VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, ALTON, Va. (October 4, 2021)—A field of over 35 of the country’s fastest machines on four wheels took to the track at Virginia International Raceway October 1 for the Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge to answer one simple question: Who has the Ultimate Track Car?
After a full day of drivers pushing their cars to the limit–and in some …
"I can do this all day. Literally."
It's good to see the category awards. Otherwise it's a little silly running street cars on street tires against all-out racers on track slicks.
I imagine that it's a pretty entertaining event.
Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:It's good to see the category awards. Otherwise it's a little silly running street cars on street tires against all-out racers on track slicks.
I imagine that it's a pretty entertaining event.
I find it incredible that a GT-R is less than 1.5 seconds behind that Ligier
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:It's good to see the category awards. Otherwise it's a little silly running street cars on street tires against all-out racers on track slicks.
I imagine that it's a pretty entertaining event.
I find it incredible that a GT-R is less than 1.5 seconds behind that Ligier
Let's check back at 3 AM and see how it's doing.
Meh. Calling that a "car" is like calling the space shuttle an "airplane".
I'm disappointed. I was expecting something like this:
Yeah after looking at the results, it looks like Kyle Carrick, Nissan GT-R, 1:49.178 Was the fastest CAR there. Nice job.
What is your personal definition of a CAR? The Ligier has AC :)
Junghole said:Yeah after looking at the results, it looks like Kyle Carrick, Nissan GT-R, 1:49.178 Was the fastest CAR there. Nice job.
I was gonna ask what makes a Supra a car but not a GT-R? 
Junghole said:Meh. Calling that a "car" is like calling the space shuttle an "airplane".
First I find out the Ridgeline isn't a truck and now this.
I just don't know what to believe in anymore.
Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:It's good to see the category awards. Otherwise it's a little silly running street cars on street tires against all-out racers on track slicks.
I imagine that it's a pretty entertaining event.
I agree. That gave me a lot more context, even though it'll be a bit before we get the full write-up.
also, makes me curious what nocones' challenge car is capable of, eventually
Junghole said:Yeah after looking at the results, it looks like Kyle Carrick, Nissan GT-R, 1:49.178 Was the fastest CAR there. Nice job.
It's the ultimate TRACK car challenge, not the ultimate suburban commute challenge.
dculberson said:Junghole said:Yeah after looking at the results, it looks like Kyle Carrick, Nissan GT-R, 1:49.178 Was the fastest CAR there. Nice job.
It's the ultimate TRACK car challenge, not the ultimate suburban commute challenge.
echo this, what nonsense. Four tires and get around the track as quick as you can. No bonus points because it weighs 2,000 lb more.
dculberson said:Junghole said:Yeah after looking at the results, it looks like Kyle Carrick, Nissan GT-R, 1:49.178 Was the fastest CAR there. Nice job.
It's the ultimate TRACK car challenge, not the ultimate suburban commute challenge.
Meanwhile I'm thinking "I wonder what South Carolina would need to put plates on that".
In reply to tuna55 :
Can't be any more strict than Florida, TBH it's a wonder there's not one of those running around here with plates already. It has functioning AC, can't say that about a third of the cars in the state.
EDIT: Looks like one of those Gumball rally blokes did it back in 2013 with a rebellion/ultima GTR chassis https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1084077_rebellion-r2k-street-legal-race-car-for-gumball-3000
It was done a few times with 962s as well IIRC.
And in the pre-prototype days with GTOs, GT40s, blower bentleys, etc.
Since Le Mans was originally a road car race, there used to be a requirement to be able to carry luggage. And of course, motorsports being what it is, there is a standard official FIA suitcase dimension. Cars over 2000 cc had to be able to carry two, cars under 2000 only needed room for one. I'm not sure when (if?) it was removed, but it stuck around for a long time.
Didn't a Riley-chassis Daytona Prototype enter last year (or year before)? Specifically this one:
So, what's the problem with the Ligier again??
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I went on a tear reading up on the first... 10-ish years of Le Mans races... written up on wikipedia, earlier this year:
Category:24 Hours of Le Mans races - Wikipedia
apparently the second or third year, they required the driver to put up/down the soft top as part of one of the stops (at the start)... to prove that it was functional, and improve the ease of those mechanisms.
In reply to tuna55 :
The Ligier US guys were at the F4 race at VIR a few weeks ago (they do the chassis for that particular F4 variant), they're based in NC. You could always call and ask for a laugh!
jb229 said:In reply to tuna55 :
The Ligier US guys were at the F4 race at VIR a few weeks ago (they do the chassis for that particular F4 variant), they're based in NC. You could always call and ask for a laugh!
Someday I'd love to have the dollars needed for that, just for fun. I know these would make terrible street cars, but it would be the most delightfully terrible thing.
06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:Didn't a Riley-chassis Daytona Prototype enter last year (or year before)? Specifically this one:
So, what's the problem with the Ligier again??
My, this is a pretty car.
Keith Tanner said:It was done a few times with 962s as well IIRC.
And in the pre-prototype days with GTOs, GT40s, blower bentleys, etc.
Since Le Mans was originally a road car race, there used to be a requirement to be able to carry luggage. And of course, motorsports being what it is, there is a standard official FIA suitcase dimension. Cars over 2000 cc had to be able to carry two, cars under 2000 only needed room for one. I'm not sure when (if?) it was removed, but it stuck around for a long time.
It just would not fit in the Cobra so the body was modified slightly.
Legend has it that the first set of those dimples was created by a mechanic slamming the trunk on the Official Suitcase. True or not, it fits the Cobra mystique.
It's fun looking at the luggage of the classic Le Mans cars.
GT40:
Another version of the GT40:
Another.
917.
Rover turbine car.
Jaguar D type
The Luggage requirement was part of the GT1 regulations of the late 90's as well, it seems Porsche and Mercedes incorporated the "trunk" into the rear clamshell deck lids, Toyota for the GT-One thought more outside (inside) the box to meet the spec.
"Second, Toyota learned about a loophole which Mercedes-Benz had exploited. All GT based cars were required to have storage space, capable of holding a standard sized suitcase, in order for the car to be considered not only production based, but usable by the public. Mercedes exploited this by putting a small cubby hole into an unused area underneath the rear bodywork, although it was not as easy to access as a normal trunk. Toyota, in their interpretation of the rules, were able to convince Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) officials that the car's fuel tank, normally empty when the car is scrutineered before the race, was allowable as a trunk space since it could, theoretically, hold a suitcase."
There was at least 1 road going version of the cars in that class as well, some of which never left the manufacturer like Toyota.
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