Bennet’s C8: Driver Mod Comes First

Bennet Kao learned quickly that the Tesla Model 3 was a capable track car with the right technique. By capitalizing on its strengths — surprisingly capable brakes and its torque and traction advantages — he could stop the car in a short distance, sacrifice the mid-corner, and prioritize a strong exit to lengthen any subsequent straight.

Good traction and a favorable weight distribution make the electric heavyweight a serious contender on the track, but it’s not without its issues. The problem is the Model 3 is only good for about two hot laps before it starts to limp. Since Bennet recognized that driving skill came before a long mod list, he prioritized seat time. Posting only eight to ten laps per track day didn’t exactly constitute time well spent, so he decided to make a change to a car which weighed less than two tons.

“I figured the gen-two BRZ was the perfect segue,” he recalled. “I wanted to learn to carry momentum and drive a manual, and since this was rear-drive, I wasn’t comfortable with having too much power at first.”

He sent his new toy to TDW Auto in San Jose for their advice and mechanical expertise; having them install a pair of Stoptech big brakes, Racecomp Tarmac 2 coilovers, and a set of Kumho V730s. With how playful the car was from factory, these were the only modifications they felt were necessary.

Transitioning into a lighter, nimbler, and less powerful car was not easy; after setting times at 2:02 at Buttonwillow 13CW and 1:27 at Thunderhill West, he had to ask himself what wasn’t working. Thankfully, he had a few friends with similar setups who offered him some help. Seigo Ma, another gen-two BRZ owner, offered Bennet his passenger seat and fielded a few questions.

“I tried to focus on the exit with the Tesla. I also braked pretty late and hard with the Tesla, but I couldn’t do that in the BRZ; it would just oversteer too much. I looked at Seigo’s data and realized he was braking a little softer and a little earlier, but released the brake earlier, carried more mid-corner speed, and got back to throttle earlier. His inputs were gentler. That way, he could keep the car settled more of the time.”

Following an adjustment period working at finding more rolling speed, he started feeling himself. “I never spun that car, and I spun everything else I’d owned. It is the most forgiving car I’ve owned — you could make coffee while you corrected the oversteer,” he joked.

He whittled his Buttonwillow 13CW time down to a 1:58 and felt pleased with himself. That glow lasted until, after two dozen track days in the BRZ, he lost fourth gear. That prompted him to start looking for a replacement. “I missed the mid-engine feeling of the Tesla, but I did not miss the weight.”

Browsing an auction site one Monday afternoon, he came across a C8 Corvette with a few enticing modifications. A Brembo BM6 big brake kit and a set of four–way KW V5 coilovers would make it possible to get back to track driving that much sooner. He placed a bid, crossed his fingers, then turned off his computer and picked up his kids from school.

The following morning, he learned he’d placed the winning bid.

At Buttonwillow a month later, he left his first DE in the C8 with mixed feelings. While the car had the directness that he’d been missing, it felt like it was going to kill him half the time. “There was so much weight in the rear and the spring rates were way too soft. I kinda hated it,” he admitted. Additionally, the power steering pump seemed to struggle in high-load corners. “Going into Riverside, the steering assistance would sometimes work intermittently. I guess the pump struggles with the forces there.” Lastly, the motor would pull some power once the intake temperatures reached 230 degrees. “I could get about five hot laps a session at full power that day, but it was pretty warm.

While it wasn’t a stellar shakedown, Bennet kept his head up by maintaining his driving-first approach to driving, he recognized that his technique, even more than his setup’s shortcomings, was to blame for his unsatisfying first track experience in the C8. “I studied a few YouTube videos from other mid or rear-engine drivers and made some changes. I began to understand that this layout was not as forgiving as an FR, which meant my steering rate had to be a lot slower, and I couldn’t trailbrake as assertively as I did with FR cars. It just needed to be balanced more delicately.”

Refining his inputs helped him dial in the turn in more consistently and, crucially, settle the rear end. After all, such an incisive front end was what he’d been longing for, and with the ability to put down power much earlier than the BRZ ever could, he began to love MR driving dynamics.

With his technique honed to his car’s liking, he looked to improve the suspension for track work while keeping the car streetable. The KW V5’s default spring rate was 7kg/7kg, and while that split’s higher than stock Z51’s 4kg/5kg, it was too soft for track usage; resulting in excessive nose dive under hard braking and a lazy rear end during transitions. While researching popular spring rates for track-oriented C8s, he found that C8 Z06/Z07 has a stiffer front relative to the rear, which would help him get a flatter, better stabilized platform.

