JeremyG
07-19-2007, 12:15 PM
I got my 8 back in February and have done NOTHING to it, still has the Bridgestone Potenzas on it (originals).
background: I am the founder of the 3000GT/Stealth National Gathering and ran the event for 5 years. This year we gave the event to another group. But I still drove my car all the way from Vegas to SW Michigan for the annual event (1900 miles, 23.5 hours of actual driving, which by the way was enjoyable!)
So we had a road course event at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI. It's a fairly easy 1.9 mile track (http://gingermanraceway.com/track-layout (TRACK LAYOUT)) with a couple techical areas.
I've run the track 2x in HPDE courses in my highly modified Dodge Stealth (lightened, suspension/brakes, and running about 450hp) as well as 3x on track days in the same car. I probably have 6-7 hours of driving time just on that track. That car was FUN... 120mph in the straights... but 12 minutes into the sessions I'd have to stop to let the brakes (upgraded!) cool. And, it felt like I was fighting the car the entire time. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED IT...
So I took the 8 to the track and was nervous as I'd never driven a RWD car anywhere other than on the roads of Vegas. So I left the DSC on :)
Let me tell you, that car HAULED. First of all it was thoroughly enjoyable driving it... never felt like I was "fighting" it... I just turned and it went. It never felt unstable (although the DSC saved me twice), it was smooth as heck.
Now, check this out.. my best time in the Stealth on this track was 1:43 with averages around 1:45. In the 8... 1:50's all day long, consistantly. Remember, this is versus a 450+ car that topped at 120mph. The 8 only topped at 90mph but of course excelled in the turns.
In the Stealth, lots of times I was braking before the 1st braking pole... on the 8, I was waiting until the LAST one, and sometimes PAST it!
I also made it thru ALL of my sessions with NO BRAKE FADE WHATSOEVER (completely stock brakes with ORIGINAL PADS!). The only time I had to stop was in my 2nd session about 13 minutes into it, I was running out of gas. LOL
This car LOVES being DRIVEN. The track is a "3rd gear" track. Most corners are 40-60 mph corners, slowest speed on the track was 40mph. Top speed 80mph. So yeah I could have shifted to 2nd but 3rd was fine by me. I redlined the end of both long straights but the car didn't complain. 20 minutes of 5000-9000rpm runs, hard braking, and pedal-to-the-metal driving and the car didn't care. Open the hood after the run, and it was barely warm feeling. The Stealth would crackle and make noises for 15 minutes.
Brakes on the 8 were hot but not overly hot... I've actually exploded a caliper on the Stealth before!
My favorite time was running against another highly modified 3000GT, this car had Azenis 615's, TEIN suspension, Stoptech Brakes, turbo upgrade (running around 425hp). I was KILLING that car in the turns, he could only run 80% throttle on the straights or he would pass me... at the end of straights he'd be on my butt, but after every turn I was 5-10 car lengths ahead. He never passed me but claims he could have.
Anyway, both cars have their pluses (the Stealth was more comfortable and did 11.9 @ 120mph quarter miles), but the 8 has gotten me to LOVE ROAD COURSING AGAIN!
Now the mod bug has hit... tires and suspension are first.
Anyway thought you guys would enjoy the read.
background: I am the founder of the 3000GT/Stealth National Gathering and ran the event for 5 years. This year we gave the event to another group. But I still drove my car all the way from Vegas to SW Michigan for the annual event (1900 miles, 23.5 hours of actual driving, which by the way was enjoyable!)
So we had a road course event at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI. It's a fairly easy 1.9 mile track (http://gingermanraceway.com/track-layout (TRACK LAYOUT)) with a couple techical areas.
I've run the track 2x in HPDE courses in my highly modified Dodge Stealth (lightened, suspension/brakes, and running about 450hp) as well as 3x on track days in the same car. I probably have 6-7 hours of driving time just on that track. That car was FUN... 120mph in the straights... but 12 minutes into the sessions I'd have to stop to let the brakes (upgraded!) cool. And, it felt like I was fighting the car the entire time. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED IT...
So I took the 8 to the track and was nervous as I'd never driven a RWD car anywhere other than on the roads of Vegas. So I left the DSC on :)
Let me tell you, that car HAULED. First of all it was thoroughly enjoyable driving it... never felt like I was "fighting" it... I just turned and it went. It never felt unstable (although the DSC saved me twice), it was smooth as heck.
Now, check this out.. my best time in the Stealth on this track was 1:43 with averages around 1:45. In the 8... 1:50's all day long, consistantly. Remember, this is versus a 450+ car that topped at 120mph. The 8 only topped at 90mph but of course excelled in the turns.
In the Stealth, lots of times I was braking before the 1st braking pole... on the 8, I was waiting until the LAST one, and sometimes PAST it!
I also made it thru ALL of my sessions with NO BRAKE FADE WHATSOEVER (completely stock brakes with ORIGINAL PADS!). The only time I had to stop was in my 2nd session about 13 minutes into it, I was running out of gas. LOL
This car LOVES being DRIVEN. The track is a "3rd gear" track. Most corners are 40-60 mph corners, slowest speed on the track was 40mph. Top speed 80mph. So yeah I could have shifted to 2nd but 3rd was fine by me. I redlined the end of both long straights but the car didn't complain. 20 minutes of 5000-9000rpm runs, hard braking, and pedal-to-the-metal driving and the car didn't care. Open the hood after the run, and it was barely warm feeling. The Stealth would crackle and make noises for 15 minutes.
Brakes on the 8 were hot but not overly hot... I've actually exploded a caliper on the Stealth before!
My favorite time was running against another highly modified 3000GT, this car had Azenis 615's, TEIN suspension, Stoptech Brakes, turbo upgrade (running around 425hp). I was KILLING that car in the turns, he could only run 80% throttle on the straights or he would pass me... at the end of straights he'd be on my butt, but after every turn I was 5-10 car lengths ahead. He never passed me but claims he could have.
Anyway, both cars have their pluses (the Stealth was more comfortable and did 11.9 @ 120mph quarter miles), but the 8 has gotten me to LOVE ROAD COURSING AGAIN!
Now the mod bug has hit... tires and suspension are first.
Anyway thought you guys would enjoy the read.