Roadster back to its rightful spot at the front of the Refuel Leguna Seca time trials

visionik · Jul 21, 2014

Fellow Roadster-ers.

After a few months of discussion, a few weeks of planning, a week of implementation and a day of hard driving, I'm happy to report a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport turned in the fastest lap time at the Refuel time trial this weekend: 1:49.18s. Last year a pesky Model S snuck ahead by .016 seconds. The Roadster actually had a faster lap of 1:48.2s outside of the time trial.

1:49.18s lap:

1:48.2s lap:

Driver: Joe Nuxoll
Owner: Visionik
Track tuning: Suspension Performance, Mountain View, CA
Looking at a model S in your rear-view mirror: Priceless ;-)

Zextraterrestrial · Jul 21, 2014

Nice driving! I will challenge you next time if I can make it there...Promise ;> there was no chance to practice any turns at speed in group B the first 5 are really important in the S. through turn 6 I can just keep it floored until the peak of the hill to the corkscrew quick brake then pretty much floored until 10 floored around 11 and the final straight is slow.
Have you raced at Laguna Before? (um, lots apparently)

slcasner · Jul 22, 2014

visionik said:
After a few months of discussion, a few weeks of planning, a week of implementation and a day of hard driving, I'm happy to report a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport turned in the fastest lap time at the Refuel time trial this weekend: 1:49.18s. Last year a pesky Model S snuck ahead by .016 seconds. The Roadster actually had a faster lap of 1:48.2s outside of the time trial.

Thanks for bringing it back!

And it looked to me that Joe was not happy with turn 2 in the 1:48.2s lap, missing the first apex a little and going deeper than intended, so maybe he can break 1:48 next time.

augkuo · Jul 22, 2014

great job - wow your car is so quiet too! All you hear is the wind and maybe when he runs over the rumble strips.
Just think what his time would be with a sport model

Zextraterrestrial · Jul 22, 2014

augkuo said:
great job - wow your car is so quiet too! All you hear is the wind and maybe when he runs over the rumble strips.
Just think what his time would be with a sport model

it was a sport, no?

- - - Updated - - -

slcasner said:
Thanks for bringing it back!

And it looked to me that Joe was not happy with turn 2 in the 1:48.2s lap, missing the first apex a little and going deeper than intended, so maybe he can break 1:48 next time.

that is almost how I apexed that corner! you can't do that in an S w/ all the weight. Need to hang out until you touch the #1 board then turn in (at least I think so based on from my limited 1 lap of experience)

visionik · Jul 22, 2014

slcasner: Yes he wasn't happy with turn 2 in the 1:48.2s lap, and yes he thinks he can break 1:48.

augko: it is a Roadster Sport.

zextraterrestrial: Joe (the drive) has raced at Laguna many times before. Normally in a Lotus. This was my (car owner) first time on Laguna, but man was it fun.

Zextraterrestrial · Jul 22, 2014

visionik said:
slcasner: Yes he wasn't happy with turn 2 in the 1:48.2s lap, and yes he thinks he can break 1:48.

augko: it is a Roadster Sport.

zextraterrestrial: Joe (the drive) has raced at Laguna many times before. Normally in a Lotus. This was my (car owner) first time on Laguna, but man was it fun.

ah that's right. I was there when you were talking about the wheels. I have a new set coming but they won't be here until next week.
I think I might be able to break 1:50 at least. had new tires that I haven't played on PSS's + never touched pressures(which makes a pretty big difference in cornering, at least in auto X)

TEG · Jul 22, 2014

Awesome job, guys! Even with some top secret special sauce, the Model S team couldn't beat you.

shrink · Jul 22, 2014

Congrats and well done!

augkuo · Jul 22, 2014

whoops my bad - I saw "2008 Roadster" in the Youtube video but looking at it again it says "2008 Roadster Sport" so I guess the title got the year wrong.

What would be interesting is if Joe drove a Model S as well and see what his time is - it just goes to show you that it's the driver not the car

visionik said:
slcasner: Yes he wasn't happy with turn 2 in the 1:48.2s lap, and yes he thinks he can break 1:48.

augko: it is a Roadster Sport.

zextraterrestrial: Joe (the drive) has raced at Laguna many times before. Normally in a Lotus. This was my (car owner) first time on Laguna, but man was it fun.

smorgasbord · Jul 22, 2014

My understanding is that Sport wouldn't matter on the track, since all of the difference is between 0 and 40mph. So, unless you slow too far down at the corkscrew, you're not going to drop into the speed range where there's a difference between Sport and non-Sport.

This comes from reports that while 0-60 time is 0.2 seconds faster with Sport, the 0-100 and quarter mile times are also just 0.2 seconds faster. So, it all happens before 60, and I've heard speculation that it's really below 40mph.

dhrivnak · Jul 23, 2014

I had a chance to race in a 1/4 mile 4 times against a Roadster Sport in my 1.5 (non-sport). I actually won two heats and the two I lost, I was less than a car length behind. All 4 races I had a passenger where they ran solo, as they really wanted to win. So there was not much difference between the two of us.

(one time they forgot to put it in performance mode and once we had a long wait and their food fell asleep. I just say excuses, excuses :tongue: )

Jackyche · Jul 23, 2014

Track should make a difference with the upgraded suspension on the Sport. Granted the non-sport could have it too.

mgemmell · Jul 31, 2014

visionik said:
Fellow Roadster-ers.

After a few months of discussion, a few weeks of planning, a week of implementation and a day of hard driving, I'm happy to report a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport turned in the fastest lap time at the Refuel time trial this weekend: 1:49.18s. Last year a pesky Model S snuck ahead by .016 seconds. The Roadster actually had a faster lap of 1:48.2s outside of the time trial.

Hey! Mark here (Scottish/Spanish chap - we met at TMC C)

Great job Sir! Well done! You looked hopeful when we spoke about this but you sure did bring home the trophy

On behalf of all us Roadster owners.... Thanks dude!

Keep in touch...

TEG · Jul 31, 2014

smorgasbord said:
My understanding is that Sport wouldn't matter on the track, since all of the difference is between 0 and 40mph. So, unless you slow too far down at the corkscrew, you're not going to drop into the speed range where there's a difference between Sport and non-Sport.

This comes from reports that while 0-60 time is 0.2 seconds faster with Sport, the 0-100 and quarter mile times are also just 0.2 seconds faster. So, it all happens before 60, and I've heard speculation that it's really below 40mph.

I think the Sport just can hold the torque curve flat a little longer before it has to start dropping off above ~55MPH.
I think that .2s advantage is somewhere in the 45-55MPH range under full acceleration. Other than that, the cars perform similarly.

smorgasbord · Jul 31, 2014

TEG said:
I think that .2s advantage is somewhere in the 45-55MPH range under full acceleration. Other than that, the cars perform similarly.

So in a 0-40 race/timing the car would be almost identical?

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Roadster back to its rightful spot at the front of the Refuel Leguna Seca time trials

visionik

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Zextraterrestrial

Me

slcasner

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augkuo

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Zextraterrestrial

Me

visionik

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Zextraterrestrial

Me

TEG

Teslafanatic

shrink

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augkuo

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smorgasbord

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dhrivnak

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Jackyche

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mgemmell

Scottish chap

TEG

Teslafanatic

smorgasbord

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