Looking at the cut away of the Chaparell got me thinking. How did the lap times for those beasts compare to modern prototype cars, ALMS etc.? Anybody have some stats?
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Oct. 31, 2009 9:47 a.m. cwh SuperDork
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Oct. 31, 2009 10:29 a.m. GlennS HalfDork
i would have to imagine that those can am cars were quicker. im also interested in the answer.
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Oct. 31, 2009 12:01 p.m. tuna55 Reader
I could go on and on about how they compare in terms of awesomeness...
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Oct. 31, 2009 12:07 p.m. MCarp22 Reader
edit - these don't count as there was a track configuration changeComparative times for Laguna Seca:
In 1966, Phil Hill ran a 1:05.310 iin the Chaparral 2E
In 1972, Mark Donohue ran a 58.660 in the 917/10
In 1983, Al Unser Jr. ran a 0:55.472 in the Frissbee GR3
In 1986, Klaus Ludwig ran a 56.692 in the Probe GTP
In 2007, Ricardo Zonta ran a 1'06.039 in the Toyota TF106
In 2009, Gil de Ferran ran a 1:11.206 in the Acura ARX 02a
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Oct. 31, 2009 12:17 p.m. TJ HalfDork
How is it that the track record seems to be a minute and change and yet here are three examples of times under a minute. Was there a configuration change to the track?
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Oct. 31, 2009 1:00 p.m. MCarp22 Reader
TJ wrote:
How is it that the track record seems to be a minute and change and yet here are three examples of times under a minute. Was there a configuration change to the track?
edit Yeah, the track had a straight that connected turn 2 and turn 5 prior to 1988. I wasn't aware of that when i was looking up the results. Shame on me. :(
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Oct. 31, 2009 1:01 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork
yes sir there was!
current configuration
as of 1995
As of 1963
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Oct. 31, 2009 1:05 p.m. MCarp22 Reader
D'OH! Sorry guys.
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Oct. 31, 2009 1:33 p.m. nocones Reader
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mazda+...
Freaking SWEET Google Street view of a parade lap on laguna Seca.. Google ROCKS!!
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Oct. 31, 2009 1:52 p.m. cwh SuperDork
Did they run Nurburgring?
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Oct. 31, 2009 2:29 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork
I just did a little searching for comparison info; the numbers speak for themselves.
At the 1970 Road Atlanta Can-Am, Denny Hulme's pole-sitting McLaren M8F recorded a time of 1:18.6.
At this year's Petit, Minassian's Pug put in a pole time of 1:06.9.
The track is now a bit longer (2.54 vs. 2.52 miles) after it was Panoz'd and the speed and drama of Turn 10 was eliminated.
Here's Can-Am, in-car video of the track in 1970:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3NhmB0PBY0
Here's in-car video from this year's Petit (in a GT2 Corvette):
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Oct. 31, 2009 5:08 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork
there has to be at least one track that was run in Can Am that is still the same configuration!
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Oct. 31, 2009 5:29 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork
maroon92 wrote:
there has to be at least one track that was run in Can Am that is still the same configuration!
Road America , Mosport and Mid-Ohio come to mind, but the start/finish line at Mid-Ohio has been re-positioned.
Comparative times at Elkhart Lake (from 1970 vs. 2009):
Can-Am pole time was 2:10.6 - Hulme/McLaren
ALMS pole time was 1:48.2 - DeFerran/Acura
For a reference the GT2 pole time this year was a 2:06.9 (Joey Hand/BMW), faster than a state-of-the-art McLaren M8F.
Technology marches on.
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Oct. 31, 2009 5:32 p.m. cwh SuperDork
This is what I was looking for. The comparison of cave man tech vs nasa tech.
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Oct. 31, 2009 5:42 p.m. oldsaw HalfDork
cwh wrote:
This is what I was looking for. The comparison of cave man tech vs nasa tech.
It's all relative!
In 1970, the Mclarens were nasa tech, only out-teched (but never beaten) by the unreliable Chaparral 2J.
Then Porsche showed up with the 917/10 in 1972, and things really changed.
