2 Seconds

[FrgMstr]

I would guess the much more aggressive alignment on the TA was responsible for a lot of that 2 second spread.

[Dusty1]

The new GT3's have rear wheel steering available, might impact the corner exits some if it had that option. Tony, you are doing the tires right by your wife, but the Hoosiers will drop your lap times 2-3 seconds. Just like crack cocaine once you go to them your tire budget just explodes, we now get about 16-18 sessions/heat cycles till they get harder than your head! Looking forward to seeing everyone at CoTA in a few weeks.

Richard

[Nine Ball]

You guys are bad for my habit. Richard, we have it 2x worse, since our wives both have the same expensive habit. Haha

Some more cool rolling shots taken that day.

HOUSTON!

[Nemesis]

Venom, I think I may make that event in January, hopefully I will see you there. The biggest difference I noticed between the two was the GTS wiggles really hard deep into turns which impacts getting back on the gas. In the TA, I can go deeper, and get on the gas earlier because the car doesn't get as unsettled.

[fastmd]

2 seconds -- rule of thumb 10 car lengths per second, so 20 car lengths over your prior Snake , incredible.

Have to agree completely with Venom V ,as you likely have 2 seconds more in the car with Corsas on over the Super Sports and I think the GT3 only felt easier as it was on fresh , stickier tires. Have driven GT3s ( while instructing ) and at the limit I think they are harder to drive than the Viper , but it is Physics with all the weight in the back end. Keep in mind the limits of a Viper are completely different with say the Corsas or Hoosiers -- ahead of all those other guys on Super Sports, you were honking!!!

Bill, I just took delivery of my 2015 P GT3 and I will tell you the rear wheel steering is incredible. The power on the straights is in the viper's favor, but I believe I will have better times than my 2008 ACR. Would like to drive the new TA 2.0 back to back with the GT3 for a true test. It is definitely easier to drive faster and this new PDK-S transmission is the best out there, much better than my 14 Turbo S and 13 C4S PDK transmissions.

If Dodge put this Porsche PDK-S transmission into the Viper TA it would be game over for any other car..... Nothing like Viper's horsepower.

[VENOM V]

Venom, I think I may make that event in January, hopefully I will see you there. The biggest difference I noticed between the two was the GTS wiggles really hard deep into turns which impacts getting back on the gas. In the TA, I can go deeper, and get on the gas earlier because the car doesn't get as unsettled.

There seems to be a stability control tuning difference between the 2014 TAs and 2013 GTS, what mode did you track in? I don't recommend tracking the GTS in Normal or Sport Mode. In Track Mode or completely off which is the way I track at tracks I'm most familiar with, the behavior is smooth. I had some horrible tank slapper fish-tails when tracking in Sport Mode, when the ass end would step out due to traction and stability control intervention. Now when it steps out, it is smooth and controllable.

Good deal, looking forward to seeing you at Viper Tracks.

[Nine Ball]

Venom, I think I may make that event in January, hopefully I will see you there. The biggest difference I noticed between the two was the GTS wiggles really hard deep into turns which impacts getting back on the gas. In the TA, I can go deeper, and get on the gas earlier because the car doesn't get as unsettled.

That is a good description. My '13 SRT did that in the long carousel turn, which is a sustained 75-85 mph curve. I kept having to modulate the throttle to maintain traction. The TA does a smoother job of this, car felt more planted even at the same speeds.

[Nambo]

Wonder if the difference is the spring rate, I believe that the TA has stiffer springs due to the added downforce than the SRT or GTS. Base spring may have been a compromise and a little light for full out attack mode? I'll be interested to see how my TA handles at COTA with the MCS coil overs and much higher spring rates. I have noticed the same wiggle in the TA on corner entry in track mode.

