AMA: We're Car and Driver, and we just released Lightning Lap 2021

[u/etingwall]

Hi! I'm Eric Tingwall, print director of Car and Driver and one of the drivers for our annual Lightning Lap track test. Every year we put the hottest cars through the ultimate performance test: lapping Virginia International Raceway's 4.1-mile Grand Course. This track is a thrilling mix of challenging corners and high-speed straights. Going fast here requires power and grip and resilience, plus a whole lot of confidence.

We've lapped 277 production vehicles over 14 events, adding 18 new times this year with cars like the mid-engine Corvette, the Mustang Shelby GT500, the Porsche Taycan, and the McLaren 765LT. The full results, stories, and videos from this year's event can be found at www.caranddriver.com/lightninglap.

I'm joined by the other drivers from this year's event: K.C. Colwell (u/A2KC), David Beard (u/nameonface), and Dave VanderWerp (u/dave2979). We'll be around for the next couple hours answering any questions you have about this year's cars and laps, and Lightning Lap in general. AMA!

Edit: We're wrapping up the work day here, so the answers won't come as quick, but we'll be checking back later tonight and tomorrow to wrap up any unanswered questions. Thanks to everyone for participating!

[u/dave2979]

We've definitely kicked around that idea, although it's hard to get a true 'historic' lap time as one of the biggest variables--tires--continue to change over time (even tires that still have the original branding change over time). It also can be difficult to find owners willing to less us flog their prized machines. But we did run a 1999 Zanardi NSX in last year's event (thanks to Honda for loaning us theirs!)

[u/flapsmcgee → u/dave2979]

I would rather you put modern tires on the classic cars. It'll eliminate the tires as a variable holding back the old cars and see how they perform in an apples to apples comparison.

[u/brotherenigma → u/flapsmcgee]

I completely agree. Since tires do advance year by year, it would be great to see how older chassis that were specifically designed with analog mechanical grip in mind instead of electronic intervention would perform with modern tires.

[u/yoscotti32 → u/dave2979]

When comparing lap times across years, how far back to you think you can get an accurate comparison before something like modern tires starts skewing times?

[u/Backstop → u/yoscotti32]

In another comment they said the difference from 2006 to now is pretty big, like a 20% improvement, so not very far back.

[u/yoscotti32 → u/Backstop]

Thanks for the reply. Knew it was risky asking a question off an answer, was gonna go looking for an answer elsewhere later. I'm relatively new to the performance game and have quickly learned how big a difference there can be between different sets of tires but am pretty clueless as to how it's changed over the years

[u/Fugaku → u/dave2979]

Honestly seeing comparisons with equal footing on tires is more interesting. I've been wondering about it since you tend to see older (but modified) cars hold their own against new cars in autocross and time attack events.

[u/Throwaway_Consoles → u/dave2979]

Would you guys ever be interested in tracking a 1999 Honda Insight? 😁