performance, creature comforts, and tuning capabilities. I am seriously considering one as my next car against a C6

[D_Eclipse9916]

This makes the Mustang extremely appealing based on it’s low price, performance, creature comforts, and tuning capabilities. I am seriously considering one as my next car against a C6

I hope you are not thinking the PP2.  Its $40k+ and the reason it is fast is because it's on Michelin Super Cup 2s (same tire as on the GT3s/supercars/C7 ZR1). Those same tires you won't be able to drive in winter or in rain.....  And once you take off the tires its just another Mustang with some small upgraded bits.  

Just a little FYI against the C6 though.  Those C6s were wearing far slower rubber than the Mustang and most new hardware.  Again why I want to throw out these stupid lightning test results.  A Michelin Super Sport (c6) against a Super Cup (mustang/supercars/C7 ZR1) is like wearing your boat shoes and racing someone with running shoes.

Even the GT350 is in SCCA AS against the C5 and C6 Z06s and is not considered competitive against them.  (SCCA AS dictates evreything stock but a sway bar change, even have to use the same size wheels!)  

Get the Mustang, but don't waste your money on the PP2 as it would be nigh useless for someone tracking their car (especially since it overheats the differential in 3 laps).

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Tires. Tires. Tires. They should change article to "Pointless Lap". There's no track in which the Vette beats that McLaren if they had the same tires. And a car should be DQ'd if it cannot make 5 hotlaps. I bet the BRZ beats the Kia Sled on lap 3.
I have to say I'm impressed by the Type R though considering it only priced itself out of being in the lowest class by $600.

Yeah you had to read into a bit but the McLaren was on the less sticky rubber.  Apparently its an option to be on the stickier Trofeo Rs and even the magazine summarized it would be more than a second faster, making it at least 1/2 a second faster than the Vette (and probably faster than that IMO). 171.7MPH on the FRONT STRAIGHT. That's just mind boggling.

[BLINGMW]

Yeah you had to read into a bit but the McLaren was on the less sticky rubber.  Apparently its an option to be on the stickier Trofeo Rs and even the magazine summarized it would be more than a second faster, making it at least 1/2 a second faster than the Vette (and probably faster than that IMO).  171.7MPH on the FRONT STRAIGHT.  That's just mind boggling.

Exactly. Why bother. I wonder if they'd even mention if it started raining halfway through the day.

[GTBrandon]

This makes the Mustang extremely appealing based on it’s low price, performance, creature comforts, and tuning capabilities. I am seriously considering one as my next car against a C6

I hope you are not thinking the PP2.  Its $40k+ and the reason it is fast is because it's on Michelin Super Cup 2s (same tire as on the GT3s/supercars/C7 ZR1). Those same tires you won't be able to drive in winter or in rain.....  And once you take off the tires its just another Mustang with some small upgraded bits.  

Just a little FYI against the C6 though.  Those C6s were wearing far slower rubber than the Mustang and most new hardware.  Again why I want to throw out these stupid lightning test results.  A Michelin Super Sport (c6) against a Super Cup (mustang/supercars/C7 ZR1) is like wearing your boat shoes and racing someone with running shoes.

Even the GT350 is in SCCA AS against the C5 and C6 Z06s and is not considered competitive against them.  (SCCA AS dictates evreything stock but a sway bar change, even have to use the same size wheels!)  

Get the Mustang, but don't waste your money on the PP2 as it would be nigh useless for someone tracking their car (especially since it overheats the differential in 3 laps).

---

Tires. Tires. Tires. They should change article to "Pointless Lap". There's no track in which the Vette beats that McLaren if they had the same tires. And a car should be DQ'd if it cannot make 5 hotlaps. I bet the BRZ beats the Kia Sled on lap 3.
I have to say I'm impressed by the Type R though considering it only priced itself out of being in the lowest class by $600.

Yeah you had to read into a bit but the McLaren was on the less sticky rubber.  Apparently its an option to be on the stickier Trofeo Rs and even the magazine summarized it would be more than a second faster, making it at least 1/2 a second faster than the Vette (and probably faster than that IMO). 171.7MPH on the FRONT STRAIGHT. That's just mind boggling.

I just mean a 15’ish GT, no performance pack from factory. If I wanted to keep the car I’m sure there would be better routes to go down on the aftermarket side.

