Pedders Suspension Benchmark Track Testing and New Jersey Track Day

Pedders Suspension Benchmark Track Testing and New Jersey Track Day



Dan VanHorn, FlyByU has done a terrific job of putting this event together. Eric Hruza from Arrington has as worked very on on this as well. The end result is an outstanding Event. This is not an ordinary track day. This is an EVENT. Pedders and Arrington are proud to support Dan as sponsors for this event. We are so excited about this event that we are bringing a couple of guests stars and cars.

Eric Hurza of Arrington will have his Arrington Powered 440 c.i. HEMI Pedderised 300C at the track.











I will be there with my Pedderised, ProCharged G8.











We are looking for a box stock 5.7L LX and / or box stock SRT8 as well as a box stock G8 GT and / or box stock G8 GXP. We want to do baseline skid pad tests on these vehicles as well as benchmark them on the track with 1 warm-up lap and 2 hot laps per vehicle. While Eric and I both consider ourselves to be hot-shoe drivers (NOT!) we have recruited a couple of professionals for this testing. You may already know that Buddy and Joey Arrington have a four decade long relationship with NASCAR. I cannot name the drivers names at this time, but you can safely conclude Dan's track day will have a couple of NASCAR drivers on hand.



If you can provide one of the stock vehicles I'll bet there is a photo opportunity at hand and maybe even a lap or two with a NASCAR Driver in the left seat and you in the passenger seat.



Rick Bottom, a custom builder that has been doing SEMA vehicles for many years will is planning to bring his Pedderised GSR equipped ProChaarged













for benchmarking too. Using professional drivers on the same skidpad and track surface will provide quality comparative numbers. We have some logistical challenges to address along with details regarding the drivers, NASCAR, team sponsors and driver sponsors. At this point I would say we are 80% there. We'll post final details as soon as we can.



Rick and I are just hoping not to be embarrassed by Arrington and their Good'ol Boys Gang from NASCAR. I wonder if they have a fix in for the results? We'll know if they run better times, because if they win it must be fixed. After All, they are all Good'Ol Boys and we are strangers with a car built in the land of OZ. Excuse me, for a moment I forgot it is bench marking and not racing!



Arrington and Pedders are really looking forward to this event with the LX community and a few Interlopers from brand X. Well Done Dan!

This event is open to all our Pedderised GTO and G8 owners. I am sure some of our other Dealers will attend as well. Dan for the LX community. Dan approached Eric and Eric approached me. They are doing all the heavy lifting. All I have to do is show up and not be embarrassed by the hot cars with good drivers.


To register for this event contact Dan via this email [email protected]


Once again, we want to extend our thanks to Dan for doing an eXtremely professional job. Eric, What can I say -- Awesome Job!

Arrington Engines

Eric at Arrington, is a great guy. I spend a week at Arrington Engines. What Pete says about their relationship with Pedders is being very modest. Buddy Arrington, was a great Nascar driver for Chrysler in the late 60s early 70s. Now they make all the Nascar motors for all Dodge/Chrysler teams for Nascar and also for Toyota for the Truck Series. What was suppose to be 30 minute tour of their manufacturing and R&D facility, turned into a 3 hour tour! It was off the charts.

Erc's LX is fast!! As well as he has a complete TrackII Pedders suspension. It was set up for more drag race settings than road race settings when I was there. But this should be fun!!

I think Pete's G8 has advantage due to weight, tires and suspension setup. But watching these 2 rocket ships go back to back, will be a trip and worthy of watching

mike
dms

Here is some pictures of Arrington Engines.

Do you want to run your Tahoe on the Race Track?

Equipped correctly, you would be surprised on how good a fully Pedderized GM900 utility would run on a road coarse.

So Pedders has done a auto cross with our system. So we are looking for someone to fully Pedderize a GM900 and you will need some different wheels and tires, preferably some 305/40-22s.

We will offer some special price for this vehicle.

If you are interested, just ask.

mike
dms

Yopur Tahoe or other GMT900 is welcome at this event. Here is what you can do with a Pedderised Tahoe!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG6Cb5V0olc

or an HHR SS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeVhC90hY7I

or a G8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeGIm8L6G6o


The track is http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/

GTO Car Preparation for Track Use

1. Flush / Replace Brake Fluid
2. Flush / Replace Power Steering Fluid
3. Change Engine Oil
4. Flush / Replace Coolant
5. Rotors and Pads should be reasonably fresh with no more than 10K of use.
6. Upgrade radius Rod Bushes to Pedders EP9166. The OE fluid damped radius rod bush is NOT designed for track use.
7. Check every nut and bolt in the suspension and driveline to make certain they are tight. This would include the drive-shaft and half-shafts.
8. If you are not an expert technician, take you GTO or G8 to an expert technician before hitting the track. Your safety and the safety of others may depend on this.

G8 Car Preparation for Track Use

These are newer vehicles an I am ASSUMING you are under 10K on the clock.
1. Replace the OE brake pads with a more suitable track pad. The OE pads do NOT like the heat of track use. The OE pad tracked will crack and chunk. I will be using a new compound pad at the direct recommendation of GM engineers from Cobalt Friction with new factory rotors front and rear.
2. Change engine oil
3. The side loading fluid damped radius rod bushes on the G8 are not as bad as the GTO bushes. They are NOT designed for track use and we recommend replacing them with Pedders EP6560
4. Check every nut and bolt in the suspension and driveline including drive-shaft and half-shafts before tracking your G8.
5. If your G8 has more than 10K on the clock follow the same fluid, rotor and pad schedule listed for the GTO.
6. If you are not an expert technician, take you GTO or G8 to an expert technician before hitting the track. Your safety and the safety of others may depend on this.

First Time Track on the track Advice

This is not a race. There are no awards for finishing first or best spin. Go slow and get comfortable with the track and your car on the track. Knowing the track is essential. Knowing the track can save your butt. I like to run at Gingerman, because I know the track. There is a GM executive with so many laps at Mid Ohio he is almost untouchable there. He is a very good driver, but he is a better driver at Mid Ohio because he knows the track so well. Your performance will improve as the day progresses because you will learn the track better with each lap.

No one will point and laugh if you are cautious. If they do they are absolute idiots and have no place at an event like this. Talk to the people who do this frequently. They will be more than willing to provide insight on how to safely navigate the course. If the speeds make you uncomfortable, slow down. You know your limitations better than anyone. Track days like this are a great opportunity to become a better driver. They make you safer on public road ways at legal speeds. EVERYONE should autocross and road course because you learn so much. The best most experienced drivers leave every track day as better drivers. So do the most inexperienced. Come on out and enjoy a great day with your car of choice, but don't get too excited or have too much fun. Restraint is the order of the day.

If you have a fire jacket or single layer suit for drag racing, wearing won't hurt anything.

Completely empty your vehicle. Leave nothing in it any where.

Remove your driver's side floor mat.

If you have a forced induction system do not get on the track with less than a 1/4 tank of fuel. A hard turn can cause fuel starvation and a lean burn. Lean burns are bad.

Slower will frequently be faster. Over driving your skills, tires or brakes will slow you down. Backing off and smoothing things out will almost always result in better laps. Your tires and brakes will appreciate your restraint.

I cannot take credit for this last piece of advice. A far more experienced racer gave it to me. Over the years I have found his statement to be absolutely spot on. Bring or buy the best brain bucket you can afford. I do not know a single person that has actually needed / used their helmet in an off-track or worse situation that thought they had spent too much money on a helmet.

Spectators are welcome as are people that are thinking about driving at a road course event but would like to observe for a day before they sign up for the next event.

Mike will post a Prep List for your GMT900.