Scruffyone

The only track time I have had with an SL55 was at the AMG Challenge this August, and that hardly counts. I have had my 997TT on this track before so I know the track. I plan on taking SL55 to NHIS in October for a track day. Any advice from some of you track guys? Shift with the buttons or let it do its own thing?

Moviela

I think the autoboxes are wonderful in that they can shift so much faster than you can throw a lever. The automatic shift program can only react to what is happening in real time. For me there are two most important rules in racing. The first is "Look down the road." The driver can see ahead and know what the track is going to do. The car electronics cannot. The driver should allow the box to work when accelerating on a straight portion of the track. Going into corners, the driver might want to set the box to a gear ahead of usual to gain an advantage in the turn, or there might be traffic forcing you to select another gear at a different time than would following an ideal line.

To sum it up, let the box shift unless you have more information than the box, then you take over.

Oh, my second rule of racing is "don't lift."

JR.

Scruffy,
.
the MB trans reminds me of Porsches' tiptronic, which means at the track, use manual mode, downshift yourself, mash the gas and the car will upshift at every redline...
.
have fun and be safe..
.
JR

s55sl55driver

I have had the pleasure of having my 03 sl55 at Pocono. I was at the AMG challange in August as well and enjoyed the day, however the track time was worthless cauz there were to many inexperienced drivers on the track to get the car up to speed.
While at Pocono I made the mistake of running one if the 1/2 hour segments with the top down. The windshield split down the middle (dealer said crack started from a tiny chip in the glass..I am not an expert and I do not buy the BS... I drove the car hard and I think it was flex in the car). So drive with the top up to be safe.
As far as the shifting I agree with Movelia above. Have a blast drive safe and let it rip it is the most fun you can have eith your clothes on.

Scruffyone

One of the requirements of this track day is that the top be up and the rollbar deployed. I have been in contact with other drivers who have driven NHIS a lot (only once in the 997TT for me) and at this point I am thinking I'll save the SL for Lime Rock. NHIS is like a big autox course and many of the turns really will punish my 2 ton SL. Understeer city.

IngenereAMG

Lime Rock is even tighter than New Hampshire!! I have tracked the SL at a number tracks. If you've done much road course work...you have to turn in with the SL a bit sooner than you would in a lighter car. As far as brakes go...you should be fine....they are big and powerful.

I was out in the instructor group with a Z06, a GT3, the SL55 and an NSX. I held even every lap with the Z06, reeled in the GT3 (until he spun off), and ran away from the NSX. The SL55 is a blast...enjoy it..

Ohhh, btw...shift with the buttons and left foot brake....its a blast!

AMGBENZ

You will have a blast with the SL55 on the Track try Racing Tires save your streets and you will pick up alot of time with race tires

IngenereAMG what is your thought on a SL55 VS SL65? I had a SL55 loved it and am going to get a used SL65 or SL55 Performance pack again

Any Thoughts

Thanks,

AMGBENZ

Scruffyone

Thanks for the tips. The NHIS road course has a few tighter turns than Lime Rock, as well as a chicane at the end of the straight, and a bit before the start of the straight. The awd turbo can put more power down sooner on these tight turns. The SL will see the track at another time, maybe in November. Hopefully, I will have an in car vid system by then.
BTW At NHIS I passed a NSX and a Vette, at Lime Rock a Noble pointed me by at the start of the straight and jumped right on my tail and stuck. Near the end of the straight he faded away real quick as he had to brake far sooned than I. I lost view of him by the back straight. After that session he came over to me and started looking at my brakes, love those brakes he said.

I'm assuming you are trail braking with your left foot? Using the weight transfer to make the front end bite better?

IngenereAMG

The SL is a surprisingly good car on a road course, isn't it?!!

As far as left foot braking goes.........I'm hard on the brakes at the end of a straight...and yes, I trail brake...but as I am trailing off of the brake, I am rolling on the throttle as I unwind the steering towards the exit