Speed SF Challenge Laguna Seca: New Surface, New Records

Ideal weather and a massive turnout of thirty competitors at the last round of the Speed SF Challenge guaranteed some action. Sure enough, we saw new records in several categories. Though some of the newfound speed was due to the recent repave, our Challenge drivers were in stellar form that weekend, and their onboards prove that.

In S1, Steve Melson and his Audi R8 broke the S1 record that had been standing for five years, set back in 2018 by Andrie Hartanto in a C6 Z06. Steve took advantage of the stellar weather and logged a 1:34.081 — a new record that any driver should be proud of—in a car that looks nearly stock. Such is the performance of the second-generation R8.

In S2, Kai Anderson reset Peter Hsu’s Chevy Corvette record by seven tenths. Anderson ran a 1:34.8 to Hsu’s 1:35.7, but not before suffering through a few frustrating sessions. By the end of the day, he cooled his jets long enough to find a gap and avoid slower cars. “My main challenge was recovering from a poor qualifying. There was a good turnout for this event which was great, but it meant the morning sessions were a little crowded, so I ended up only qualifying 7th fastest overall. I recovered to 4th fastest overall in the Challenge session, so mission accomplished, but my fastest lap didn't come until lap 5 because I kept having to abort laps due to catching traffic.

I didn't really have any specific goals for the weekend; mostly just evaluating what is still a relatively new car to me on a newly resurfaced racetrack. Overall, I was impressed with both. I think the changes to Laguna really inspire confidence to push for that optimal lap without creating a different line that requires total abuse of track limits.

The Camaro is perfect for Laguna, with prodigious power, cooling, and brakes to match. There is definitely still some laptime to come from this pair. Crossing my fingers December is dry!”

In S3, Spencer Kimball put in a serious effort to try and beat Kevin Schweigert’s S3 record of 1:36.0.

“I went into this event with some reservations knowing that my M3, with limited torque, was not at its best on Laguna’s straights. Laguna is also the one local track that I drive the least, but I made sure to try and get some practice in before the Challenge weekend. I lucked out and a friend lent me his pass for an event the weekend before, where I ran a low 1:37 after a year-long Laguna hiatus. I looked over my data and saw that a mid-35.xx would be possible, but I went into the Challenge event with the goal of breaking into the 36s. 

I knew that I had my work cut out for me as my main competition, Legend Brandenburg in his A90 Supra, benefits from ~200 more ft/lbs more than my E92 has. Luckily I was able to run a mid 1:36 during sessions 1 and 2, which put giving me a good spot for the challenge session. I studied my data to figure out where I needed to commit, and it was clear that the faster corners were where I could push harder to find somet time. I ended up running a 1:36.5 in the Challenge by carrying more speed through T5, T6, and T8, which was enough to make me the fastest in S3.”

In the end, Kimball was just 1/2s off of Schweigert’s lap, which Schweigert set in a car weighing 500 pounds less with comparable power levels. Not too shabby.

Gary Wong still has a little bit of work to do in the Supra to find the second between him and Dave Colbert’s 1:31.5 Group X record. The infamous purple Supra had its engine tweaked slightly to reduce power cuts, but heat is still an issue which Wong has to deal with. Thankfully, the team has a solution—though they won’t be able to use it until the next weekend.

“It was a fun weekend. I mainly wanted to sample the new track surface and see where I could push more than before. Because of how bad the stupid bump at T1 is, I wasn’t able to hit our sub-30 target times, although that had something to do with to traffic and some electrical gremlins. Because of some overheating issues, we had to lower the power level to complete the full lap. Thankfully, we know the issues and the solutions and we’ll come back stronger.”

Gunning for the S4 record, Nate Hackman’s put in an incredible 1:39.7, less than one-tenth off of Sean Yepez’s record, in what appears to be a very mildly modified car without any aerodynamic goodies. The primo parts are under the skin, though: his Ohlins TTX coilovers help his S2000 handle better than most. A last-minute setup change reduced some of the oversteer in the car, so Hackman could commit to the faster corners easily.

“Up until that weekend, I had only mustered high 41s at Laguna. With the repave running faster and a few changes to the car I figured I'd run a second or two faster, but tried not to overthink it with goals and just go have fun. Luckily, I was able to cook off a number of 39s with some definite room for improvement. I was still a tenth off Sean's pre-repave lap record which was a little disappointing, but I knew he'd come back and crush any record I set, and was still very happy to crack into the 39s with no aero and take home a win with an underbuilt car.”

In S5, Tony Rodriguez’s 1:45.2 record seems untouchable. Maybe we need another all-out MR2 to chase Rodriguez’s old S2000 down. In the meantime, we’ll have to tip our hats to our talented drivers taking advantage of the new pavement and pushing themselves hard enough to keep all the Speed SF Challenge competitors on their toes. When times continue to tumble like they have been, none of the Challenge competitors can coast, boast, or rest on their laurels.