With a 14kg/10kg arrangement, as well as a bit more rebound at the rear, the C8’s setup is now neutral with a touch of oversteer. That said, having almost 60% of the weight in the rear aids in traction zones, and he’s been able to apply the throttle very early. Even with the wheels spinning, it still generates good propulsion.

Even more impressive than his ability to jump from platform to platform and adapt rapidly, Bennet wisely avoided going down the modification rabbit hole. “There’s so much to gain from focusing on the driver mod. I don’t think I’m a naturally talented driver, but I like to do my research and I studied a lot of the fast guys from Speed SF. They coached me with their onboard videos.”

One such driver claimed that the 991.2 GT3 RS was worth three times the C8 Corvette. To challenge this claim, Bennet handed his keys to the man. That was Joe McGuigan.

After returning from setting a 1:34 lap, Joe changed his tune a little.

“With the way you have it set up, it’s one of the best mid engine cars I’ve driven,” he began, “except for the brake pads — they don’t bite or modulate well,” he said. Bennet has since replaced those XP8 pads with Endless ME20.

For the foreseeable future, Bennet hopes to get as much seat time as possible — and as a father of three, all under five years of age, it’ll be hard to find the time. He’s got his work cut out for him, but his technique-forward approach should serve him well in the medium term. Maybe, once his schedule frees up and he’s learned all there is to learn from his C8’s current configuration, he’ll spring for aero, or level up and grab the Z06.

Cody’s C6 Z06: Father-Son Duo Builds Best Of Both Worlds

Being a GM development driver comes with a few perks. In addition to the privilege of getting flown around the world to test interesting new machines, one of the less obvious pros to this line of work is being able to cement a relationship with your father when he decides to turn his Corvette into a special sort of track toy.

Cody Bulkley’s education and career facilitated the development of his dad’s C6 Z06 — a project ten years in the making. His background has helped him from being swayed by forumthink, as the idea of a clubsport build isn’t always encouraged by the armchair authorities. Some claim that the best of both worlds just can’t be attained and, in actual fact, any attempt will result in something that performs poorly on street and track. Cody thought otherwise.

In his mind, a reasonably modern car can be versatile enough to drive three-hundred miles to a track, compete with caged cars, and drive home in relative comfort, but it’s not an easy balance to strike. It takes a special sort of patience and technical insight to arrive at this compromise.

During his five years in a dual bachelor’s program at the Oregon Institute of Technology, Cody joined the school’s FSAE program, which later led him towards a role in the performance end of the automotive industry. General Motors hired him as a chassis integration engineer and he joined the team that developed the C8 Corvette. Concurrently, his dad picked up the Z06 with the intention of turning it into a serious track toy. With all Cody had gleaned from his job, he had to get involved.

“The easy answer to building a track car is to throw a set of Penskes, a cage, and full aero at the car and call it a day, but we couldn’t do that. Dad drives the car to work regularly, so we had to make it more than a back-breaking trailered car.”

While that was a tall order with a relatively spartan and simplistic performance car, the C6 Z06 has good bones, and proved to be much more versatile than he had originally believed.

The first order of business, as his father requested, was increasing power, which was followed by the attendant challenges of cooling a hot-rodded powertrain. A big cam, a ported intake manifold, upgraded trunion rockers, bronze guides, race lifters, ported and polished heads, and long tube headers added another two hundred horsepower to the tally.

To enjoy some 700 horsepower on hot days, the father-son duo had to labor over the cooling package. After plenty of deliberation, the two installed a GSpeed dual oil cooler, Spal fans, a C&R radiator with the GSpeed C7 fan kit, and an LG Motorsports vented hood. Along with engine coolers, they added a GSpeed power steering cooler and a Turn One power steering pump.

The dual-wishbone setup needs little to make it work well with wide tires and a good deal of lateral load.

To keep the car civilized enough for stoplight-to-stoplight driving, they pulled a few OEM products from the Vette parts catalog, including a C6 ZR1’s torque tube, a C7 ZR1’s clutch and mated them to an RPM-built transmission, which has proven capable of handling the power.

