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Derek69SS


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Chevelle at Road America
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Last weekend I ran the Chevelle at Road America near Elkhart Lake, WI

This track is intimidating, but it's a challenging 4.4 mile course where all the legends of the sport have driven... 

This was my first time on a real roadcourse, and I can improve in a lot of places. I dropped 2 more seconds in the next session, but the SD card on the GoPro was full so I didn't get video of my best lap. I was having trouble with 3rd gear, not sure if the synchro is bad, or what... also, pedal spacing won't allow heel-toe. I can do it in my Corvette, but not in the Chevelle at all.

No data acquisition or GPS, only the official results which show a 2:56.379 being my fastest.
The video is a 2:58.941, so I did drop 2.6 seconds from what is shown here.

Brakes were not great. I have base C5 brakes, manual 7/8" master, and put some PFC "Z" pads on it for this because the heat range was better than my autocross Hawk HP+ and I had them on the shelf already from before I changed to manual. They took a ton of pedal effort to bite, and I never felt real confident in them. They felt really inconsistent, and I scared myself pretty good overshooting turn 1 once and running all the way out to the end of the concrete run off just before the sand trap. They never faded or anything, just crazy pedal effort required.

I was hitting about 135-140mph on the front straight, 130-135 from 3-5, and 125-130 from 11-12. 

I'll do it again, but probably in my Corvette, which is much safer and more disposable than the Chevelle, and would be way more comfortable...

 

_Road_America-2018-08-05t.jpg

 



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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Larry Lucast


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That must have been awe inspiring, driving on the same course as all those legends. You look like you have a lot of experience. I would love to see you in the Corvette.

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Derek69SS


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It's such an iconic track, and the community around it is all about racing. We went to the local bar, Siebkens, afterwards where they had a cool poster of the legends of racing who have been in that bar... super cool place.

The Corvette will be way faster. More power, less weight, better aero, better brakes, better safety, better ergonomics, and I won't be afraid to wreck it quite as much. The only thing the Chevelle has over the Corvette is tires, and even those are about done... I put last year's tires on last weekend to save the good ones for UMI "King of the Mountain" in Pennsylvania this weekend. My budget is depleted, so that's the last big event of the year for me.

il_794xN.526288439_1i6h.jpg



-- Edited by Derek69SS on Wednesday 25th of August 2021 02:08:16 PM

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Jon H


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Thanks for sharing Derek, very interesting. Next year it would be nice to get a heads up on any local races you do so we can have a fan club there for you.

Question, do you take time to look at your gauges running at those speeds?



-- Edited by Jon H on Wednesday 25th of August 2021 10:54:08 PM

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'69 Convertible,  Lemans Blue, 454, 200 4R, 12 Bolt. 

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ghaasl


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Awesome video, Derek! What an experience

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In today’s digital world, don’t be afraid to embrace some analog.  My father tells me I was born 30 years late.

 1968 Malibu

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Derek69SS


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Jon H wrote:

Question, do you take time to look at your gauges running at those speeds?

 

I would check water temp and oil pressure on the long straights, and occasionally glance at the speedometer a few seconds before the braking zone also. 



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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
Derek69SS


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Jon H wrote:

Next year it would be nice to get a heads up on any local races you do so we can have a fan club there for you.

Dang, I should have posted something here, but I ran yesterday at DCTC in Rosemount. (Finished 4th of 68)

 

I'm running Sept. 25-26 at Wisconsin Dells.

There are events on Oct. 2nd and 3rd at DCTC and Oct. 10th at Canterbury Park but I'm not sure which ones of those I'll run at yet. 



-- Edited by Derek69SS on Monday 13th of September 2021 10:38:50 AM

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

69 Malibu Pro-Touring stroker LS1-383/T56 - 69 SS396-325/3spd project
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