Any Cobalt SS HPDE/TT'ers?

[BTMS]

As the subject states does anyone have experience in HPDE/TT with the Cobalt SS? (turbocharged version in particular)

 

Anything in particular to watch out for? How do the stock pads hold up? What about the Continental ContiSportContact 2's that come on the car?

 

I'll be attending my 2nd HPDE at VIR at the end of this month. My 1st HPDE last summer at VIR I drove a 08 Civic Si, cooked the brakes, and the tires seemed to go away a good deal toward the end of a session. Granted the tires were all season Michelins.

 

I believe the Continentals should hold up better as they are a sport tire. The brakes seem as though they should be more up to the task than the Civic brakes as well. I went through an entire set of pads on the Civic and ended up experiencing a lot of fade. Fade that ultimately ended up in an off at the end of the front straight despite braking 2 markers earlier.

 

I'd like to avoid this in the cobalt and wanted to see if any feedback is available. Should I bring an additional set of pads? The car only has 2000 miles on it currently. Any recommendations? I have had little luck finding pads available.

 

How do the Continentals hold up from anyone who has experience on them?

 

Thanks.

 

Chris

[Robnie0723]

As the subject states does anyone have experience in HPDE/TT with the Cobalt SS? (turbocharged version in particular)

 

Anything in particular to watch out for? How do the stock pads hold up? What about the Continental ContiSportContact 2's that come on the car?

 

I'll be attending my 2nd HPDE at VIR at the end of this month. My 1st HPDE last summer at VIR I drove a 08 Civic Si, cooked the brakes, and the tires seemed to go away a good deal toward the end of a session. Granted the tires were all season Michelins.

 

I believe the Continentals should hold up better as they are a sport tire. The brakes seem as though they should be more up to the task than the Civic brakes as well. I went through an entire set of pads on the Civic and ended up experiencing a lot of fade. Fade that ultimately ended up in an off at the end of the front straight despite braking 2 markers earlier.

 

I'd like to avoid this in the cobalt and wanted to see if any feedback is available. Should I bring an additional set of pads? The car only has 200 miles on it currently. Any recommendations? I have had little luck finding pads available.

 

How do the Continentals hold up from anyone who has experience on them?

 

Thanks.

 

Chris

 

Overheating most OEM pads kills them quickly so you may want to go to a race compound. (and fresh brake fluid)

 

For the tires, you really have control how quickly you burn them up in HPDE. Slow in -- fast out really works and save wear and tear on the tires.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Guest

[sscguy]

Robbie, your advice isn't bad, but the "no screeching tires in the race groups" has more to do with the type of tires they're using than anything else...

[obzezzed350]

Give carbotech a call. They made my friend a set of race pads for his Evo X before they officially produced them. It usually involves sending them a set of OEM pads so they can apply race pad material to your OEM backing plates.

[BTMS]

Robbie,

 

Not much screeching from me last summer. I had that a couple of times on tighter turns but very little otherwise. I think it may have been a function of all season tires getting overheated toward the end of the session. I started to develop a push at speeds in areas where I hadn't experienced it earlier in the session.

 

Obzezzed,

 

Funny you mentioned Carbotech. I had looked at the usual vendors and didn't see them for my car but looking on the website it appears they are available. I'll give them a call and see what they recommend.

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

If anyone else has experience with the Cobalt SS or Continentals please chime in.

 

Thanks.

 

Chris