Rear Gears for VIR?

[RedTwilight]

Ok I thought I'd get the opinions of peeps in the know here with experience on this track. In a NA DOHC Cobra with 03 spec T-56 and IRS, what gears do you prefer for a track such as VIR? If and when I run it'll probaby be mostly at VIR since I'm so close. The car is/will be mostly used on the street during weekends and for a quick hop around town when I feel like it. It'll probably see the track less frequently than I'd like because of financial constraints.

I was originally planning to go with 4.10's but my dad bought a roller drag Mustang. He ordered new gears for the local 1/8 mile track. When he pulled the gears out of his stang they were 4.30's. They look brand new! Hardly any wear pattern at all! Looks like they had only been used when the car was loaded and unloaded and pushed around the shop. So now I'm thinking about going with these but I'm wondering if they'll be too much gear or will put my shift points at the time. So what do you all think?

Thanks

 

[brkntrxn]

I run VIR multiple times per year -- Full, North and South courses. In fact, I will be on South Course this weekend.

My opinion and my experience? In my 99 hardtop.... When I had 554rwhp and 4.10s and ProMotion T45 (stock ratios), I would wind out 4th gear by 120+ and shift to 5th about halfway down the back straight. In an attempt to calm the car down, I got rid of the on-off switch 4.10s and went to a 3.55.

Fast forward a year or so...
I am no longer supercharged and now have a 355rwhp naturally aspirated setup and still the 3.55s and still the same tranny. I might possibly want to go back to 4.10s, but I have no pressing need. I will hit 140-141 at the braking zone on the back stretch coming up to T14, I will hit 135-136 on the front straight, and I will hit 120-123 on the short chute to the uphill esses. I am perfectly happy with the 3.55s. I can short shift to 5th and cruise along or I can run it out in 4th.

Basically, VIR Full is a 2 gear track for me (or 3 or 4 if I use 5th or go to 2nd at Oak Tree). I shift down to 3rd coming into T1, shift up to 4th coming under bridge, shift down to 3rd at T11, (if I am chasing someone, I will shift to 2nd at Oak Tree), shift up to 4th on the back straight, shift down to 3rd at T14, shift up to 4th on the front straight.

If I had less hp than I have now, I would most likely want to go back to a 4.10. What you need to figure out is how much power do you have and do you think you will max out "xxx" gear on the back straight at VIR. Even then, you can always shift to 5th, so it is really your choice. In the past, I did not like the idea of using OD on the track, but I have gotten over it.

In my stock 01 vert (catback, clutch, shifter and filter)... I generally want more gear and I think a 3.73 would be good for it. However, that car still has the 3.27 rear gear and only 285 or so rwhp.

What gear do you have now? How much power are you putting down? What suspension work?


I say don't select a gear until you have run VIR multiple, multiple times.


-Kevin