Rich Bonem's BRZ-Camaro Dilemma: Speed Costs Money

Years of construction work meant his hands weren’t what they used to be, but that only meant that Rich Bonem had to find a new outlet. That and a few objections from his loved ones was why he switched from lapping crotch rockets to time trials in Subaru BRZ which, even in stock trim, was already a fantastic driver’s car. Light, agile, and encouraging, his 2017 BRZ Performance Pack served him well that first year, during which he squeezed in twenty track days—and all he did to ensure the car ran well was add a Mishimoto oil cooler.

The modifications came the following year. With a set of Enkei RPF1s wrapped in 255-section Bridgestone RE-71s, the BRZ was surprisingly capable of near-factory footwork. To make the most of that improved stance, he used SPC’s rear control arms and their toe arms to dial in a track-specific alignment. With 3 and 2.5 degrees of negative camber front and rear, respectively, the car could be leaned comfortably, generate the needed mid-corner stick, and oversteer predictably—just what the underpowered BRZ needs for fast times.

Although power wasn’t its forte, the BRZ was able to be livened up some. Rich tried what he could to squeeze a little more from the FA20 with UEL headers, a JDL high-flow cat, an Invidia N2 exhaust, as well as an OpenFlash Tune. It wasn’t groundbreaking horsepower, but 180 horsepower at the wheels in a 2,700-pound car qualifies it as quick.

With a set of Verus brake ducts topping off the short list of mods, Rich had himself a competitive car he could take to 86 Challenge. “What’s really cool about the 86 Challenge is the fact you can take a completely stock car and compete. Every event has had a great turn out, and when you’re ready to add some more upgrades, there’s a group for you, no matter how modifed your car is,” Rich says.

This car and this competition provided Rich with the realization it sometimes takes eager track rats years to learn. “When you’re competitive in motorsports, seat time is the best upgrade. In just one year, I went from being a complete noob to being one of the fastest guys at the track, and this was due to regular lapping days and the way I gained confidence so quickly. Every lap you push a little harder, brake a little deeper, focus on more advanced techniques, and study the features on the track that are so hard to notice when you’re new and uncomfortable.”

Still, that challenge could only last so long. Eventually, he felt like he hit a wall. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t improve upon his personal bests.

Looking into the cost of getting more power from the temperamental FA20 seemed silly; a little research into Kevin Schweigert’s experience with his supercharged BRZ wasn’t encouraging; things started to break things once past the 350 horsepower-mark. For that reason, Rich decided to leave the underpowered lightweight behind and move onto a new platform.

In addition to brakes the size of medium pizzas and a motor over three times the size of the Subaru’s, the Camaro SS 1LE represented a new challenge to Rich. It was bigger and harder on consumables, but unlike the Subaru, it had a robustness and, crucially, a warranty which made tracking it relatively easy on his conscience.

Not surprisingly, Rich was staggered with the car. The braking performance was stunning—seeing a measured 1.3 G in the heavier braking zones was a big surprise considering the additional half-ton of weight. “I felt my soul leaving my body,” he reflected.

The interior offered plenty of space, the gearbox was sweet, and the general reliability was impressive, too. Therefore, the ease of transition was more than just calming—it was inspiring. “The Camaro really made me feel like a superhero,” he added.

True, some things needed improvement—he added an APR GT300 rear wing and some adjustable rear toe links, then dialed in a little more camber all around. Other than that, it was left stock, because it was more than he could fully exploit at the time of purchase.

If it had any flaws in its driving dynamics, it’s that it wasn’t’ not the chuckable thing that the BRZ was. Still, it compensated for the added size with real stability and, obviously, a lot more motor. He increased the front tire width to match the rear 305s, but in its current configuration, the 3,800-pound bruiser still lacks that urgency that he loved so much in his old car.

For Rich, the dependable, reassuring balance, great high-speed manners, and stress-free lapping were the outstanding traits—outstanding enough to forget about its few flaws.

Good manners and an extremely stable platform gave Rich the encouragement needed to push his expensive track toy.

Except one. That ease of tracking and the obvious challenge kept him from ever feeling stagnant or frustrated, but he couldn’t help noticing the damage done to his bank account. Between track day insurance, gas, tires, and brakes, Rich found he was spending nearly twice as much every weekend than he had with the Subaru. Speed and power were fun, but like Kevin Schweigert realized, they’re not everything.

Brake pads lasted only four lapping days, and the tires two—the massive weight wearing out the shoulders extremely quickly. Not surprisingly, he’d only managed half the number of track days in the Camaro over eighteen months than he had with the Subaru in one year.

For Rich, the Camaro is the simple solution that so many track guys are looking for. “It’s a tried-and-true platform that will work, but I find myself already feeling like I want more. I can make it faster, but to upgrade an already expensive car is just crazy. Now, I believe I’d rather start over with a stock BRZ and upgrade slowly to appreciate the differences each upgrade makes. Maybe a K24 engine swap in the future?”

This journey has taught him of all that which is really important in a track car, as well as the cost restrictions and practical limitations that the starry-eyed builder never really understands until they’ve sunk half their savings into a creation. To win requires practice, and to have fun requires a constant challenge and regular advancement towards that goal on the horizon. How does one balance that? That’s up to the driver and their tastes, finances, and abilities.