I hear you Brant... Dave Harris told me the other day he ran a 1:38 down there so I need to get my shit together apparently. It doesn't surprise me at all a well setup car with less HP can run 1:41s after running that 1:43.8.
Making assumptions about HP/wt ratios of the 914s you are talking about I am probably good for 20 mph more at the end of the stretch than they are... that should be worth about 1 easy if not 2 seconds averaging over the 2.2 miles.
And I think that narrower tires may be better - I have a hard time getting heat in the 10s and 11s I have on mine even with the extra weight v. a typical stripped down -6 teener. If those 911 guys have 295s on the rear, that is probably just about right actually. I like the Ho DOT-Rs, they just don't make the size I run now (too big in diameter) but I felt they stuck like glue when I ran 15x8s and 15x10s before and didn't really long for slicks by any means. I got really good heat in the 275 rears I had before but didn't like the large overall diameter.
I need to find about 5 seconds in my car. I figure a couple seconds is still setup - I was plowing pretty bad in the turns when I ran the 1:43.8. If I can just pick up one mph in every turn that should get me a second right there. I take T10, even after the repaving, way off throttle. I just don't trust that section and don't want to wall the car, but I can guarantee if I went for it I could pick up at least 10mph there - that would average out to a second on the track. So that is three seconds. I ran out of gear before I even got to the esses out of T8, but the 930 is such a bastard to shift from 2nd to 3rd and back to 2nd I just held speed and drove through the esses. That is definitely adding time... maybe a second but not quite.
I can run just under 100 mph in 2nd and was redlined before entering the esses, with the 25.3" diam tires I would redline at 105mph entering the esses, so I bet I could run up to 110 before T9 with a better trans.
And then I just have to get comfortable with the car which requires getting a setup somewhat nailed down. I haven't gone to that track with the same setup twice in a row, let alone a few times to get consistency and confidence. The track is just so crappy I have been backing down my setup in increments, and getting a little better each time. I just changed the front springs yet again down 100 lbs/in this time since I was plowing so bad with minimum front bar last time after softening the rear up trying to get over the whoopty doos that track is littered with.
When I find the neutral with slight throttle oversteer setup, I should certainly pick up time. I was certainly not driving the car on the ragged edge with the understeer as stated before.
'Course, finding 5 seconds on a 2.2-mile road course isn't exactly easy! If I ran 1:40 comfortably I would be stoked to be honest. If I am on the ragged edge to do that, no so stoked. I really think this trans thing is going to make a big difference in just having something geared for the track v. the hwy, easier to shift with the dogs v. synchros, etc. If I found 2 seconds in a trans swap and 2 seconds in setup and driving comfort to run in the 39s I would be