Its 600 lb-ft of torque and 7,100-rpm redline would make a 4,000-pound vehicle feel frighteningly fast, but this Z06 weights in at 3,150 pounds without driver. Not many can outgun this car on straighter sections, but many modern cars could make better use of the power — at least before Cody went to work on the suspension.

The combination of stock suspension and big power left Cody with no leeway. Its sudden breakaway made it difficult to attack faster corners, and when the road surface varied much, it didn’t inspire confidence. Along with the optimized spring rates for their LG coilovers and the GM T1 bars at their softest settings, they installed a Wavetrac torsen-style differential. “That diff made all the difference. It made it possible to finesse the throttle. We found a second with that one modification alone, easily. All these touches have made it progressive in the power-down phase, and that’s why I’ve been able to find most of its time in the high-speed sections.”

Subtle aero mods helps this car slip under the radar while encouraging faith at higher speeds.

It has to be said that, despite its stockish silhouette, the aerodynamics have been massaged, though only a little. Nevertheless, the resulting improvement of the center of pressure helped improve the car’s performance in faster sections. “Originally, it was a little aero-loose,” Cody began, “but we moved its pivot point rearward with a rear wing, wickers, and a big front splitter for balance.”

Thankfully — and making the finer points of this process is due to Cody’s education — the improvement in stability didn’t come with any detriment to livability. “We’ve kept all the factory rubber to keep it semi-civilized,” Cody said.

“We had to replace the front and rear brakes with a set of AP Racing six and four-piston brakes, respectively, but they last a long time. OK, we have to pay the Corvette tax in tires, but we’re able to stretch a set of Supercar 3Rs through four or five weekends.”

That combination of moderate weight and mega power has produced lap times that modern supercars and a few full-on race cars might struggle to meet, as seen below:

Not to add insult to injury, but the current lap times don’t tell the whole story. Cody’s personal best at Laguna Seca was set with a failing clutch, and his best at Thunderhill was set on a 90-degree day. When all their stars align, the Corvette may run a couple seconds faster at the featured tracks.

And this very car was driven to and from the track. Cody’s dad even takes it on work trips to Washington State every blue moon, and it still hurts feelings. “As I said, it’s not easy to find that balance between street and track, but we’ve been able to compete with plenty of caged race cars in what is truly a street car. As we incrementally improve the car, we are aiming at setting several class records across West Coast time attack organizations,” Cody concluded.

I'd like to give a big thanks to Roger, Jamie, and Gary for helping me tear down and rebuild the car over the last decade. Couldn’t have done it without you guys.

AP’s Spec Corvette: Ferrari Fill-In For Forty Large

After a lifetime spent racing karts, Outlaws, and everything in between, AP Miranda decided to take a good chunk of the change he’d made over his career as a professional pilot and buy a Ferrari Challenge car. However, he found that the Challenge drivers he met weren’t too welcoming to his outlaw attitude. The series he’d dreamed about for so long quickly lost its luster, and he was curious if there was a better way to spend his money.

AP decided to seek out a cost-conscious alternative among a more welcoming bunch. “I met a couple of the Spec Corvette guys at a Speed SF weekend and they pulled me right in. They were a bunch of renegade guys looking to have a lot of fun — so I signed up and I haven’t looked back.”

Within a few months, he’d built a budget club racer with V8 power, a large footprint, and more than enough performance to keep a driver with racing experience in twin-turbo Ferrari entertained. Best of all, he’d done it for about a sixth the price of his old Ferrari.

The C5 Corvette doesn’t have to be expensive to run. Well, it’s always going to be hard on consumables, but compared to other cars running in the 1:37s on the old Laguna Seca, this version of the C5 Corvette can’t be called pricey. Simple, too — the formula for Spec Corvette is meant to be basic so that the fields can be fairly fat without too much expected from the participants in terms of vehicle prep.

This meant that the competition would likely be close, and so AP put some more money into a knowledgeable instructor to help him get the most from his new old car. He hired Tim Moser, a respected coach with a background in Formula Dodge-Barber, LMP3, and other serious machinery, to show him how to extract all the potential from his low-downforce, high-torque middleweight.

Strengths

Building a Spec Corvette requires little. There is the sole aero item — a three-inch ducktail spoiler from Trackspec Motorsports, but the car is compliant, stable, and predictable without major aero. This is due in part to a set of one-way Penske 8300 dampers and monoballs replacing the OEM bushings. If there’s one thing which the C5 needs to be less of a transporter to the pitch and putt and more of track scalpel, it’s removing the factory rubber.

