Monday Test Session with PDG

[crash]

Just got back from a test session for the 4th possible driver for this years 25 hour race and, while I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag, I will say that I am both excited and humbled. The team of drivers that have been put together for this years event is truly WORLD CLASS. The car went about a second faster than it has ever gone at Thunderhill, and the driver was doing it without breaking a sweat. But then that is what I would expect from a guy that was in the running for a Red Bull F1 seat and has been a GM test driver for more than 6 years! :)

Videos to come shortly.

[crash]

Okay, Richard already posted it on the other forum...our fourth driver is Paul Edwards. From what I saw yesterday, he is likely one of the best race car drivers IN THE WORLD TODAY.

[crash]

Here's a video from Davy at the recent test. Paul's will be done shortly. I can tell you, after reviewing the films, that I have never seen anyone drive the GTM like Paul does. It is pretty amazing stuff. Anyway, here's a couple laps with Davy just cruising in the 1:56 lap time window...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBieflMGFMs&feature=youtu.be

[crash]

And here's the one of Paul Edwards. It FEELS like I'm going that fast in the GTM, but he is a good couple seconds a lap faster than ANYONE ever has been in the GTM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9vIUi7aRY

[kabacj]

And here's the one of Paul Edwards. It FEELS like I'm going that fast in the GTM, but he is a good couple seconds a lap faster than ANYONE ever has been in the GTM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ9vIUi7aRY

Great video Crash. Nice editing too. So the 64,000 dollar question. Is Paul as fast as the fastest times the other teams were posting in the 25? Of course speed is not everything in a 25 hour race, but it doesn't hurt.

John

[crash]

If you are talking average lap speeds during the race, then we are WAY below that with Paul. If you are talking qualifying speeds, then we are in the top five every time. Richard and I discussed some gumball tires for qualifying, but the cost is not worth it to us. So long as we qualify in the first 5 rows of the 30-40 rows that there will be, we will be fine. Heck, IMHO, we could start at the back and be fine. It's starting in the middle of the crap that we want to avoid. We should be able to be on par with average race lap times(all four of this years drivers) now with the previous overall winners of the 25. However, more and more pro teams that are raising the bar are showing up. Just about every team has one or two professional ringers on them this year. The game is getting more intense.

[johngeorge]

Very nice driving, extremely smooth! that is for sure hauling, great job team :)

The track config during test did not utilize turn 5b (bypass), I believe you loose about 2sec/lap running over the top-crowsnest track config instead of 25hr track config which uses 5b bypass.

Whos your drive lineup for 2013?

[crash]

Very nice driving, extremely smooth! that is for sure hauling, great job team :)

The track config during test did not utilize turn 5b (bypass), I believe you loose about 2sec/lap running over the top-crowsnest track config instead of 25hr track config which uses 5b bypass.

Whos your drive lineup for 2013?

That is correct on the bypass. We were running times that put us below our desired lap times WITH the bypass, so we figure with the bypass instead of the crows nest it will be a trade off for the number of cars we have to pass every lap. In other words we shouldn't have to push too hard to stay where we want to be.

Driver lineup is:

Davy Jones(yes THE Davy Jones that won Le Mans in 1996)
Paul Edwards(GM factory test driver)
Steve Zadig(Former Penske test driver)
Mike Holland(the humbled guy who is racing with legends)

Hope to see you guys there again this year?

[johngeorge]

We are not going this year, decided to do the 8hr in Atlanta with Jim's car..

[crash]

Definitely a bit of a "long haul" for you guys. You will be missed.