You do realize I included myself in that comment as "lack of driver talent"? I too get a big grin at torque. Any fool with a lot of horsepower can unleash fury on the straights, but to maintain that speed through the turns and keep your momentum up is a totally different ball of wax. The "point and shoot" driving styles we see at good guys autox events are indicative of that reliance on power, and lack of driver skill. I AM GUILTY OF THIS MYSELF.

Watch mary pozzi rip up the autox for proper driving. Woman is smoooth.



If any of you are feeling personally attacked by me, thats not my intention and I haven't mentioned a single car or person. But apparently my comments hit some real soft spots for some of you.

it's the "blanket" statements that people are reacting to. Things like

"HP has nothing to do with being fast."
"HP is high because the owners are compromising for a lack of driver talent."

Then you throw a couple jabs in like this:

"I think some people should have bought an AMG SL55 instead of a 1969 camaro though on these forums.

A refined muscle car is cute, I'd like one for my girlfriend."

I know you were just kidding, but sometimes on these message boards the typed word doesn't come out the same as if you were talking directly. I get what you're saying and agree with most all of it, but I also see why the responses are coming in............. :D

Jody

Xactly. There is alot more fun driving situations that with alot of torque are super fun, than just at the track. Higher hp is definately happening, and alows for more fun when u want it. 10" tire up front has also been great. Mark's car will kick some serios butt, and not only because he can drive.

That is a very condescending statement.

I love you, here is a flower :lol:

People also seem to be forgetting they are in a TRACK thread. Where comments such as:

"HP has nothing to do with being fast."
"HP is high because the owners are compromising for a lack of driver talent."

Actually apply. In track situations both of those comments are true at every track day across the nation. If people are offended by them, its because they've never hit the track and if they have, never had any instruction. Those are instructors words, not mine. I'm just repeating what I've been taught and seen to be true AT THE TRACK.

The AMG comment and the girlfriend were clearly jokes. :thumbsup:

so hp has nothing to do with being fast......................... :D on an autocross I'd agree, but on a road course with equal drivers and cars, the guy with more power will definitely have an advantage. I understand what you're saying, the driver is the biggest issue, and a good driver can go fast in anything. However, to say hp has no influence in how fast he is, the same driver in a 350 hp 69 Camaro and a 600 hp 69 Camaro is going to turn better lap times with more power on anything with room to run.

Not to beat a dead horse, but here's an example. Don't mean to drag Mark into this, but since we're friends and I've ridden with him on road courses, I'm gonna drag him in anyway. If HP has nothing to do with being faster why is he building an 800 hp Camaro, instead of the much cheaper stock LS7 500 hp car he's done before? Because he wants to win, and he knows the extra power WILL be faster on a road course................ ;)


With that, since it's so far off thread I'm going to close this.

Jody