Road Racing - Took my G8 GXP out to Sebring

I sold my bimmer and got a Pontiac G8 GXP A6 3 weeks ago. Saturday I took it out to Sebring, even though my NT05 track tires & rims I ordered didn't fit over my Brembo brakes I still managed some fun on the street tires. Although the other problem I had was Hot Oil light came on after about 15 mins. Also some video, sorry it's bumpy in a few places.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwmEtypri8
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9272&pictureid=22517
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9272&pictureid=22518

nice! way to work that sedan :D

:cool:

howd she feel on the track? looks like a lot of brake dip...how was body roll and balance?

Wow, lots of nose-dive! :D Looks like it could use more rebound control in the rear to prevent it from lifting so high. Ultimately, I'm assuming it could benefit from better shocks at all 4 corners? Nice to see that you're not afraid to put it into action though :cool:. Overall, how's the feel?

It could use some stiffer springs. Although, even with all the body roll it was very predictable when it was going to break loose. As an instructor I was taking my student for rides during most of my sessions so I wasn't going at it too hard.

Here is some video footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwmEtypri8

Glad to see you flogging that thing Mike. I was there instructing on Sunday and there was another G8 there in the novice group. He was having fun with it and said he would be back.

Glad to see you flogging that thing Mike. I was there instructing on Sunday and there was another G8 there in the novice group. He was having fun with it and said he would be back.
Hey Jeff, I did see your name on the list for Sunday. Any chance your going to make it to the SVTOA event in May.

Mbuno, You been out to the little one mile road couse that has opened in South Orlando yet. One gear track but still fun, more like a solo I course.

Not yet, a couple of my friends went and I saw some pictures of track, looks like fun.

Hey Jeff, I did see your name on the list for Sunday. Any chance your going to make it to the SVTOA event in May.

I'm very happy to say that I'll be in Monaco that weekend watching the F1 race.:D I had the opportunity of a lifetime present itself and I couldn't turn it down.

I'm very happy to say that I'll be in Monaco that weekend watching the F1 race.:D I had the opportunity of a lifetime present itself and I couldn't turn it down.


That will be way cool, have fun. You should take a day to go over to Nurburgring and take a lap in one of the BMW ring taxi's you pay a fee and one of their drivers will give you a hot lap of the ring, not for the weak of heart. LOL

I'm very happy to say that I'll be in Monaco that weekend watching the F1 race.:D I had the opportunity of a lifetime present itself and I couldn't turn it down.
Sure rub it in a little, I hope it rains there like it did last year:D
Have fun, get some pictures...not just of the cars!

Love it! Want one!:rock:

Looks great. I'm glad you had some fun. However, I would really recommend getting an oil cooler if you plan on doing any more road racing. I worked for GM this past fall, and spent my time doing work on a factory g8 GXP oil cooler option. Without an oil cooler, we saw oil temps exceed 150 C after only a few laps of testing. This temp well exceeds the factory cutoff for oil temps. We ended up using the C6 Z06 oil cooler with some braided lines. Unfortunately, GM ran out of money and my package never made it to production, and it looks like no third party has one for sale yet. Again, if you want to do more racing, I would really look into having an oil cooler setup made.

Yes, oil cooler and trans cooler are going on next.

Nice, I've heard Sebring is a bit rough in places. A guy I knew was a driver on one of the ALMS Porsche teams a few years back, he said his hands were raw after running a stint in that car lol!

Mbuono,

You must be right down the street from me...I'd love to caravan down with you one of these times in the GTO.

I haven't been down since my C5 Corvette. I'd like to see what this big, heavy coupe will do down there.

-Ronnie

Mbuono,

You must be right down the street from me...I'd love to caravan down with you one of these times in the GTO.

I haven't been down since my C5 Corvette. I'd like to see what this big, heavy coupe will do down there.

-RonnieSure, I'm going on Memorial Day Weekend, I live in Wintermere Pointe. At the last event my student was driving a GTO, he lives in Apopka.

Mike Norris is going to put my oil & tans cooler in. I used his dyno a couple of times when I had my cobra.

Mike

Sure, I'm going on Memorial Day Weekend, I live in Wintermere Pointe. At the last event my student was driving a GTO, he lives in Apopka.

Mike Norris is going to put my oil & tans cooler in. I used his dyno a couple of times when I had my cobra.

Mike

Awesome, Mike. I am just waiting on replacements for my Baer rotors, and install of the new turbo. I should be ready to run by week's end. My buddy David "Doc" Martin runs with you guys on occasion, and I see Wei-Shen at the hospital on occasion.

Mike does great work...it's nice being a couple miles from the shop. I'm right near WG Village off Daniels.

Awesome, Mike. I am just waiting on replacements for my Baer rotors, and install of the new turbo. I should be ready to run by week's end. My buddy David "Doc" Martin runs with you guys on occasion, and I see Wei-Shen at the hospital on occasion.

Mike does great work...it's nice being a couple miles from the shop. I'm right near WG Village off Daniels.I've seen your car or should I say I've heard your car at Whispering Oak when I pick up my kids, it sounds very cool with the turbo. That was Wei-Shen's NSX that passed me at the end of video, that thing is nasty fast.

The club I'm going with Memorial Weekend has 2 days of track time for $350 http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/event/event.advert/uidEvent/3CBF89FA-DC97-A34F-4F2CCCE268EDB2BF

LOL, you should flag me down next time. I try to drop Dom (my 1st grader) off whenever I am not working early in the day and I have the GTO running. I always get the sideways look from the teachers when he hops out. He loves that car.

I would be reaching for the invisible shifter and clutch pedal too...

Good to meet you today, Mike!

You too, Ronnie.
I'll let you know how it goes @ Norris.

Looks like fun. I want to get the Chevelle out there as well. What's required to run?

Finally - someone else has tracked their G8!

I ran my "regular old" GT at my local track (No Problem Raceway, near New Orleans). My Trans Am racecar runs 1:19s, and I was able to flog the G8 to 1:26s. I was running with a race-prepped (gutted, race tires, etc.) late 90's BMW M3. I was throwing everything I had into the car, and was just barely able to keep in front.

I had major problems with the stock tires. The outer tread blocks chunked horribly. Roughly 50% of all the blocks have some rubber missing.

Of course the brakes died about 1/2 lap into each run. But, that was to be expected. Other than that, everything was great. Sure, it wallowed and heaved, but it's a 4000lb street car.

Overall, it was fun as heck to run out there.