FlimFlam's UTCC ride: The "GT777KR"
07-30-2009, 05:41 PM
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FlimFlam's UTCC ride: The "GT777KR"
So, as some of you already know, this past weekend I competed in the Grassroots Motorsports Ultimate Track Car Challenge with a car that my shop built, owned by one of our good good good customers. Well, obviously he's a good customer because he handed over the keys to his very expensive car and told me to drive as fast as I could knowing all too well that I could come back with only a key chain to show for it. And just as obviously, I'm stupid enough to sign up for the gig.
The weapon of choice is the same Shelby GT500 that we took to SEMA in 2007, now deemed the "GT700KR", which I renamed this weekend to the GT777KR. 4,000lbs of Mustang that is normally daily transportation for the owner. A 100% street car that has over 20,000 miles that usually has a baby seat in the back when he removes the harnesses bar for his rollbar. A 4,000lbs Mustang that has a GLASS roof. A 4,000lbs Mustang that has a full Griggs suspension and brakes though, so there is some good in here. Oh, it also has a Kenne Bell Supercharger to replace the stock unit, but for the track it's limited to around 15psi making a very conservative 555rwhp. Still enough to push this 2-ton tank down the straightaways quite nicely.
Or so I thought.
Well, maybe if you happen to remember last weekend. It was hot as all hell. Like, stupid hot. Then throw in some humidity and lots of direct sunlight and we have a pretty sticky situation for a forced induction car. Mostly one with a positive displacement blower and a half ass intercooler system...and more importantly a BONE STOCK engine cooling system.
You see, when the owner of this car drives it, he's still learning so he doesn't drive it as hard as...well...I do. So, even when it's hot outside the owner has never overheated the car or had any problems. That wasn't the case with me. The car was a one lap wonder. On every one of my sessions my fastest lap was the lap I took the green flag on. After that the car got overheated, pulled timing like crazy and was incredibly under powered.
To give you a brief example. On my out lap I'd come out of T17 onto the front straight away and if I breathed into the throttle a little too hard it would kick the tail out. I'd feather it and go flying to the green flag. By the time I reached Oak Tree...on that same lap, I could turn in and go to the FLOOR...WIDE OPEN in 2nd or 3rd gear and it wouldn't have the power to break traction. Then going down the back straight instead of hitting the normal 155mph+/- top speed I'd hit mid to high 130's. On my second lap I'd get passed by a stock motor'd E46 M3 (280whp) and it would WALK me down the back straight.
To say the least I was not happy with my times and I just ordered an entire overkill of a cooling system for this car so it will hopefully never happen again. I've driven this car over 2 seconds faster in a goddamn HPDE in the instructor group. I should have placed this car in the sub-2:10 range, but it was just not meant to be.
I would like to thank some people though before getting to the pics.
- Philbert and Ryan (reneponac) - These two dudes kept me occupied instead of letting me stay pissed at the car. They also helped in numerous ways throughout the entire weekend.
- Buck (not on this site) - He let me borrow his enclosed trailer which without I'd have 3rd degree sun burns over most of my body and possibly would have passed out due to heat stroke.
- Owner of the GT700 - Without him...well.....I would have just been bored all weekend.
- BluestedSRT - The decals made the fucking car. It would have just been boring without them. The rear decal got a lot of looks and lots of comments on the #'s. Thank you for doing it on such late notice.
- UMADapparel.com - Best sponsor I've ever had. They are doing big things.
- emf. - Without the support of my emf. family, I'm nothing.
- Hawk race pads - without you, this 2 ton vehicle would of been my casket. You make amazing things happen and for that I thank you.
- Hoosier R6s - I've never been through the uphill esses that fast and didn't think it was possible in that car. You proved me wrong.
And last, but certainly not least...
- Baby Jesus - thank you for letting me not die when I lost brakes going into T1 way too fast and my pedal went slowly to the floor. I used up every millimeter of T1's asphalt and probably hung half of my left side of 315 Hoosiers off the track, but somehow I stayed on track. 3 cracked brake rotors later I have a Jesus airfreshner hanging in my truck.
Anyways, without further delay, here are some pics of the car and me at VIR having an overheatingly good time in a borrowed car!