The factory brakes are fair, but the Wilwood six-pistons are a great budget upgrade, and their rotors will last a year of racing before needing replacement. Even though the minimum vehicle weight is just 3,200 pounds, the Wilwood pads can last six weekends without losing their competitive edge. Retain the stock brakes and you’ll be working on them a lot of the weekend, but the stopping power is sufficient.

In the interest of keeping costs relatively low, the series has mandated a 200-treadwear Nankang NS2R tire, which should last three weekends or so. Considering the power and weight, that’s a relatively long life.

It doesn’t matter if the donor car is powered by an LS1 or an LS6 — either motor shouldn’t have much difficulty making the maximum 380 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels as per the Spec Corvette rules. Both motors are under stressed, consistent, and easy to work on.

There are two options if the car comes with the less-desirable LS1. It can use the intake manifold, heads, and camshafts from the LS6 to make the allowed power, or, if the LS1 is kept totally stock, a set of long-tube headers are allowed. The LS6 only needs to retain the factory headers to make the desired output, so it’s the better choice. Plus, its “batwing” style oil pan is broad, shallow, and sufficient for Spec Corvette usage. In fact, it’s fine for just about any application which doesn’t involve slicks and wings.

However, G-forces and sustained high-revs will still cause oil to accumulate in the LS6’s heads, and to avoid this problem, some use reduced diameter pushrods, some drill holes in the lifter trays to drain oil to the sump faster.

Those are the essentials, though there are a couple preferred changes a cost-conscious owner/driver would consider. Though differential and transmission coolers help extend the lifespan of some of these consumables, they’re not necessary to ensure consistent performance over a single race — or even over a single season. The one last potential issue in this area is, thankfully, solvable with an OEM part. The LS7’s clutch is a cheap and easy replacement for an LS6’s clutch which struggles with the increased power output. Impressively, a Spec Corvette can be built with all new components for just $40,000 — quite inexpensive for the sort of lap times it’s capable of.

“The shocks work pretty well; we barely touch them over the course of a weekend,” Tim says.

Weaknesses

Now, while it would be unfair to say the car leans on its power advantage — which is enough to make it a contender in NASA ST3 — it does have some shortcomings in other areas. The braking performance is fair, though having to run the stock master cylinder makes the pedal feel a little softer and over assisted than a real race car ought to. That, combined with the oft-derided ABS system, forces the driver to learn all the braking system’s shortcomings. “You’ve gotta have the wheel totally straight if you’re going to brake aggressively,” Tim elaborates. Consider that this braking handicap would likely be worsened if the rules allowed the car to have all the camber it could use.

There is the famous lack of visibility to deal with, too. The combination of a low roofline, thick a-pillars, window nets, and a halo seat makes it tough to get a sense of what’s around you. Factor in the C5’s long overhangs and somewhat vague steering, and it might not be the easiest car to place precisely.

Such a small window opening makes rapid extrcationg an act achievable only by contortion artists.

Nevertheless, that’s a short list of shortcomings for a car with so many strengths. Tim’s coaching and Speed SF’s open lapping groups have helped AP feel at ease in the car. “We used the last event at Laguna for passing practice since we’re usually up front at race weekends and don’t get enough naturally. Everyone we drove with was courteous and aware, which made it easy to run nose-to-tail for several sessions that day.

We loved the low-key atmosphere; normally someone complains when you’re driving in such close quarters with someone else. We didn’t get any of those problems with Speed SF, and we got all our time thanks to every session running on-time.”

No major mechanical issues, close driving with plenty of opportunities to practice managing traffic, and a strong series of lap times in the low 1:37s made their last training weekend at Laguna Seca a total success. We hope Tim and AP join us again and give us a demonstration of racecraft in one of the best performance bargains around today.

AP plans to start renting these cars out on an arrive-and-drive basis to those interested in the coming months.

Cory’s C6 Grand Sport: Safe Not Sorry

He’d spent several years finding his feet in a Mustang, but after his friend was kind enough to let him try their Corvette Z06 at a track day, Cory Smetzler knew he had reached a junction, and although it would cost more, the prudent thing to do was to take a left turn.

The C6’s shape stimulated his imagination, and the performance was already so much more than what he’d been accustomed to; the Z06 in near-stock trim could already outperform his highly-modded Mustang. It was clear that it was time for a major change.