It’s appealing in it being a newer car, but other than that the C6 wins everywhere else...

[G.Irish]

There have been years where they've gotten rained out, or even had some mist during a lap. So for example, I think a couple of the hot laps from last year had a bit of mist if you watch the video.

The way I look at it, is that this gives you a rough idea of the performance. And because they publish what tire was used, you know which cars could be significantly faster, and which ones are giving just about all they've got. You've still got the driver and track conditions variables though, but again it's just a ballpark measure.

So you know that the ZR1 is at least one of the top 5 fastest cars around VIR-Grand East, but chances are if the 720S had the same tires it would've been a few more seconds up the road. Looking at historic times, some of the old cars would've gained several seconds with today's best rubber.

I'd love to see them trot out some of the old cars and see what they could do with the latest Cup 2 or Trofeo R's. If Michelin or Pirelli were really smart, they'd offer to provide tires for every single car for this test as part of their marketing.

[D_Eclipse9916]

There have been years where they've gotten rained out, or even had some mist during a lap.  So for example, I think a couple of the hot laps from last year had a bit of mist if you watch the video.

The way I look at it, is that this gives you a rough idea of the performance.  And because they publish what tire was used, you know which cars could be significantly faster, and which ones are giving just about all they've got.  You've still got the driver and track conditions variables though, but again it's just a ballpark measure.

So you know that the ZR1 is at least one of the top 5 fastest cars around VIR-Grand East, but chances are if the 720S had the same tires it would've been a few more seconds up the road.  Looking at historic times, some of the old cars would've gained several seconds with today's best rubber.

I'd love to see them trot out some of the old cars and see what they could do with the latest Cup 2 or Trofeo R's.  If Michelin or Pirelli were really smart, they'd offer to provide tires for every single car for this test as part of their marketing.

I feel like that could be a cool Lightning Lap follow up.  Here are the top 5 cars that WERENT on the Cup Sport 2 or Trofeo R and see what they did...

---

This makes the Mustang extremely appealing based on it’s low price, performance, creature comforts, and tuning capabilities. I am seriously considering one as my next car against a C6

I hope you are not thinking the PP2.  Its $40k+ and the reason it is fast is because it's on Michelin Super Cup 2s (same tire as on the GT3s/supercars/C7 ZR1). Those same tires you won't be able to drive in winter or in rain.....  And once you take off the tires its just another Mustang with some small upgraded bits.  

Just a little FYI against the C6 though.  Those C6s were wearing far slower rubber than the Mustang and most new hardware.  Again why I want to throw out these stupid lightning test results.  A Michelin Super Sport (c6) against a Super Cup (mustang/supercars/C7 ZR1) is like wearing your boat shoes and racing someone with running shoes.

Even the GT350 is in SCCA AS against the C5 and C6 Z06s and is not considered competitive against them.  (SCCA AS dictates evreything stock but a sway bar change, even have to use the same size wheels!)  

Get the Mustang, but don't waste your money on the PP2 as it would be nigh useless for someone tracking their car (especially since it overheats the differential in 3 laps).

---

Tires. Tires. Tires. They should change article to "Pointless Lap". There's no track in which the Vette beats that McLaren if they had the same tires. And a car should be DQ'd if it cannot make 5 hotlaps. I bet the BRZ beats the Kia Sled on lap 3.
I have to say I'm impressed by the Type R though considering it only priced itself out of being in the lowest class by $600.

Yeah you had to read into a bit but the McLaren was on the less sticky rubber.  Apparently its an option to be on the stickier Trofeo Rs and even the magazine summarized it would be more than a second faster, making it at least 1/2 a second faster than the Vette (and probably faster than that IMO).  171.7MPH on the FRONT STRAIGHT.  That's just mind boggling.

I just mean a 15’ish GT, no performance pack from factory. If I wanted to keep the car I’m sure there would be better routes to go down on the aftermarket side.

It’s appealing in it being a newer car, but other than that the C6 wins everywhere else...

Keep in mind the 2015-ish GTs were EXCEPTIONALLY slower.  Pony cars didn't really get anywhere competent for road work until the past 2 years.  The 2015 Z28 Camaro/GT350R aside since that was a factory built track car only.