SRA Coming Soon

[paulrom]

Looking forward to my new track car

[Norm]

Congrats Paul! Left or right coast or somewhere in the middle?

[paulrom]

Pittsburgh. My "home" track is PittRace, but I also frequent Nelson Ledges. Going from a Corvette Z06 to an Atom, so I expect a big learning curve.
Thanks, Paul

[bsb4fsu]

Pittsburgh. My "home" track is PittRace, but I also frequent Nelson Ledges. Going from a Corvette Z06 to an Atom, so I expect a big learning curve.
Thanks, Paul

Have you taken delivery of your new SRA yet? I also am going from a C6 Z06 to an Atom so I am curious how much i will have to change my driving. I am looking at a used Atom this weekend.

[MadMaxAtom]

"how much i will have to change my driving"

The difference in handling between a ZO6 and an Atom is quite dramatic. They both can reach similar levels of performance,but with MUCH different approaches (the exception is top speed;the ZO6 easily trumps the Atom) The Atom requires much more...refinement to input (learning curve) vs. a ZO6..and there are NO driver aids..so physically and mentally,the Atom will be more demanding to achieve the same levels of performance. You may like it...you may hate it...but you will always remember it.

[jid]

Have you taken delivery of your new SRA yet? I also am going from a C6 Z06 to an Atom so I am curious how much i will have to change my driving. I am looking at a used Atom this weekend.

Take it from one who went from a high horsepower rear wheel drive heavy american muscle car to an Atom... you will have to change your driving dramatically. And if you ever tracked your Z06 you will have to unlearn a few things... like how lifting can save your butt in a Z06 but if you lift in an atom, you will spin. Take it from one who knows... Don't lift!

[Richard Buckingham]

I haven't spent much time in a corvette honestly, I've been on track in a both a Z06 and ZR1 a couple of times so this is based on a bit of a flawed comparison, but I've spent a ton of time in my SRA. My thoughts are much the same as others here...

The car is light and nimble, so you can more easily throw it around but you also have to know what you're doing because if you do something wrong it does not take much traction to upset the car because its so light and just because the SRA setup is just more racey than any road car. Make a mistake and before you know what happened you're going backwards off the track, so take it slowly at first. Managing weight transfer and traction at each corner is really key, you'll have to learn to heal/toe well if you're the kind of driver who is going after lap times and you drive hard and deep into corners; there's no room for error there. For me it was also quick left-right transitions in high-speed sections which became a place requiring concentration which I did not ever have to worry about previously. Similarly trail braking is far more challenging and something I'm still working on perfecting as part of my Atom driving repertoire (a WRX makes you think you're a far better driver than you are!) The Atom is happiest and most stable under power, managing oversteer mid-corner and on exit is easy if you have a sensitive right foot (and truly a beautiful thing) but be warned on turn-in on certain corners you'll need to get your braking done and be on the gas quickly in order to settle the car and get the weight on the rear wheels or you're risking a spin that's pretty much unstoppable if you're not ready to both gas it and apply opposite lock. Also, there's no ABS of course, so work on threshold braking or just drive at 90% or you'll flat spot your tires in no time.. and the Hoosiers if you don't flat spot them will last forever unlike any Corvette tire.

[paulrom]

Thanks for the info guys. The Z06 is very forgiving (even with all nannies off) in that huge horsepower, torque and grip really hide flaws. I have thousands of track laps over the last 4 years and the Z06 was only scary when I was inattentive. I wanted the challenge of a car that rewards momentum and precision and the Atom seemed like the best option out there. I still want to go fast, but I want to earn it a little bit rather than just crush the track with 505 HP. Really looking forward to March when I'll be able to get the car on the track. The car is scheduled to be completed right around Thanksgiving, so I plan on heading down to TMI to fit the seat (17 inch because in weigh 245) and hopefully do a few shakedown miles before the car gets shipped to me in Pittsburgh. By the way, LOVE the Corvette and am already saving for a C7, killed me to sell the Z06, but I am that excited about the Atom.