The wheels and brakes were...
The wheels and brakes were both upgraded during the course of the show. Massive six-piston StopTech calipers put the squeeze on 14-inch rotors. The upsized binders necessitated the quick, on-site build of a set of Forgeline wheels, which were purloined from the race stash. The result was a set of really good-looking wheels with a less-than-perfect fit.
For once, timing was on their side: Louis and the rest of the race crew were already at Road Atlanta that week for their regular SPEED TV World Challenge GT race. Filming was slated to begin the following Monday. The Forza car and shop crew arrived that Saturday to help with the race car and get ready for the week.
Over the course of the six events, the car was repeatedly upgraded. With the goal of achieving maximum power using minimum mods in mind, the crew installed LG's Pro Long Tube Headers and x pipe system (see our own installation of these parts elsewhere this issue), a FAST intake manifold, a cold-air intake, and a series of combination-specific custom tunes. The rear section of the exhaust was even deleted at one point.
Unlike most of the other entrants, the Corvette was not sprayed. Even so, when all was said and done, the car made an incredible 470 hp at the rear wheels when tested at LG's dyno shop! How'd it do that, Louis? "We worked really hard on the combination and had the tune perfect," he said with a knowing grin.
Even with that much grunt under the hood, the best their "race-car driver" could muster on the dragstrip was a 12.60 at 116 mph-with the traction control engaged. He slowed down approximately two seconds without the aid of the electronic nanny. Yup, he's a helluva driver, alright.
There was far more to the combination than simple power parts, though. As you would expect from a pro race team, the LG contingent came armed to the teeth with trick parts for the suspension and brakes, and key knowledge regarding overall setup. A set of LG's race-proven coilovers was teamed with GM Performance Parts' T1 sway bars to ensure a supple combination that would maximize the car's traction and transient response. This was doubly important because the Corvette was limited to street tires in all events.
A carbon-fiber wicker (above)...
A carbon-fiber wicker (above) and front splitter were added to boost downforce. Both items are now available from LG Motorsports.
Another key element in the dominance of the Corvette was its alignment. The LG crew reset the alignment specifically for each event, even the oval track. Careful observers will have noticed the car was sporting positive camber on the left front corner for this race. "We had it set up so that it looked like a Cup car blowing down the front straight," recounted Louis with a chuckle. It sorta sounded like a Cup car, too.
As if all that wasn't enough, the LG team had one more huge trick up its sleeve: proven aerodynamics. "The show's producer wanted us to put [our] hood on because he thought it looked cool," explained Louis. "What he didn't know was that we had just tested that hood at the GM wind tunnel and found it was worth over 100 pounds of downforce at the front end of the car. We also installed our prototype carbon-fiber splitter and rear spoiler to balance the car. These were worth another 60 and 120 pounds of downforce, respectively. And like the producer said, they do look cool."
While the Forza driver may...
While the Forza driver may not have been equal to the task, the LG car is more than capable of turning a doughnut or two. Massive hood vents allow engine heat to escape and reduce front-end lift.
Lest you think the cars got all the attention, think again. Before the cameras began rolling, the six drivers were given three days of instruction at the Panoz Racing School at Road Atlanta. Some of the drivers (ahem) even got one-on-one tutoring from a certain pro race driver. "The night before the autocross, my dad took our driver out to the autocross course at Road Atlanta in his Z06 street car. They spent three hours finding the perfect line, nailing down shift points and braking zones." Some of this apparently stuck, as the LG team put a hurtin' on the others to the tune of two seconds, an eternity at an auto-X.
As you may have deduced by now, the LG team did not win the series. They held a commanding lead going into the final stage, having won four of five races. The last event was to be another wheel-to-wheel race on the course at Road Atlanta, which the LG team previously won. It looked like a lock, until the SPEED TV crew threw one final curve ball: The final event points were essentially restructured to be winner-take-all. All six cars were within the allotted points, so whoever won the event won the money.
All of the entries had mechanical issues, even the LG Corvette. A disallowed radiator swap by the LG crew meant a last-minute thrash to replace the stocker. This resulted in air being trapped in the car's cooling system, causing the car to overheat. In one last bit of drama, the eventual winner miraculously made up nearly two full laps in a late-race effort to take the win. The scoring was contested by several of the teams, but the results stood, sending the Mustang to the winner's circle.
With the dust settled, we wanted to know whether the LG crew would be willing to accept an invitation back to a second series. "Absolutely! Every time we race, we learn," said Louis. "It doesn't matter if it is the World Challenge car or a street car. This knowledge is applied directly to our customer's cars and our new products." Maybe next time, they'll get a driver who is as amenable to improvements as the car.
Now that the Forza C6's TV days are behind it, Louis has again started modifying it to test new combinations. Currently, the car is sporting a pair of L92 cylinder heads, an L76 intake manifold and one of LG's G5X3 camshafts. The combination is good for 499 rwhp and 467 rwtq, making for one responsive ride. And as if the car's meatball numbering, sponsor logos, and thumpity cam didn't draw enough attention, Louis is still running around sans exhaust system, making the Vette sound every bit the "Superstar" race car it really is.