Finally! It took over two years, but at the start of the third season with the Model 3 I was able to drop below a 2:05 at VIR (my long-term goal). There were definitely times when I didn't think it would be possible!
Shout-out to Mountain Pass Performance for all of their help with car setup and collaboration. They also make some great parts too
I dropped over 5 seconds from one year ago (I was running mid 2:10's at the time), and over 3 seconds from last event. Changes from last year - 295 Yokohama A052's (instead of 275 Federal 595RS-PRO), MPP Sports Coilovers (instead of MCS 1WNR), and a diet to the tune of 170lbs.
Ok, so that sounds great and all - but what does a 2:05 mean really? I know a lot of you track junkies are out on the west-coast and love Buttonwillow CW13. If you take all of the NASA Lap Records from each track and average them, Buttonwillow is 10.5 seconds faster (CW13 Avg 01:57.3, VIR 02:07.9). So, in effect, it's about the same as a 1:54.5 at Buttonwillow. As another comparison, if you take the percentage drop from a year ago (4.3%) and apply it to the Grand configuration lap I ran a year ago, it's a 2:52.95 on Grand (comparisons here Lightning Lap Results 2006 to 2021: Every Car, Every Lap Time). Just trying to give some context instead of a random number!
Overall, I am very excited to have achieved this lap at VIR and I feel it is just another example of how fast EV's can be on track (despite their weight). I'm also moving to the North East, so I am not sure when I'll have another chance to run at VIR; this was a nice send off. The next goal is to win the Alternative Fuel class in One Lap of America! Stay tuned!