2011 GT500 lapping VIR Video

[pwd72s]

So, I've never been to this track...what's considered a good time for a street car?

YouTube - 2011 Shelby GT500 at Virginia International Raceway Grand West Course

[campbellcj]

Kinda hard to tell, but it looks like a bit of an understeering pig in the turns. Pretty crazy torque, though.

[porsche4life]

Lots of understeer....

Driver couldn't find a line too well either...

Do they all come with Recaros and 5pt harnesses?

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

So, I've never been to this track...what's considered a good time for a street car?

YouTube - 2011 Shelby GT500 at Virginia International Raceway Grand West Course

Depends on the course configuration...here's a compilation of various cars including GT500 in 2010 (#30):

Virginia International Raceway lap records - FastestLaps.com

[pwd72s]

Thanks for answering my question, Jim. Pretty quick for a street car. Looks like the 2011 5.0 is a winner, despite being an understeering pig.

[911Freak]

My buddy is the GM at a Ford dealership up in Nor-Cal. On my last visit they had a Shelby GT 500 and I think a GT350? Anyway a couple of other 'factory performance' Mustangs.

Needless to say he needed my "expert" opinion on their performance. I obliged

We took out the Shelby 500 1st, gobs of torque and I mean gobs! The sound that beast makes with the SC is intoxicating and make you want to hit the loud pedal over and over!

Any speed any gear I could break the tires loose. The run from a rolling start to 100 happened in a blink of an eye, the whole front end just lurched forward and the TC kicked in very early and very hard. Pinned to the seats, drooling grins on our faces we rinse and repeated several times, for comparisons of course!

If I was to really warm the tires up I'd make a few adjustment to or just plain turn the tc off. Brakes were excellent as well. Again I didn't get a chance to warm the tires (other than the rear ones) but sheesh that thing was scary!

Excellent seats, however for my taste and the price tag the interior was still a little cheeky with all the badges and plastic bits.

Pure rocket of a car. We ran up into the foothills for a few twisties, of course. The Shelby is a little more stiffly sprung in comparison to the other mustang with a SC.

This dealer does their own mods to the new GT's, some are Foose packages and others are from some other group.

Side note. The 1st Shelby Mustang they got in had a mechanic bend a magnesium wheel doing a ppi! It's still sitting in the showroom waiting for a replacement wheel. I think the wait was a year or something for that one wheel! Guy still has his job

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Thanks for answering my question, Jim. Pretty quick for a street car. Looks like the 2011 5.0 is a winner, despite being an understeering pig.

I didn't notice excessive understeer. It may understeer a bit, but that may be due to being apprehensive of mashing on that right pedal for fear the damn thing would swap ends. In any event any car that pulls .8+ longitudinal g's while going from 80-140 is a pretty fast pig

[Lazarro]

That's damn fast. (vir stats)

It looked pretty neutral to me or perhaps mild push. Just right and I'm sure with a bit more throttle one could get the tail out easily.

I rode in an 06 with an optional charge cooler that you packed with ice. Pretty impressive acceleration and I loved that SC whine. The owner tracked it and remarked that the tail was easy to get loose. Of course that might have been his driving.

[Dixie]

I watched the video and found the car phenominal. It looks like it handles fine. Set up with a bit of understeaeer (some, not lots) which is easly transitionable to oversteer with the throttle.

[kaisen]

The new 2011 understeers WAY less than the iron-block 2010. Taking almost 80 pounds off the front axle really helps.

I'd love to see what a force-fed 2011 GT 5.0 would be like

[pwd72s]

Can be ordered for less than the cost of a new Cayman...hmmmm. I'm sorely tempted, but my '09 Bullitt has less than 4,000 miles on the clock, and 315 horsepower is adequate. I'd probably kill myself with 550!

[kaisen]

Here's a better video of the run:

[Oh Haha]

Yesterday we saw a blue/white GT500(new style, not sure on the year, I don't care for them much).

The license plate, from Michigan, read "EATZ911".

One could believe that he meant a Porsche would be eaten by his Mustang.

He was just tooling down the freeway not doing anything in particular.

[ted]

Rode in a new Z06 at the track very impressive.
Last week a new Camaro and a new Mustang at the track could only manage 2 hard laps and then the brakes went away on both of them.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by ted

Rode in a new Z06 at the track very impressive.
Last week a new Camaro and a new Mustang at the track could only manage 2 hard laps and then the brakes went away on both of them.

