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Day at Mosport on Friday

2K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  Jon 
#1 ·
Had a fantastic and very challenging day with the V on Mosport’s Grand Prix Track on Friday. This was the first opportunity for me to “let ‘er rip” on a track day without the limitations that we had to drive under during last year’s Cadillac Track Experience, which was also at Mosport. I was able to get an inkling of what this car is capable of during GM’s event last year, but I must say I was very surprised (and very pleased!) to experience some higher limits (for me, anyway) of what this incredible vehicle is capable of!

The Toronto area weather forecast had been calling for rain on Friday since the beginning of the week and for once the forecast was actually correct. The day started off cool and wet with a constant drizzle. No matter, as lapping on a wet track is a different ball game and can be a very valuable learning experience. Mosport’s wet lines are completely different than the dry lines and we started the day on the wet lines. But lo and behold! The rain let up around 10:30 am and the track dried up quickly. Back to the dry lines! The rain held off for pretty well the whole day and as I became more comfortable with the car, I gradually extended the envelope and went into territory and explored speeds that I could never have reached in my Camaro. 236 km/h up the Andretti Straight and then quickly braking down for a very fast 140 km/h right hand sweeper while on the edge of traction is simply an amazing thrill!

I felt that the car is far more capable than the tires, (either that or I was just plain “chicken”) although the PS2s were simply fantastic in the wet and stuck like glue when it was dry in the afternoon, never getting slippery. They held up very well and the wear on them was minimal, considering the car was on the track for almost 2.5 hrs. during the day. I ran 42 lbs. front and 38 in the rear. The brakes are nothing short of amazing! I couldn’t believe how fast I could push the car and how late I could brake after figuring out that I could depend on the brakes to haul the car down from high speed in the blink of an eye. I sure never had that luxury before!
Oh yes… and the car is completely bone stock

Other Observations:
- it takes a lot of getting out of sorts to have the nannies cut in when in competitive mode.
- gotta be very judicious about laying down the power when coming out of a corner, especially if you want the car to go where you’re expecting (or hoping) it will go. Had a bit of an “Oh Sh!t” moment laying down the power coming out of a tight turn while the pavement was still a little damp. Steering with the throttle is almost too easy!
- engine temp never budged from its normal street reading.
- no message in the DIC about differential overheating
- car didn’t use a drop of oil, but did run through almost 2 tanks of fuel!
- damn this thing is quiet!
- flashing red tracer lights in the tach come on a little early at 5500 rpm!
- the car definitely liked the “exercise” and is now feeling more responsive and even quicker than before!

So all in all, a most excellent day! I have an even higher level of respect for this car than I had before, given how easy, solid and quiet it is to be driven at high speeds. The car certainly doesn’t communicate with you the way a sports car does, but it does manage to talk to you – you just have to listen a little harder! LOL!

I feel very privileged to own this vehicle and even luckier to be able to drive it on a road course the way it was designed to be driven. I would also encourage anybody who might be on the fence about whether or not to take a track school to do it and gain the experience of driving and handling this incredible vehicle at speed, in a safe and controlled environment.

I made some in-car video with my Samsung Android and a simple windshield suction mount. It gets a little jiggly in a couple of places, but it’s a reasonable representation of the track…


Best regards,

Elie
 
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#2 ·
Yup! With this group, putting the blinker on is the signal that it's OK to pass. Right blinker = OK to pass on right etc.. Hand out and pointing over the roof works as well.

The blinker method of communication works very well - especially if you want to keep the windows zipped up... but it's not my fav. I shudder to think about the ramifications of somebody accidentally hitting the turn signal lever with their knee at the wrong time - for whatever reason. I've seen it happen and the potential for a problem is definitely there...

Best regards,

Elie
 
#4 ·
I couldn't figure this guy out... he had some very strange lines and I could have run him down and passed him without much of a problem on the long straightaway... but rules of the day were no passing without a signal from the slower car. He wouldn't give me a signal to pass so I had to hang back. I kept my distance because I didn't trust him because of his strange lines. There was a marshall in the hut about 2/3's of the way up the straight and I wasn't gonna risk getting kicked off the course for passing without a signal... so I just got off and came back on.
I looked for him afterwards to see what was what, but either he left, or I couldn't find him. Not a problem. From watching his lines, maybe he was a newbie on the course and wasn't watching his rearview.

Best regards,

Elie
 
#5 ·
Hey Elie

Wish I could have made it, but the weather kept me away. Glad you had a good time. My buddy Wayne was there in his white Cobalt SS. He left the V at home due to the rain. Any interest in coming out to an Apex day? Next one is June 15th.
 
#6 ·
Hey Jon! The day turned out great after the rain let up in the morning. You would've had a blast! Yup! I met Wayne. Nice guy and very knowledgeable. We were parked beside each other in the pits. He had never driven Mosport before and was afraid to bring his V since it was wet and he's got race rubber on it. He wasn't impressed with it after slipping and sliding around TMP in the rain the previous week and figured Mosport was not the place...!
My guest knew him as well as he also worked at the Glendale Ave. engine plant in St. Kitts. Coincidentally, he also has a Cobalt SS!
Are you going to be there again at the Cadillac event in June? I've got a buddy signed up for it with an '09 manual Silver V who's chomping at the bit!

We'll be out of town on the 15th so I'll have to pass on the Apex event. I think a few of the local Camaro guys are thinking of signing up for that.

Best regards,

Elie
 
#7 ·
I was Elie's guest and that car is just simply amazing! Had a fantastic day, Thank You Elie!
Jon, I don't know if you remember me (Tom) from the GM Car Show in St. Catharines but I am retired now. I know Wayne and he looked at my Cobalt before he bought his white one. Thankfully I kept my car and I just love it even if it is a very distant cousin to the CTSV. :) We followed Wayne for a while on the track and he was doing excellent for his first time! It was a great day and as Elie says, anyone interested should follow through as it is a fun time!
 
#17 ·
^LOL. I told my wife my track days were a "pre-existing condition" before we were married. Funny, I said the same thing about the M5 that I'd placed a deposit on years before it arrived. I kept HPDEs and lapping days up for the first few years of marriage, but then my kids showed up and now that there are three of them it's more of a struggle to break free. My oldest still remembers me taking him to Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta when he was just a tyke--strapped into his Recaro kiddie seat!

The tide has turned. They're old enough now they can wait in the paddock while Daddy gets his yayas out!

BTW, I agree that I'm much more sensible on the street when I'm able to save envelope-pushing for the track. I think I just found another justification...
 
#18 ·
Absolutely! I'm blessed in that I have a very understanding wife who realizes how important it is for me to continue participating in these events. She is very encouraging, but will have nothing to do this activity - after I dragged her out to an event 7 or 8 years ago to ride shotgun and she got sick during the 1st lap!
One of my sons bugged me for 4 years to let him drive my Camaro and I told him there would be no problem - as long as he took a track school so he wouldn't kill himself driving the car. So finally he took a school and long story short, he participated with me last year in the Cadillac Track Experience at Mosport! An instructor had to be in the front seat at all times, but it was still a huge thrill for me to be sitting in the back seat of the V, while my kid was blasting around Mosport!
You have a lot to look forward to!



Best regards,

Elie
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the heads-up, Jon and I'd love to participate (it's a good deal!!!) but I'm getting together for dinner with my buddy who will be at Mosport for the Cadillac Track experience later this month (Phillip Hoffman).
Have fun and safe evening!
BTW, is there still that "irregularity" in the pavement that will cause your back end to jump around (if you hit it) when coming out of the last right hander into the home straight? :stirpot:

Best regards,

Elie,
 
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