Honda S2000 Gives Camaro ZL1 Fits at Laguna Seca
We wonder how this ZL1 driver felt seeing an S2000 in their rear-view for an entire lap.
Fun Competition
Oftentimes, cars that seem rather mismatched on paper wind up proving to be much closer on the track. That's certainly the case in this video from Elite Performance Racing, at least maybe to those that don't fully understand what a modified S2000 is capable of. Regardless, it's fun to see the Honda keep up with the much more powerful, track-focused Camaro ZL1 here at Laguna Seca.
Top Dog
The ZL1, of course, is Chevy's top dog track Camaro. It's packing a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that produces a nice, round 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, along with a host of suspension mods and some super sticky tires that make it very quick around the track.
Leveling the Field
While some tracks give lesser-powered cars a bit of an advantage in the turns, that typically isn't the case at Laguna Seca, which favors more powerful cars. If all things were even (driver skill, etc.), the ZL1 should have no problem keeping far ahead of the Honda in this case. But in this instance, there are some variables at play that level out the playing field a bit.
Push It
Gary Yeung pushes his S2000 pretty hard in this session, and he's clearly got the skill to do so, as well as the setup. His car features a host of select mods including JRZ suspension components, a Cusco limited-slip differential, and 17×9.5-inch WedsSport TC-105N wheels with Yokohama A052 rubber.
Losing Ground
The Camaro driver, on the other hand, must battle with a worn set of front tires and some traffic along the way that slows them down a bit. Regardless, on the straights, the Honda loses considerable ground, as we'd expect. This is especially true on the inclines in the hilly sections of the track.
Eliminate the Gap
When the two hit the long, tightening corners, however, things are very different. The Camaro misses the initial apex in the Andretti Hairpin and nearly goes off the track, then slows way down in turn 9. At that point, the S2000 eliminates the space between the two with some seriously sharp driving.
Driver Mod
With less than 300 horsepower, the S2000 manages a nice lap of 1:39, all the while keeping pace with a car with more than twice the power that should theoretically leave it in the dust. But once again, this video is proof that the old fashioned driver mod can make all the difference in the right circumstances.