The weapon of choice is the same Shelby GT500 that we took to SEMA in 2007, now deemed the "GT700KR", which I renamed this weekend to the GT777KR. 4,000lbs of Mustang that is normally daily transportation for the owner. A 100% street car that has over 20,000 miles that usually has a baby seat in the back when he removes the harnesses bar for his rollbar. A 4,000lbs Mustang that has a GLASS roof. A 4,000lbs Mustang that has a full Griggs suspension and brakes though, so there is some good in here. Oh, it also has a Kenne Bell Supercharger to replace the stock unit, but for the track it's limited to around 15psi making a very conservative 555rwhp. Still enough to push this 2-ton tank down the straightaways quite nicely.
Or so I thought.
Well, maybe if you happen to remember last weekend. It was hot as all hell. Like, stupid hot. Then throw in some humidity and lots of direct sunlight and we have a pretty sticky situation for a forced induction car. Mostly one with a positive displacement blower and a half ass intercooler system...and more importantly a BONE STOCK engine cooling system.
You see, when the owner of this car drives it, he's still learning so he doesn't drive it as hard as...well...I do. So, even when it's hot outside the owner has never overheated the car or had any problems. That wasn't the case with me. The car was a one lap wonder. On every one of my sessions my fastest lap was the lap I took the green flag on. After that the car got overheated, pulled timing like crazy and was incredibly under powered.
To give you a brief example. On my out lap I'd come out of T17 onto the front straight away and if I breathed into the throttle a little too hard it would kick the tail out. I'd feather it and go flying to the green flag. By the time I reached Oak Tree...on that same lap, I could turn in and go to the FLOOR...WIDE OPEN in 2nd or 3rd gear and it wouldn't have the power to break traction. Then going down the back straight instead of hitting the normal 155mph+/- top speed I'd hit mid to high 130's. On my second lap I'd get passed by a stock motor'd E46 M3 (280whp) and it would WALK me down the back straight.
To say the least I was not happy with my times and I just ordered an entire overkill of a cooling system for this car so it will hopefully never happen again. I've driven this car over 2 seconds faster in a goddamn HPDE in the instructor group. I should have placed this car in the sub-2:10 range, but it was just not meant to be.
I would like to thank some people though before getting to the pics.
- Philbert and Ryan (reneponac) - These two dudes kept me occupied instead of letting me stay pissed at the car. They also helped in numerous ways throughout the entire weekend.
- Buck (not on this site) - He let me borrow his enclosed trailer which without I'd have 3rd degree sun burns over most of my body and possibly would have passed out due to heat stroke.
- Owner of the GT700 - Without him...well.....I would have just been bored all weekend.
- BluestedSRT - The decals made the fucking car. It would have just been boring without them. The rear decal got a lot of looks and lots of comments on the #'s. Thank you for doing it on such late notice.
- UMADapparel.com - Best sponsor I've ever had. They are doing big things.
- emf. - Without the support of my emf. family, I'm nothing.
- Hawk race pads - without you, this 2 ton vehicle would of been my casket. You make amazing things happen and for that I thank you.
- Hoosier R6s - I've never been through the uphill esses that fast and didn't think it was possible in that car. You proved me wrong.
And last, but certainly not least...
- Baby Jesus - thank you for letting me not die when I lost brakes going into T1 way too fast and my pedal went slowly to the floor. I used up every millimeter of T1's asphalt and probably hung half of my left side of 315 Hoosiers off the track, but somehow I stayed on track. 3 cracked brake rotors later I have a Jesus airfreshner hanging in my truck.
Anyways, without further delay, here are some pics of the car and me at VIR having an overheatingly good time in a borrowed car!
07-30-2009, 05:41 PM
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Re: FlimFlam's UTCC ride: The "GT777KR"
All track pics were taken by Russ240z. This was literally his first time holding a DSLR camera. I set it up for him, gave him a 5min crash course and I think he did an awesome fucking job. Thanks Russ!!! EMF #21 representin’ from Oklahoma. He fucking drove from Oklahoma for this event!
07-30-2009, 05:41 PM
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Re: FlimFlam's UTCC ride: The "GT777KR"
Peep the rollover on the tire:
Chuckin’ the deuce on a hot lap:
Hey GTR, suck my dick.
Russ was taking a pic of his E30 and just so happened to time it right:
Chuckin’ the deuce on a hot lap:
Hey GTR, suck my dick.
Russ was taking a pic of his E30 and just so happened to time it right:
07-30-2009, 05:41 PM
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Re: FlimFlam's UTCC ride: The "GT777KR"
After we got home and it was still in one piece I shot a few pixtars of it before cleaning it up because track cars should be dirty. Very, very dirty.