Brembos optional on the 2011 Mustangs...$1600, problem solved. IMO, should have made them standard & bumped the price.

[Z-man]

1. I believe that video is what they call the "Patriot Course" not the main course.

2. There would be far less understeer if the driver were a little more gentle on the brakes and throttle upon corner entry. He doesn't really balance the car properly for the corners.

3. A little thicker rear swaybar would probably help dial out some of the push...

-Z-man.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Z-man

1. I believe that video is what they call the "Patriot Course" not the main course.

2. There would be far less understeer if the driver were a little more gentle on the brakes and throttle upon corner entry. He doesn't really balance the car properly for the corners.

3. A little thicker rear swaybar would probably help dial out some of the push...

-Z-man.

And yet, with poor driving & the car being an understeering pig, it's the 11th fastest lap time ever....according to the link provided. Faster than the GT3...Let's face it, we're looking at a "hell of a bang for the money" car here.

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

...Let's face it, we're looking at a "hell of a bang for the money" car here.

Across the board from the $22K 305 hp V6 to the shelby at $50ish...lotta performance at any price point.

[porsche4life]

Paul the lap in that video was not a top 10 lap...

It also should be taken into account that one if fords drivers set the stang lap and a car and driver guy set the GT3 lap.

[Jim Richards]

TRG to Start on Sixth Row in GT at VIR
Alton, VA —

TRG's Ted Ballou qualified the No. 66 AXA/TRG Porsche in the 11th position for tomorrow's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask no. 16 GT race to be run at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). The team is making a return to Grand-Am competition after a one race hiatus.

TRG 66 GT VIRTed Ballou set a lap time of 1:53.682 that will see him start from the sixth row for tomorrow's two-hour-and-forty-five minute race. The team installed a new 3.8-liter motor, per the rules adjustment, which was supposed to put the Porsche teams in a more favorable competitive position compared to races previous. Teamed with Andy Lally, Ballou is ready for Saturday's race.

"Practice was pretty good," Ballou said. "The car is a little better now that we have some more horsepower in the car. We are faster than last year but still not even close to the front runners. It is very discouraging. We were hoping for faster times and we are seeing that to some degree. I had a little trouble in qualifying flat spotting my tires after a spin. The possibility of rain tomorrow will make the race very interesting."

Lally will make history when he gets behind the wheel of the AXA Porsche tomorrow. The Dacula, Georgia resident will make his 100th start in Grand-Am competition. Lally is somewhat pleased with the changes to the Porsche and is looking forward to having a competitive run.

"To our car the rules adjustments have helped," Lally said. "However it seems adding 75 lbs. to the Mazda makes it go a good two seconds faster. The adjustments definitely helped, but we are still down. I need a couple more liters and a rotary under the hood. We are praying for rain which is sad."

Team owner Kevin Buckler is left in amazement at the delta that still exists in the GT field.

"The series made a great effort to help the Porsche teams with the recent rules adjustment," Buckler said. "I guess the Mazda guys just plugged in the lap top and negated our adjustments. I am not sure how you can add weight to that car and it still goes faster. Rain seems like our only hope tomorrow. This is very discouraging to be racing with no chance to win unless it rains."

The Grand-Am race from VIR will be televised live on the SPEED Channel starting at 2:00 p.m. ET today. The race will also be carried live on MRN radio and then replayed on Sirius NASCAR Radio channel 128 at 7:45 p.m. ET.

TRG was founded in 1993 and has been competing at the top level of motor racing ever since. The team has the most wins of any team in the Grand-Am Rolex Series with 26, including the 2005 and 2006 Rolex Series GT championship trophy to go along with wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

TRG is a manufacturer and distributor of high-performance racing parts. The group specializes in engine and chassis tuning as well as full service professional race car preparation. The company also provides electrical and mechanical engineering services, driver development and arrive-and-drive opportunities. TRG is based in Petaluma, California, near its home track of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. The company's NASCARoperation is based in Mooresville, North Carolina and competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in car No. 71 with Bobby Labonte. TRG is also developing a new state-of-the-art motorsports complex at the New Jersey Motorsports Park that should be finished in early 2011.

For more information please contact Kyle Chura at (248) 821-0468 or chura@aol.com. Detailed team info can be viewed at Home orwww.theracersgroup.com.