But Cory is a practical person, and making an expensive shift could not be justified by the C6’s soft, curving lines and wide arches alone. Pretty as it was, it was the performance package which convinced him to shell out some more coin, since its improved weight distribution, roomier wheel wells, and dead-reliable engine package promised much more fun and fewer headaches.

A set of American Racing headers bumps output to 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque at the wheels.

And pragmatism kept him from buying the same model, too. Instead of taking a chance with the Z06’s LS7 motor and its propensity to swallow a valve, he instead opted for the mid-tier Grand Sport, which loses the special motor and the aluminum frame. In their place, the Grand Sport comes with a more pedestrian LS3 and a steel frame, but for the price of less power and more weight, Cory purchased peace of mind.

Though the LS3 isn’t quite the motorsports-grade product the LS7 is, the improvements already made to this particular motor helped Cory forget about lost potential. The previous owner had installed a Dewitts radiator, a FAST 102 mm intake, a Nick Williams throttle body, as well as Doug Rippie Motorsports differential and transmission coolers.

The powerplant ran smoothly in the sweltering summer heat, though the engine lacked that zing and top-end that the other Corvette had, the mid-range torque of the mildly tuned LS3 was plenty exciting.

Mated to a TR6060 six-speed transaxle, the torquey LS3 and its 400-odd horsepower could get the car to GT3RS-speeds surprisingly quickly, so Cory wasted no time giving his new track car the stopping power and safety modifications that it warranted. He doled out the big bucks for an AP Racing Essex front brakes with 372mm rotors and inch-thick pads which guaranteed stopping power, consistency, and long pad life. No sense in taking shortcuts when stopping a heavy, powerful car.

Its accessible mid-range torque is exploitable on shorter courses and still strong enough to reach similar top speeds on faster ones. Surprisingly, the wonderful spread with the right combination of wheel size and final drive make it effortless to keep the engine humming along without the need for many shifts. This is a large part of what makes it so effective at tight tracks.

A 3,300-pound Corvette shows its shortcomings on tighter tracks. The poor motion ratio of the rear leaf springs pushed Cory to double the rear spring rate, which allows for the car to break away more progressively, and the resulting confidence from this predictable sliding helps Cory drive the car with more slip angle than he has with any other car.

The willingness to push a tail-happy car hard in the butt-clenching corners takes more than just progressive breakaway. Cory added a Nine Lives Racing single-element rear wing, mounts, endplates, front tunnels, and a homemade birch splitter added the stability he needed to trust the Corvette in fourth-gear sections at faster tracks like Sonoma.

The current setup isn’t perfect, but it’s nearly there. There’s the matter of weight to deal with, and he’d still like the rear to be better settled, but it is reliable and relatively kind to its tires, and so he’s been able to put in plenty of hassle-free track miles without going through too much rubber. Low maintenance and lots of seat time has been his credo since the start, and he’s hired Joe McGuigan to help put his philosophy to good use. With a little coaching, he’s been putting down impressive times after just a couple visits to Sonoma.

Since his recent move from the Pacific Northwest to Southern Oregon, Cory’s been able to enjoy the temperate weather and make it to track days with more energy and regularity. Seeing as how he’s been able to set impressive laps at circuits that are new to him, it’s certain he’ll be a force to be reckoned with in our Challenge series very soon. We’re happy to have him.

Thomas' Corvette: In Good Company

Finishing out his senior year of high school, Thomas DiGioacchino listened to a friend’s suggestion and scrounged the money together for his first track day. Crap tires, decent weather, and a near-stock Mustang GT were all he needed to find that thing that’s been steering his life for the last five years.

Thomas decided to pursue the mechanical side of things and enrolled in Ranken Technical College’s High Performance Technology course with a focus on Chevrolet LS engine design.

That emphasis allowed Thomas to build a motor for a car he hadn’t yet bought. It began with an iron-block LQ motor and LS1 heads, and as the LQ block only displaced 5.3 liters, he bored and honed it out to 5.7 liters to fit the LS1 head. With forged pistons and rods, oil pan baffles, and the other pieces that made it a 500-horsepower workhorse, he unknowingly set the tone for the rest of this build.

The car itself came next. During his final year at Ranken, he found himself a base 2002 Corvette within his price range and tucked it away in his side yard until graduation, when he loaded up his truck with his furniture, his motor, and began his drive from Missouri to his hometown.

