In which associate editor Jack Fitzgerald dons his running shoes to tackle the Grand Course before the rest of the staff wakes from their slumber.
Peak Speed:At 6:37 a.m., well before the sun rose to melt the frost and burn off the fog, I left the start/finish on my leg-powered lap. While I didn't have to contend with overheating fluids or tire temperatures, I did have a mild hangover.
This year's contestants produce an average of 424 horsepower, while I average less than 1 horsepower. The average speed of Lightning Lap participants this year is 83.8 mph; I, however, managed an average of 9.5 mph. At my speed and as-tested fitness, VIR's elevation changes were more of a limiting factor than cornering grip, something that's obvious from the data.
I spent most of Sector 1 squinting my way through the dark and hoping no ice had formed overnight for me to slip on. Even as I grew more confident in my footing, Sector 2 and Sector 3 proved considerably less enjoyable. The 80-foot ascent up the Climbing Esses and the painfully gradual incline of the Back Straight resulted in a 6:30 mile time for my second mile of the 4.1-mile course. I quietly cursed editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga for asking me to do this, but the downhills at Bitch and Spiral gave my lungs some-much-needed respite. Climbing back out of the infield made me regret the last beer from the night before.
Mercilessly, my last mile was my quickest, possibly thanks to nearly a half-mile of consecutive decline through Roller Coaster and Hog Pen. I don't see myself competing with any LL5 cars next year, but with a little more sleep and no headache, I'm confident I can set a new LLHuman record.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS at Lightning Lap 2023The debate on whether the Cayman GT4 is better than the 911 GT3 will not be decided today.
Read more »
2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing at Lightning Lap 2023After we lost a day lapping the CT4-V Blackwing last year, we invited it back with a new lap-time bogey in front of us.
Read more »
2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Edition at Lightning Lap 2023The GR Corolla is a hilarious little bastard with a gruff three-cylinder and an all-wheel-drive system that removes threats.
Read more »
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at Lightning Lap 2023The longer we lapped it, the more we concluded that this Corvette is really meant for the track.
Read more »
2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 at Lightning Lap 2023The Supra, now equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, continues to prove its superiority over its BMW Z4 sibling.
Read more »
2023 Honda Civic Type R at Lightning Lap 2023Beating the old Type R Limited Edition's front-drive record by 1.9 seconds, the new Type R rewards you for impatience.
Read more »