Sunday 6/11/2023 PBOC National Final Session Open Track (All Groups Combined).

Big thanks to the Camaro ZL1 driver @Slurpee_12 for the tow while warming up your slicks! It looks like it was good for about 0.15 seconds when I was close before the start of this lap from comparing that to the end of this lap and 1.4mph of extra speed before turn 1! I don't have the data to see if some of that was from the F1 style line on the straightaway vs. the shorter distance line from staying on the left side of the straightaway like I did at the end of this lap. Since my corner exit speeds were mostly lower on other laps compared to this one I can't definitively tell if the distant tow helped my lap time on the other straightaways but I suspect it did (even if only slightly) based on my previous experiences with the tow at Daytona and Road Atlanta.

My first event (second day) driving at Road America. It is a great track! I really exceeded my expectations at this track especially considering that I skipped the Sunday morning sessions due to rain! This lap was a massive 1.5 seconds faster than my personal best from the previous session! I managed to execute on the improvements I was trying to make on my first full fast lap attempt during this session without any major mistakes so I called it a day after this lap.

There might be lap time to be had by using a wider entry into the carousel (turn 9) which is common in most videos I have watched but I didn't manage to find it the times I tried, maybe because I didn't stay on the throttle long enough on entry using that line. I was also about 0.2 seconds faster through carousel on this lap the day before in warmer weather even without using a wider entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsUC-uEZFro

I took the most apex curb of the whole weekend at turn 13 on this lap. It might be faster (and it definitely is less sketchy) to use less of that curb. There is a bit more track available on exit there that I didn't use especially if you use the rumble strip curbing right before the access road. Both of these curbs were painted red and yellow shortly after this event so it might be easier to place your car on the edge of the track at the exit now with that visual reference.

Turning in a bit earlier and/or faster to turn 14 (the final corner) to use all of the runoff to the left of the red and yellow exit curb might also be quicker than the line I used but then if you run wide you throw away both your current lap and the next one.

2017 Camaro SS 1LE. Unmodified engine using PTM Race, worn stock Goodyear Supercar 3 (220 treadwear) tires at the wear bars (2/32" tread), track alignment (camber: -2.2° front, -1.8° rear, toe: +0.05° front on each side, some toe in for the rears), SPL Rear Toe Links with Eccentric Lockout, BMR BK063 Rear Diff Cradle Bushing Lockout Kit, FEA front lower front control arms from ZL1 1LE (since stock fluid filled bushings leaked), 2021 SS 1LE ABS control module (EBCM) to get better ice mode calibration (found on 2019+ SS 1LEs) which prevents intermittent hard brake pedal and reduced stopping force in bumpy braking zones, Castrol SRF DOT 4 brake fluid, stock Brembo (Ferodo HP1000/1) brake pads, GM plastic track brake cooling deflectors, smaller GM metal brake dust / splash shields, Ikon Motorsports 2019+ stock style 3 piece front splitter. The car is in track mode with touring steering mode and track exhaust mode. Ambient temperature was only 55°F, about 20°F cooler than average and only a few degrees above the record minimum high temperature for this day historically! 67% humidity, wind 15mph from N, cloudy all day.

It rained a lot from late Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning so I'm not sure if the track was fully rubbered in but the grip felt good.

It is probably not fair to compare this lap time with pre-repave laps based on what others have said about how much better the new surface is and based on the significant year to year lap time delta at the recent IndyCar race.