Back in San Mateo, he reached out to his then-limited network for car parts and, with some luck, gainful employment as well. As he’d relied on Elite Performance to direct him towards a few bolt-ons for his Mustang, they were the natural resource to consult. One day, while speaking to Elite’s Melody Cannizzaro about getting his Corvette aligned, she provided up with a job opportunity. He didn’t have to think twice.

Working with Elite gave him access to one longtime customer who happened to be offloading some go-fast bits from their recent Corvette build. Thomas was able to grab a set of Titan 7 T-S5 wheels for peanuts, and then came big brakes, bushings, and a bucket seat. Soon, the plans for keeping the Corvette tame and civilized went out the window.

Wisely, he went for safety equipment next, and decided that this car would only help him become a truly quick driver if it was reliable first and fast second. “I knew that seat time would be the priority if I was going to run with guys like Gary Yeung,” he said.

That said, it would be silly not to make use of the big motor sitting in his parent’s backyard. Soon, it found a new home in the Corvette’s engine bay, and Thomas took the half-built C5 to its first track day, where it ran without a hiccup. It ran well the second day, too, as well as the third. Clearly, he’d paid attention in class.

Aside from the minor repairs any twenty-year-old car needs, it was the epitome of dependable. His focus was on learning to drive the car better, but, to his credit, a C5 on stock suspension does leave a lot to be desired. It would lean excessively, and under trail braking, it had a habit of snap-oversteering.

After several months of saving, Thomas bought a used set of JRZ two-ways. While he was at it, he pulled and refreshed the entire drivetrain, then upgraded the springs and clutch packs in the OE LSD. Those modifications made the Corvette much more progressive at the limit, regardless of whatever cheap tires he happened to be running.

When he found the time to fine-tune the suspension, he increased the rake to increase rotation at corner entry. A square 295-35/18 setup was the cost-conscious tire option, and he stretched every set until the cords showed. Still, the car was mostly neutral with a hint of understeer in the faster stuff thanks in part to his APR GTC-300 wing.

As his confidence grew, he started to recognize that driving around on worn rubber was no longer the training tool it had been, so he sprung for a set of AR-1s and turned his first sub-two-minute lap at Buttonwillow 13CW. “I had to fight it the whole way around, but I got 1:58. A sloppy 1:58, but still,” he said.

Good tires helped, as did having a hare to chase. With Gary Wong driving his S2000 off into the distance, Thomas was able to see where he could push harder than he believed was possible. It’s a huge help having an experienced driver luring your outside your comfort zone.

Logging that first milestone lap gave him the confidence to try the Speed SF Challenge the next weekend at Thunderhill’s five-mile configuration. He did his homework and studied several record laps, focusing on curb usage. With Gary Yeung giving him some basic feedback the day of, Thomas saw his lap times fall by as much as four seconds. In the end, he was able to clinch third place in S2 — just half a second behind Kevin Schweigert in his BMW M2.

That success turned Thomas into a sponge. His subsequent lapping days have been spent studying data and having the experienced drivers like Joe McGuigan critiquing his onboard videos. “Joe’s been a huge help; giving me pointers on which gears to use so I can put the power down more easily.” The result of this traction-conscious approach to driving is evident in the footage below:

He’s also benefited from picking a short list of prime parts. In fact, he’s never bent his Titan 7 wheels or broken any suspension parts, despite hammering curbs and dropping wheels regularly. Maybe it has something to do with emphasizing robustness with this build—a tip he picked up from his mentor, Gary Yeung.

‘I’ve learned a decade’s worth of motorsports knowledge in the last two years. Everyone’s been so supportive, and I owe my progress to all of them. They’ve pushed me to improve as a driver and a builder—especially Gary. Watching him work inspired me to raise my game, and I think it shows. My Corvette’s overbuilt, so I can push it all day. Like Mango, my Corvette is a workhorse that’s made it possible to attend almost every Speed SF event in the last two years. All I do now is change the fluids and try to find out where I can go faster.”

