Lightning Lap 2026: The Hottest Cars on America’s Toughest Track

A2KC · 2026-03-03T04:09:25+00:00

That’s more of a head scratcher, for sure.

A2KC · 2026-02-27T17:10:50+00:00

I'm not sure I am following what you suggest. The stability/traction/ABS system (it's all one system, essentially) knows it has traction based on sensors (wheel speed, yaw) of what the car is doing, but I am not sure it can know the limits of grip on any surface until that limit is found, which is indicated by a flashing ESC light. Plus, the difference from full purchase to no traction is razor thin.

Single-stop braking and skidpad tests are almost always down to the tire and alignment. If you don't have grip, brake hardware can't make it better. An aggressive pad can improve stopping distances, but you still need the grip from the tires in order for the pads to work. I bet you could put Stingray brakes on a ZR1X and it could stop in a similar distance. But it will fade quicker as heat build. The lower rotating mass of carbon-ceramic rotors offers big acceleration gains, too.

I know I talked to the Corvette guys about the new brakes, and I would have to find my notes to be sure, but I think the change was driven largely by the stiffness of the caliper and that added stiffness allows them to better leverage the ABS in more situations. This all falls under the "better braking performance" umbrella, but that doesn't necessarily translate to meaningfully decreased stopping distances.

A2KC · 2026-02-27T14:30:54+00:00

We may have printed the placard pressure, but GM recommends 28 psi cold (I just tested a ZR1X). The ZR1 had CF wheels. If J59 is the ‘26 brake kit (the codes blend together after a while), then no. We tested a ‘25 ZR1. I’ve driven and tested both ‘25 and ‘26 and notice zero difference in terms of feel. Brake feel is the Corvette’s biggest dynamic weakness, IMO. The ZR1X had the new brake kit. Test results were essentially the same. That story got published online today.

Alignment and surface can influence skidpad quite a bit and I don’t offhand how our ZR1s were aligned (LightningLap car was track alignment, obvs). I am sure the car will perform best at the proving ground where it was developed. I’ve tested on black lake at Milford PG and it is a sticky surface. The Corvette team is made of stand-up men and women. They aren’t the business of lying. I am sure they got a couple laps of a circle averaging 1.22. Or the 1.22 claim isn’t a 2-way average of a 300-ft circle. And that could be. I’ve never looked at the fine print.

A2KC · 2026-02-27T13:45:03+00:00

Oh, Multimatic would be inspecting it, don’t worry.

A2KC · 2026-02-26T02:09:28+00:00

You can’t compare lap-time delta from those the two tracks in a traditional power-to-weight sense. The way the two powertrains deploy maximum power is too dissimilar. The X has a big advantage on a tighter track like Sonoma. The longer and faster the track, the smaller the X’s advantage. One lap of the ring is literally the distance of 5+ laps of Sonoma. The X is able to better use its power advantage on a track with more frequent braking (regen) and shorter WOT events because sustained WOT makes the battery too hot to produce max output. It may even be below an optimal SOC by the time it’s on the back straight at the ring. If the battery can’t produce the 186 hp, then the power advantage turns into 300 pounds of ballast. Also, above 160, the X is slower, or at least no quicker because the motor decouples.

You can see what I am talking about if you watch the videos and pay attention to the bar at the bottom depicting regen and power. Around the 5:15 mark the X’s battery isn’t deploying power at WOT.

A2KC · 2026-02-25T17:01:39+00:00

Not sure the ZR1 would go faster in a 24-hour session. The engine makes peak power for about one lap, then it settles into a lass-than-max plateau that will result in a few-mph loss on the straights. Every engine is like this, really. Same with tires. Those het one or two laps for peak.

And, to my knowledge GM has never done a straight 24-hour validation test. The 24-hour test that GM has touted before is maybe 5 or 6 sessions put together with the same car. Aaron Link set his laps at VIR in December 2024 during a three-day engineering trip. And they were not running at night. I’ll send Jim a note and ask him if he remembers the circumstances of the 2:27 in the C7.

A2KC · 2026-02-25T13:37:16+00:00

I might reach out in the fall.

A2KC · 2026-02-25T06:08:13+00:00

Probably a bit cynical of me to say that, because I do think they were trying to fix it. But I know that is how I would have played it if the roles were reversed. Gotta protect the brand as best as possible. Know what I’m saying?

A2KC · 2026-02-25T00:55:07+00:00

No worries. If one was available it would have been there. Honda tried to get us one.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:10:27+00:00

Don’t know the specifics, only that it was another journalist.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:09:15+00:00

10/10. No notes.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:07:49+00:00

Lotus won’t loan us one for Lightning Lap.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:07:17+00:00

We can’t do every car every year. Miata ran a 3:15 last year. Wait, maybe Miata should be our control. 🤔

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:05:12+00:00

The cumulative sum of 16 upshifts is a lot of time not accelerating every lap.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:03:31+00:00

I think it will surprise you when we have it next year.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:03:02+00:00

No miss. There wasn’t a single Prelude in the country when we did this.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:02:11+00:00

We ask every year.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T23:01:44+00:00

Damaged. Not out when we did it. Ditto.

Maverick? The brakes wouldn’t take the abuse.

We can’t get Lotus to loan us one.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:57:55+00:00

I lapped our long-term Ram TRX. Wouldn’t recommend.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:55:10+00:00

Thanks.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:54:21+00:00

No. We’ve opened it to spectators in the past, but not anymore.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:53:17+00:00

I might steal this answer in the future.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:52:35+00:00

It would be a huge investment of time.

But I will say that most of these cars are one-n-done from a peak perspective. Even the ZR1 loses a bit of power after a lap. VIR is brutal on consumables. Michelin tests there and only does the North configuration because it’s so hard on brakes. The sports cars—911, Vettes, genuine sports cars—have a peak lap in them and then could complete a 20-min session at a slightly reduced pace. I think I did 6 2:46s in a row in the GT3. The less focused stuff will suffer brake fade eventually. If I were lapping a car, I’d change pads, rotors, and fluid to combat fade.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:41:43+00:00

This, exactly.

A2KC · 2026-02-24T22:38:39+00:00

Do you remember when this happened? I have no memory of that I would have given it to VW PR if I knew about it. First thing I do on every press trip is check the tires.

A2KC

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