MattSaint
04-18-2004, 05:35 PM
Hey Guys,
I just read the other thread and decided to share my experience at NED on Friday night. I made the journey with 2 buddies of mine driving mid 90's Mustangs.
Well, tech took a loooonnngggg time, so there was plenty of time to chat with the other guys. I drew a crowd just by the sound of the exhaust and the color of the car "Yellow Jacket". :) Everyone kept asking if I had made changes to it. I smiled and said nope, the car is completely stock right down to the paper air filter. Then the compliments on the looks started coming. Everyone was pleasantly surprised that the car looked MUCH better in person than the pictures in the magazines. That the interior was great, commenting on the colored gauges, the silver trim, the embroidered GTO lettering on the seat back.
A lot of people didn't think the car was even out yet. Most thought that it was supposed to be released this coming fall. Not sure how the advertising is going, but I myself have yet to even see a commercial for the car on TV. I know that I don't watch much TV, but I watch Speed Channel on a regular basis!?!
Ok, back to the track. In all the times that I have been to NED I have never seen this many people there. At one point all 6 staging lanes were full and there was a line of cars that had just raced waiting to be staged. It was total and utter chaos. Many, many break downs on the track. etc... We got there at 6 PM (yea, a little late). I finally got to make my first run at 7:30. I line up against a Z06 Vette. Just my luck, first time back at the track with a 6 speed since 1999 (97 WS6) and it is against a vette. Well, knuckle head that I am I forgot to turn the traction control off!!! :slap: :slap: Do I even need to post the numbers!?! Sure why not I'll embarrass myself. 14.733 @ 96.67... Gak, that was slower than my 02 GTP by a long shot. Geesh. Anyway, I had been talking to the guy in the vette, he ran a 12.779 @ 113.38 by the way. He came up and asked me what happened. I explained everything and we both had a good laugh.
Ok, next run was at 8:15, yup 45 minutes to make another run. Traction Control was OFF this time. I lined up against a Grand Am with the SC package. Ok, not too much pressure here... :) I slip the clutch and was spinning some, and then the rear broke loose and I started getting the IRS hop so I let off. My 60' ended up being a 2.436. Not good. I also got a little more than a chirp shifting into second, traction wasn't that great. Anyway, I ended up running a 14.298 @ 100.76.
Too many people to bother waiting for another run, so I head home...
What I learned... I have a long way to go to master driving this car and I have lost that certain launching finesse since owning my 97 WS6 of which I ran a 13.8xx at 10x.xx. I know the track had some issues, the tires don't grip that well, but the car has it without a doubt. I just wasn't up to the challenge, but I will be back that is for sure.
Cheers!!!
~MattS
I just read the other thread and decided to share my experience at NED on Friday night. I made the journey with 2 buddies of mine driving mid 90's Mustangs.
Well, tech took a loooonnngggg time, so there was plenty of time to chat with the other guys. I drew a crowd just by the sound of the exhaust and the color of the car "Yellow Jacket". :) Everyone kept asking if I had made changes to it. I smiled and said nope, the car is completely stock right down to the paper air filter. Then the compliments on the looks started coming. Everyone was pleasantly surprised that the car looked MUCH better in person than the pictures in the magazines. That the interior was great, commenting on the colored gauges, the silver trim, the embroidered GTO lettering on the seat back.
A lot of people didn't think the car was even out yet. Most thought that it was supposed to be released this coming fall. Not sure how the advertising is going, but I myself have yet to even see a commercial for the car on TV. I know that I don't watch much TV, but I watch Speed Channel on a regular basis!?!
Ok, back to the track. In all the times that I have been to NED I have never seen this many people there. At one point all 6 staging lanes were full and there was a line of cars that had just raced waiting to be staged. It was total and utter chaos. Many, many break downs on the track. etc... We got there at 6 PM (yea, a little late). I finally got to make my first run at 7:30. I line up against a Z06 Vette. Just my luck, first time back at the track with a 6 speed since 1999 (97 WS6) and it is against a vette. Well, knuckle head that I am I forgot to turn the traction control off!!! :slap: :slap: Do I even need to post the numbers!?! Sure why not I'll embarrass myself. 14.733 @ 96.67... Gak, that was slower than my 02 GTP by a long shot. Geesh. Anyway, I had been talking to the guy in the vette, he ran a 12.779 @ 113.38 by the way. He came up and asked me what happened. I explained everything and we both had a good laugh.
Ok, next run was at 8:15, yup 45 minutes to make another run. Traction Control was OFF this time. I lined up against a Grand Am with the SC package. Ok, not too much pressure here... :) I slip the clutch and was spinning some, and then the rear broke loose and I started getting the IRS hop so I let off. My 60' ended up being a 2.436. Not good. I also got a little more than a chirp shifting into second, traction wasn't that great. Anyway, I ended up running a 14.298 @ 100.76.
Too many people to bother waiting for another run, so I head home...
What I learned... I have a long way to go to master driving this car and I have lost that certain launching finesse since owning my 97 WS6 of which I ran a 13.8xx at 10x.xx. I know the track had some issues, the tires don't grip that well, but the car has it without a doubt. I just wasn't up to the challenge, but I will be back that is for sure.
Cheers!!!
~MattS