Nissan 370Z Forum - DDMotorsports: Redline Time Attack Round #1 Results!

This past Sunday was the 2009 Season Opener for the Redline Time Attack Series and in a last minute decision, I brought out the 370Z to compete in the Street RWD class. The event was held at Buttonwillow Raceway on configuration #13CW. I went on Sunday only due to budget reasons so I missed out on a full day of practice on Saturday, but I figured considering the car was almost stock, I would find the limits fairly easily.

The weather was terrible on Sunday with steady winds of 20-30mph and gusts up to 40mph. The track was constantly covered in dust and dirt and the winds played havoc on cars trying to push the limit. Most everybody was about 3 seconds off their pace from Saturday.

For those that don't know, my 370Z is very mildly prepped, especially in the crowd that shows up to these time attack events. You can see a mod list here...

Double Down Motorsports

I went into the event knowing that there wasn't a chance to podium given the level of cars that enter these competitions. My goal was to get out there, have fun, and test some parts for the 370Z community and my sponsors. I got out there and drove the car as hard as I possibly could, trying to find the limit of each part and the car as a whole...

BC Racing ER Series Coilovers:
I am absolutely in love with these coilovers. I really enjoyed them on the street, but when I hit the track I was in awe that these things aren't more expensive than they are. They felt awesome, handled the bumps in the track like a dream, kept the car very flat considering I am on the stock sway bars, and were easily adjusted. Having the ability to adjust compression and rebound separately is awesome!

Mishimoto Oil Cooler Kit:
This was my biggest concern going into the weekend because as far as I know, this is the first oil cooler that has really been track tested on the 370Z, not to mention it's the least expensive I have seen. Part of me was thinking "you get what you pay for" but luckily I was wrong. This oil cooler worked like a charm! Oil temps never got above 260 no matter how hard or how long I was driving on track. The oil temp would get up to 260 and wouldn't budge from there. Then during the cool down lap, it would be back to 220-230 before I was even halfway back to the pits. I am very pleased that this piece worked!

Hawk HP+ Brake Pads:
These, in conjunction with the stock sport package brakes and Motul RBF600 fluid, also exceeded my expectations. I drove this car very hard and the HP+ being a street/track pad and not a dedicated track pad held up beautifully. Initial bite and brake torque remained consistent and strong all day and all session long. I experienced no fade at all and I would venture to say that these pads will be suitable for almost any driver in a stock to moderately modified 370Z. My only complaint about these pads is that they generate a lot of brake dust.

SPL Parts Pro Rear Camber Arms:
There usually really isn't a whole lot to review about this piece other than it fits good and is easy to adjust. The reason I am listing it here though is because there was one instance where I was impressed by these. I dropped my right rear wheel off on the exit of one of the corners and on the other side of the rumble strip was a bit of a ditch. The wheel dropped off and the SPL camber arm NAILED the asphalt. It was a huge thud and I thought for sure it was bent or broken. Surprisingly the car felt fine, no different than before the incident. When I got back to the pits, the camber arm was scratched, but there were no other signs of damage! The camber hadn't even been knocked out of alignment. That is the reason to buy quality rear camber arms!

The car in general:
Compared to a 350Z, I am really impressed with the level of grip this car has. The car exceeded all of my expectations and I could not be happier. The biggest limiting factors of the car were the stock tires and the stock LSD. Both of those things reached their limit far before anything else on the car. The rev match is my favorite part of the car. I wish every car had this system. It is perfect every time.

The results:
I went into the event hoping for anything below 2:10.000 for a lap time. My best lap time of the day was a 2:05.714 and considering the track was reportedly 3 seconds slower than the previous day, I am absolutely stoked on this lap time.

There were 29 entrants in the Street RWD class and I ranked 12th. The competition was fairly close though so although I was 12th, I was less than 5 seconds away from a podium finish and 3.2 seconds away from a top 5 finish. A good set of street tires could have knocked as much as 3 seconds off I believe. An aftermarket LSD, maybe another second or two. Considering the level of the cars that were in this class, I think it's safe to say that this 370Z can easily become a podium contender. We'll see how the car stacks up at Willow Springs at the end of May with new tires and hopefully some other power/handling goodies. :driving:

On track pics and video to come soon.

http://www.ddmtimeattack.com/370zrtabw1.jpg

http://www.ddmtimeattack.com/370zrtabw2.jpg

http://www.ddmtimeattack.com/370zrtabw3.jpg

NOTE: The Bridgestone RE-11 stickers are for contingency purposes only. The car was on the stock Bridgestones that were on the car when I bought it from the dealership, not the RE-11.