Parts

• JRZ motorsport coilover conversion

• Titan 7 T-S5 wheels 18x10.5”

• Trackspec hood vents

• Dewitts radiator

• Spal fans

• Improved Racing oil cooler

• Improved Racing oil pan baffles

• Prothane polyurethane bushings

• APR GTC-300 wing

• APR splitter

Sonoma Logistics: Where to Stay, What to Eat, What to Wear

Being my home track, Sonoma Raceway elicits many fond memories. Back when it was called Infineon, I got to see real racing cars in action for the first time, and with the sun setting at the end of the day, I realized just how special this place and this sport are.

For both the driver and the observer, it’s an amazing place to be. The variety of fast and slow corners, all tinged with a little fear from little runoff area, promotes a rhythm that is hard to experience at any other American tracks. It’s not an easy track to master, however. The morning fob can render the curbs slippery, and there are track undulations that can upset the weight balance of the car. Combine those with minimal runoff, and you realize how important it is to be careful exploring the limits there. “Take your time learning the track,” George Koustoumbardis warns.

Plus, the ambiance is special. The views from the top of the hill are remarkable; it’s not often you get to see most of the track from a single vantage point. The weather, too, is fantastic—outside the hottest summer months, anyways.

Navigating Turn 1 at ~100+ with the walls on either side takes some courage.

The onsite amenities deserve some praise. The onsite Wine Country Motorsports provides all the gear necessary, and the wide range of fuel available — 91, 96, 100, 112, 114, & 116 — make easy refills with exotic racing engines easy. Plenty of garage spaces help keep people out of the sometimes-oppressive sun, and with a moderately small footprint, the track is not too tough to navigate. However, with a small lot comes competition for parking spaces, so make sure to get there early if you’re trailering a car.

An airy paddock and small parking lot makes Sonoma nice to wander around.

It’s also located in a fantastic area. Whether you’re taking a quick day trip to the track or looking to spend an entire weekend basking in the Napa Valley glow, there are plenty of things to keep in mind.

First and foremost: try to avoid San Francisco if at all possible. Yes, early morning traffic on the weekends isn’t too heavy, but even so, it’s difficult to get to Sonoma in under forty-five minutes on the best of days. Instead, try staying in nearby Marin or Sonoma, where the food is fantastic and the atmosphere is far more relaxing.

Recommended Hotels

MARIN COUNTY

• Best Western PLUS, Novato Oaks Inn 215 Alameda del Prado Novato, CA, 94949 (800) 625-7466

• Best Western PLUS, Corte Madera Inn 56 Madera Blvd Corte Madera, CA 94928 (800) 777-9670

• Courtyard Novato Marin Sonoma 1400 Hamilton Pkwy Novato, CA 94949 (415) 883-8950

• Four Points by Sheraton San Rafael 1010 Northgate Drive San Rafael, CA, 94903 (415) 479-8800

SONOMA COUNTY

• Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa 100 Boyes Blvd Sonoma, CA 95476 (707) 938-9000

• The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa 1325 Broadway Sonoma, CA 95476 (800) 777-9670

• Quality Inn Petaluma 5100 Montero Way Petaluma, CA 95476 (707) 664-1155

• Cambria Hotel Sonoma Wine Country 5870 Labath Avenue Rohnert Park, CA 94928 (707) 206-7514

• MacArthur Place 29 East MacArthur Street Sonoma, CA 95476 (707) 938-2929

• Inn at Sonoma. 630 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476 (707) 934-1340

Nearby Eats

Though the onsite cafeteria is quite good as far as racetrack grub goes, the surrounding areas provide a staggering number of options for incredible food. Unlike so many Californian tracks, Sonoma offers drivers and their families the chance to eat extremely well if they’re willing to drive a short distance.

• -Pig and a Pickle. 341 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera, CA 94925.

  Fantastic barbeque, although probably better for dinner; it’s heavy.

• -Angelo’s Wine Country Deli. 23400 Arnold Dr, Sonoma, CA 95476.

  For lunch, this established nearby deli is hard to beat.

• Left Bank Brasserie. 507 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA 94939.

  Fine french food for reasonable money.

• Lagunitas Brewing Company. 1280 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma, CA 94954.

  Fantastic brewery upstairs.

WEATHER

Weather in the summer months can reach 100°F, so wear light clothing and do not underestimate the need for hydration. Though it’s a dry heat in Sonoma, it’s not hard to get dehydrated spending too much time in the sun. If the budget allows for it, a garage space in the summer is well worth it.

The morning fog is a real thing there, and it still lingers around in the summer months. For that reason, pant bottoms are recommended. So are a hoodie or a windbreaker for cooler weather. Bring sunglasses for the afternoon.

