For the seventh consecutive year, a Nissan GT-R took top honors at the Tire Rack One Lap of America. The event wrapped up this weekend with participants enduring 3459 miles and 19 motorsports events at venues like Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Gingerman Raceway and Tire Rack's own sk…
In reply to Ed Higginbotham:
I talked about this in our automotive bucket list thread but my weapon of choice would be an FD3S RX-7 on air struts wearing slimmed down time attack aero.
Or a 911 GT3 since I'm getting old and like quiet more than I used to.
Yes. Literally. Anything. Dream car? 1989 9C1 with LS9/T-56 swap and 315's all around.
I've never been too tempted by this event because the transit/racing time ratio seems way off. I know it's a big part of the appeal for others, though.
But if I were to do it, I'd put some priority on that long distance comfort because long days in the saddle kinda suck. Andy's plan of buying a new GTR, running it for a week and selling it is a little non-GRM, but effective. I wonder if I could rent a Z06?
In reply to Keith Tanner:
The idea of a Genesis Sedan springs to mind. One with the 5.0L V8. Long on comfort. there's some performance hidden in there somewhere.
What MazD ran in his inaugural attempt, CTS-V wagon...sporting a gearvendors box and 305's all around ...
Not that I'd want to suffer that much, but after seeing the guys running the Atom, I wonder if anyone at Exomotive has seen a request for adding a trailer hitch to the Exocet.
Probably a factory five Daytona coupe.
I'm too prone to making bad decisions when I'm tired to run this event but if I were too and my budget were up to it I'd be looking at a GT3.
Three years into this, some thoughts:
The CTS-V wagon was amazing. My highest finish, most comfort, just had to rotate tires during the event. I'd like the rear axle to stay in next time, but great car. I have only one problem with it, it's fast. I found myself at a track two years ago hitting 140mph going into a blind downhill left and wondering if this was a good idea. I'm not opposed to the speed in general, but I don't want to track a car that fast with stock seats/belts/roll protection. Lots of people go faster than that and don't have an issue, it's really just me.
Then I did it in Mini. I really liked the car on track, but it was......nervous? on the highway. It required a fairly high amount of mental processing for the transits which got tiring. It was a backup car that year and worked great in that capacity.
This year I did it in. 2009 Civic Si. The biggest complaint was noise. You can have a nice quiet conversation at 55mph, but by 75mph it requires ear plugs. There is a LOT of 75mph on One Lap. This particular car also needed a bit more brake pad (which Carbotech solved for us) and, at 110k miles of daily driving and something like 500 rallycross runs, it needs the suspension refreshed somehow. It was predictable and worked, but there is a LOT more in the car than we got out of it.
So what would I bring? I'm still not sure. The plan right now is a bit more development on the Civic, bigger ear plugs, and give it another go. Starting from scratch a C4-C5 Corvette would be a cheapish easy button. Also looking at the possibilities of a 2003-2005 Accord with the right options for something that is comfortable and safe in a way that makes me happy. An M3 of any generation or either of modern Mustang/Camaro pony cars would also work.
The big thing is to not overthink it. If you're sitting on the sidelines because you don't have the "right" car, you're doing it wrong. You can do it in anything that you can prepare to be safe and reliable on track. As much fun as it was to read about this event for years and years, I'd much rather be driving hard at the back of the pack than sitting home reading threads. Brock and the competitors welcome anyone who can drive hard, safe, and reliably, no matter what the absolute speed is.
I have neither the budget nor talent to be in it to win it. So it be more of a simple bucket list checkoff. As such, my desire is to one day complete the One Lap in one of my other bucket list itmes, the glorified full-body Locost (with some type of rudimentary weather protection) that I have started building in my garage.
Well....
I guess model a pickup hot rod with a torsion bar sprung suicide axle and such. Traditional l9ols, vintage indy car chassis style, modern drivetrain and tires.
At least thats what my next project is, and if it turns out right will be pulling a trailer and running ine lap.
My choice would be something that has both a boulevard bruiser attitude and sporting pretense. Id also like something that is relatively established in the aftermarket...not necessarily because I want to eek out performance, but because I want to bolster some performance, while adding bits that are potentially more durable than stock.
