Well, at least it's Number 7...

[athens7]

From the SCCA event at Road Atlanta last weekend:

 

Edited July 21, 2012 by athens7

[Kitcat]

Comparisons w/the se7en? Did you keep stability management on? Nice to see you out there enjoying the current vehicle.

[athens7]

Well, the difference in mass is constantly evident, and the steering is numb compared to the 7. The Mustang is not as easy to place as the 7 as far as the edges of the car go, but what car is? The brakes are excellent (I think better than the AP binders on the 7), but the car feels really unsettled when asked to brake from speed while turning where the 7 would simply rotate. The power delivery is smooth and strong all the way to 7000 rpm. The car turns in well, with a slight tendency to push. The communication from the rear end as it is rotated with the throttle is pretty good, although the 7 sets an extraordinarily high bar in that regard. I do notice that I feel the tires working more in the Mustang, by which I mean as I have adjusted tire pressures down (they were too high to begin with), I can feel the car become more "squiggly" as the tread moves more, and the car is easier to rotate. With the 7, the communication was through the chassis, not the tires. Grip levels on the Mustang feel a good bit higher, but the rubber is pretty massive (255/40ZR19 on 9" in front, 285/35ZR19 on 9.5" in back). I'm still working on tire pressure and damper settings, so the balance will likely change a bit. With the dampers on full stiff, the car is remarkably flat under load. The Mustang is also a very stable car at speed, and markedly less twitchy than the 7. Aerodynamically, there is no comparison, of course. While the stock windshield equipped 7 is a brick at speeds over 80 mph, the Mustang just goes. The only limit to my top speed on the backstretch was the size of my attachments. I have kept the stability management on sport and use the track key ECU program, which sharpens throttle response, WOT fueling, engine braking, and a host of other parameters. I have yet to have the stability management interfere, which means I'm not trying hard enough yet!

 

I doubt I would enjoy auto crossing the Mustang after using a 7 for the same job, but as a closed course track toy that is still street legal, the Mustang is probably more fun on a course like Road Atlanta. At Atlanta Motorsports Park, which is a tighter, more technical track, it could be a toss up. I will say that cresting the blind ridge at Road Atlanta's turn 11 and staying on throttle through 12 is probably as much fun as I have ever had behind the wheel of a car.

Edited July 21, 2012 by athens7

[Croc]

Very interesting comparison between the seven and the Mustang. Are you quicker around the track overall in the Mustang vs the seven (lap time or average speed)?

 

Your car looks great in green - really suits it well.

[athens7]

Mike, I honestly don't know. I never put the 7 on course at Road Atlanta, so I have no basis for comparison. When I decided to purchase the Mustang, I was considering getting 6 point harnesses and an aeroscreen for the 7, but I really needed a daily driver. I expect in comparison to the Mustang, it would have felt like the track was as wide as the interstate!

[James A]

Fantastic Brad, it's good to see you out at RA with the Boss! Those cars are fantastic track toys, I see them at tracks around here and am very impressed.

Now let's see, you could run that in what,,, T1 or T2 in SCCA?

Andrew is racing this weekend at the SCCA event at Eagle's Canyon, the 7 I was going to drive is out of commission right now so I will just pit crew.