Daytona test times

[J. Hutton]

This was posted on the Grand Am site in case anyone's interested-

These were extrapolated from GA timing and scoring. Obviously some drivers did not get much time in the car. Also, a few did not have their individual driver identification systems working. Interesting to note, 4 different engine manufacturers in the top 5.

Angelelli 1.43.483
Gurney 1.43.730
Dixon 1.43.997
Moreno 1.44.190
Auberlen 1.44.213
Pruett 1.44.259
Goossens 1.44.286
K-S/Enge/Buck 1.44.372
Magnussen 1.44.406
Papis 1.44.413
Braun 1.44.428
Law 1.44.464
Donohue 1.44.469
Valiante 1.44.516
Bergmeister 1.44.605
Negri Jr 1.44.661
Montoya 1.44.666
N. Jonsson 1.44.676
Duran 1.44.717
Lehto 1.44.719
Wheldon 1.44.866
Barbosa 1.44.883
Rice 1.44.887
Vasser 1.44.893
Long 1.44.903
Carpentier 1.45.021
Collard 1.45.282
Taylor 1.45.306
Smi/Gav/Dys/Dys 1.45.336
Sharp 1.45.345
Fogarty 1.45.400
Allmendinger 1.45.429
Bernhard 1.45.495
Scheckter 1.45.525
Rojas 1.45.588
Gol/Gid/Jour/Serv 1.45.596
Wallace 1.45.606
Castroneves 1.45.640
Fittipaldi 1.45.645
Legge 1.45.662
McDowell 1.45.708
Tracy 1.45.734
Maassen 1.45.762
Dumas 1.45.795
Cheever Jr 1.45.859
Gordon 1.45.986
Haywood 1.46.003
James 1.46.033
Leitzinger 1.46.091
Hornish Jr 1.46.234
Bu. Frisselle 1.46.358
Empringham 1.46.402
Erdos 1.46.485
Br. Frisselle 1.46.521
France 1.46.665
Lewis 1.46.703
P. Dallenbach 1.46.756
Labonte 1.46.799
Alhadeff 1.46.965
Patterson 1.47.013
Finlay 1.47.015
Hunter-Reay 1.47.066
J. Johnson 1.47.135
Zacharias 1.47.282
Baldwin 1.47.335
Morgan 1.47.421
Wilkins 1.47.476
Carpenter 1.47.482
Alzen 1.47.511
Brix 1.47.526
Lester 1.47.598
Krohn 1.47.902
Robinson 1.47.973
Borcheller 1.47.990
Matthews 1.48.025
Foyt 1.48.209
Schramm 1.48.651
Mazzacane 1.49.036
Renauer 1.49.219
Pastorelli 1.49.485
Ruhlman 1.50.061
Zogaib 1.50.169
Newton 1.50.959
George 2.15.562

[Mark in Oshawa]

I like that last one...GEORGE...gee tony...get the lead out man!!!!

[tannat]

How do these times compare with the last time a WSC/LMP car ran at the circuit? The layout hasn't changed in awhile, has it?

[harvick#1]

Tannat a DP is slower than a ACO GT1 class car.

[Danske]

TG had only two timed laps IIRC, his out lap and one more before he put it into the tire wall at turn one. No times are available to my knowledge from his practicing more at IMS.

[tannat]

Tannat a DP is slower than a ACO GT1 class car.

I'm certain you're correct, but I was curious how DP times compared with, say, a 333SP.....

[Danske]

Well, looking at just one sample, the last year of IMSA at Daytona was 1997 and the WSC pole time of the Andy Evans 333SP was a 1:40.456, although only the top three were faster than 1:43.5. The GT1 pole-sitting Viper had a qualifying time of 1:48.468. All class poles were new track records. The winning number of laps in 1997 was 690, while last year it was 734.

However, the configuration of the busstop chicane has changed over the years and the track has been resurfaced.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I would say if a DP and a ALMS Audi ran this track, the Audi would be pulling at least 5 seconds if not more a lap easily. DP's don't have a lot of downforce, and they are limited to about 550hp, so regardless of how good a show they put on, in the end, they are not in the same class at all.

The Ferrari 333sp that won this race the year I was there was turning in the low 1:40's most of the race but the bus stop I think is a little quicker now, and they have recontoured the corners in the last part of the infield and I think time has been picked up there, and about 200 yards of track are now gone as the new corner is inside the old one....