Im thinking something like IS300, G35 Coupe, 4th Gen GTO, G8 GXP, E36 M3...not necessarily in that order. I realize that finding cars from the 90's/00's that are ready for both performance and endurance at the same time starts getting to be like finding a particular unicorn in a pile of unicorns, but I think that its definitely possible. Pretty much every car in that list would be happy farting around between 75 and 80 between tracks, and with some brake/wheel/tire/bar/tune adjustment the morning of, would be happy hustling around a road course. I think they all have the capacity for a trailer hitch too 
They don't allow motorcycles, do they?
I would have to go with a Golf R in the Mid-priced sedans and wagons $20,000-$50,000 class.
Plenty of room in the back for supplies plus a very comfortable car point to point.
Karacticus wrote: Not that I'd want to suffer that much, but after seeing the guys running the Atom, I wonder if anyone at Exomotive has seen a request for adding a trailer hitch to the Exocet.
I can tell you they have.
I keep wondering how my E39 M5 would work. It nails the autobahn cruiser aspect, but it would be a little unwieldy on the autox course. I've been barred from taking it to the track by my wife, which is why I've only taken it to the track once.
I think my FoRS would make a pretty good 1 Lap car.
84 marquis with a big block ford. Im not going to win so i might as well be comfortable on the drives.
jstein77 wrote: I think my FoRS would make a pretty good 1 Lap car.
One of them even survived this year! The one that made it had to flip the tires on the wheels to make it through the week without cording. I'm very interested to see someone really develop this car.
jstein77 wrote: I think my FoRS would make a pretty good 1 Lap car.
One finished 20th of 68, so results would agree with you.
Personally... hard to say... I have a delusional dream about building my 1800ES as a nice GT car that could do One-Lap. Would it win? Hell no. But it could be fun. Likewise, maybe my GT6 after I finish sorting it. Or the Mk IV GTI I'd like to build for FSP/HC/RX & general track use.
Thoughts about actually winning would hint to some hilarious idea that I have talent. So worrying about having a competitive car would be silly.
When I did One Lap in 2007 I brought my Audi B5 S4 Avant. It did awesome, great transit car and pretty decent on track.
I think an M3 works well, just have to be careful about how modified it is.
Like Keith says, One Lap is far more about transit stages than it is about track time. You don't want to bring a track only car, you'll be miserable most of the time. Flip side is having enough safety equipment that you're comfortable hitting the track with it.
Ironically I just posted a thread about that....
A friend did the one lap multiple times. They started in a highly modified STI that couldn't last the entire event, then ended up testing a Lingenfelter Corvette and GTR before they decided on their next choice. The GTR was definitely faster, by a good bit, even 200hp down compared to the C6. To quote my friend, a professional racing driver, there is no easier way to go fast than a GTR. It simply turns lap times and doesn't bite the driver if you make a mistake.
Personally, I'd probably want to do it in a modified 240Z, but then again, I'm not always known for good decisions. 
Ian F wrote:jstein77 wrote: I think my FoRS would make a pretty good 1 Lap car.One finished 20th of 68, so results would agree with you. Personally... hard to say... I have a delusional dream about building my 1800ES as a nice GT car that could do One-Lap. Would it win? Hell no. But it could be fun. Likewise, maybe my GT6 after I finish sorting it. Or the Mk IV GTI I'd like to build for FSP/HC/RX & general track use. Thoughts about actually winning would hint to some hilarious idea that I have talent. So worrying about having a competitive car would be silly.
Was thinking along the same delusional lines but afraid to voice it until you did.... The Molvo would be a fun car to drive if I put decent suspension on it. Competitive? Not a chance if I am driving, but it might be reliable enough. funny thing is that just this week-end I put a chassis brace in the back "Just in case" I ever want to pull a small trailer.
Also thought the FRS could be fun as I always enjoy the time spent driving it and know that I can do 1300 miles at a stretch without paralysis. I might hate it at the end of this event though!
Money no object: I don't know, I kinda like the looks and sounds of those brand new Mercedes E63 AMG, seems like a great way to burn up a lot of miles in comfort and not get entirely murdered on the road course. I'm sure autocross would be...uh, interesting.
My budget: P71. Once again, lots of room, plenty reliable, comfortable and not a complete dog. I'm considering getting a P71 from an auction to do Targa Southland in the future, which is basically OLOA Lite.
Hmm. I've got a 94 ZR-1 in the garage....
It wouldn't be a top-of-the-field contender by any stretch but would be up to the task and comfortable enough for transits, just a little limited on cargo capacity.
It's mechanically sorted but needs suspension freshening. Maybe in 2019. 
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