[FLATOUT]

Wonder if the difference is the spring rate, I believe that the TA has stiffer springs due to the added downforce than the SRT or GTS. Base spring may have been a compromise and a little light for full out attack mode? I'll be interested to see how my TA handles at COTA with the MCS coil overs and much higher spring rates. I have noticed the same wiggle in the TA on corner entry in track mode.

That's true the TA does have different spring rates. I'm sure in the end it's a combination of all the small changes.

[VENOM V]

My guess is that either it was the traction and stability control intervention, or the alignment, or maybe both.

The springs are only 10% stiffer on the TA Vs. the GTS, so I don't think it's spring rate. I asked Erich about that specifically and he said not to waste my money. His recommendation was an aggressive alignment and carbon aero, and he was right.

I have very close to a TA alignment and also the carbon aero kit, both of which really stabilize the car. I increased the front camber to -2.8 degrees per Erich's recommendation for the Hoosiers. The carbon aero kit stabilizes the car at speed, before that the ass end was a little light in long high speed sweepers. Now it is planted, with 7x the downforce. And again, tracking in either Track Mode or full-off also has a big impact in how it handles at the limit.

My GTS is absolutely smooth and controllable at the limit. I was not fighting the car in the slightest when I turned the 1:52 at Buttonwillow, it's very easy to drive fast.

The biggest differences between the GTS and TA are the 1/3 stiffer anti-roll bars and the tuning of the damping. Randy Pobst tested two damper packages in the TA and chose his favorite. That damper package is what he set the Laguna Seca record with and that's what the production car has. If I get a chance to track a TA back to back with my GTS, it'll be interesting what the differences feel like. You never know, hoping for a chance at Viper Tracks 2015.

[Shooter]

aggressive alignment and carbon aero, and he was right.

I have very close to a TA alignment and also the carbon aero kit, both of which really stabilize the car.

Flatout and I had this same discussion today about my car. And we came to pretty well the same conclusion as you. I have the track pack wheels and brakes, so I'm going to add the Aero package and the same aggressive alignment specs as the TA, put some slicks on it, and hit the track. Maybe I might get an adjustable suspension like the one Woodhouse sells if I feel I need it later.

[mjorgensen]

Wonder if the difference is the spring rate, I believe that the TA has stiffer springs due to the added downforce than the SRT or GTS. Base spring may have been a compromise and a little light for full out attack mode? I'll be interested to see how my TA handles at COTA with the MCS coil overs and much higher spring rates. I have noticed the same wiggle in the TA on corner entry in track mode.

I can't wait to give it a whirl either :-) 11 days!

[Nambo]

Can't get here soon enough Mark!

[Nemesis]

I put the Aero Pack on my '13 GTS track pack, it still behaved the same. My reference above was to 'this' configuration with an aggressive alignment. It doesn't fix it. I do believe it is the combination of all the things they did to the TA that resolved this instability.

Flatout and I had this same discussion today about my car. And we came to pretty well the same conclusion as you. I have the track pack wheels and brakes, so I'm going to add the Aero package and the same aggressive alignment specs as the TA, put some slicks on it, and hit the track. Maybe I might get an adjustable suspension like the one Woodhouse sells if I feel I need it later.

[Nine Ball]

BTW, I chatted with the owner of that white Z/28 on the race wheels (stock Trofeo tires). He started out the day running 1'55 and eventually went 1'50 in the car. His first time on this track. He then had a more experienced friend drive the car, and it was going low 1'40s. Those cars have so much grip, and so much brake. Impressive. I might need one as a daily driver.

[Cdubb]

Looking forward to the next outing, this time with a lap timer.

[FLATOUT]

BTW, I chatted with the owner of that white Z/28 on the race wheels (stock Trofeo tires). He started out the day running 1'55 and eventually went 1'50 in the car. His first time on this track. He then had a more experienced friend drive the car, and it was going low 1'40s. Those cars have so much grip, and so much brake. Impressive. I might need one as a daily driver.

That's amazing, damn I wish we had a street type tire like that.