The exit of the Carousel is both fast and technical, and triple-digit oversteer at the exit is always exciting. Photo credit: APEX Staff Photographer @victorgiang

Though daunting at first, Sonoma is one of those tracks that is always satisfying and somewhat relaxing to visit. Spend some time appreciating the scenery, stay safe on the track, and give yourself enough time to avoid the bottleneck where HWY 37 and 121 meet during the morning and evening commute, and you’ll be sure to have a memorable day.

Watch Christian Fernandez’s onboard to get a sense of Sonoma’s interesting flow:

Thanks to Nik, Justin, Roger, Matt, George, Ken, and Reto.

Matt Paige's C6 Z06: The Track Rat’s Idea of a Hybrid

Photo credit: APEX Staff Photographer @victorgiang

There’s something refreshing about watching the onboards Matt Paige posts all too infrequently to his YouTube page. It only takes a couple corners to see evidence of a well-sorted car in action. Soft turn-in, great traction, and a real sort of stability that gives him the reassurance to push hard are traits we can appreciate from the start of his lap linked below.

By addressing every performance-related department in more or less equal measure, the car has a wide array of strengths which make it a versatile machine most speed freaks can appreciate. It’s a car that’s civil enough for short drives on the street, despite being tuned and tweaked to drive full lapping sessions without worry.

The track-street mix doesn’t place much emphasis on comfort, but it does make sure the factory bodywork is retained while using the airflow over it more effectively. For instance, the rear brake ducts are repurposed to direct air towards the gearbox and differential.

The vented hood isn’t stock bodywork, but it does fit the whole scheme as it’s painted the same shade of yellow.

Up front, the LG Motorsports splitter removes the front airdam and, in conjunction with a vented hood, helps the hot air inside the engine bay evacuate. Downforce and cooling addressed in one fell swoop—all without disrupting the soft, curvaceous shape of the C6.

That two-birds-one-stone approach could be seen in the greater build objectives with this particular Corvette. First, Matt wanted to show what his company is capable of. Few cars really fill the dual-purposer role, but Laptimz Motorsports used all their knowhow and a considerable budget to make it a track guy’s idea of the ideal hybrid.

The second objective was to demonstrate the value of a track car that doesn’t prioritize outright speed. Even with the lap times it’s capable of, the build emphasis was on stress-free track work; the company aim is getting enthusiasts onto the track with minimal fretting and frustration.

For that reason, reliability came first. Matt strove to keep the temperatures low through a set of Setrab oil coolers and a G-Speed laydown radiator. To ensure steady lubrication at high lateral and longitudinal loads, he picked a dry sump system from Dailey Engineering. For a milder balance with a hint of push, he chose a staggered set of Apex VS-5RS wheels wrapped in wide rubber—315s up front and 345s in the rear.

That wide footprint easily harnesses the engine’s output, as this LS7 isn’t crazy-powerful by LS standards. With the help of American Heritage heads, a Katech Torquer cam, Katech valves, and a pretty mild exhaust, it makes 525 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque—more than enough shove for Sonoma and Thunderhill.

Unfortunately, the retention of the interior pieces and most all the factory bodywork makes this 3,000-pound middleweight a little heftier than most track cars of this caliber. Still, those lightweight wheels, SKF hubs, aluminum hubs, lighter AP Racing brakes, and LG Motorsports drop spindles trim some unsprung weight. It all contributes to a feeling of uninterrupted adhesion with the road beneath. After all, it’s not only about the total weight, but where it’s located.

Photo credit: Trevor Ryan

The result is a car that’s sure on its feet, urgent, stable, and somewhat progressive when it does break loose. Now, the use of a delicate right foot helps Matt stay out of trouble, but he has to tread carefully on cold tires—big 315s have a habit of letting go abruptly if they’re not brought up to temperature before getting abused.

A little Lexan, lightened footwork, and a carbon roof help this Corvette belie its weight.

Even when the car does slide, the fresher suspension and direct feeling through the wheel give Matt enough information to correct snaps and shimmies without breaking a sweat. Not even a slide through the middle of Sonoma’s Turn 10 seems daunting, as seen at 1:28 in the footage above. This surefootnedness helps Matt push hard without trepidation—and feel like a superhero in the process.

Without a doubt, we’d certainly have fuller fields if this is how all track toys were built.