C&D Lightning Lap 2024: The Hottest Cars on America's Toughest Track

[Clark_Kent]

Car and Driver finally published their popular Lightning Lap series for 2024. If you're not familiar with this series, each year since 2006, C&D takes to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to judge cars by nothing more than their lap times. What's great and most interesting about the series is it brings out contenders from all walks of life on the automotive spectrum. From a Hyundai Elantra N to Porsche GT cars to a KIA Carnival minivan (for fun of course). This year, the Contenders are as follows:

Honda Civic Si - 3:16.9
KIA EV6 GT - 3:04.9
Acura Integra Type S - 3:04.2
BMW X5 M Competition - 2:58.1
BMW M2 - 2:56.9
Nissan Z Nismo - 2:56.2
Ford Mustang Dark Horse - 2:51.2
BMW M3 CS - 2:50.0
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray - 2:45.9
Lucid Air Sapphire - 2:44.3
Porsche 911 GT3 Manthey Racing - 2:39.8
Porsche 911 GT3 RS - 2:37.2



Here is the article in its entirety: Lightning Lap 2024. For reference here is last year's Lightning Lap which included the Civic Type R. The Type R turned a lap time of 2:58.8.

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[Tickle]

If you are comparing lap times of the DE5 and FL5...

"The best the Type S can offer are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S shoes, and they simply can't match the grip of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber available for the Civic Type R."

 

[Integra23]

I didn't know you can order the TypeR with Cup2s

 

[ABPDE5]

I didn't know you can order the TypeR with Cup2s

The question is... does Honda make you pay for both, like they do with their other options / accessories?

 

[Clark_Kent]

I didn't know you can order the TypeR with Cup2s

You can't. Cup2s are available through Honda dealerships. Here is the part number 42751-MIC-175.

 

[Jester04]

Car and Driver finally published their popular Lightning Lap series for 2024. If you're not familiar with this series, each year since 2006, C&D takes to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to judge cars by nothing more than their lap times. What's great and most interesting about the series is it brings out contenders from all walks of life on the automotive spectrum. From a Hyundai Elantra N to Porsche GT cars to a KIA Carnival minivan (for fun of course). This year, the Contenders are as follows:

Honda Civic Si - 3:16.9
KIA EV6 GT - 3:04.9
Acura Integra Type S - 3:04.2
BMW X5 M Competition - 2:58.1
BMW M2 - 2:56.9
Nissan Z Nismo - 2:56.2
Ford Mustang Dark Horse - 2:51.2
BMW M3 CS - 2:50.0
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray - 2:45.9
Lucid Air Sapphire - 2:44.3
Porsche 911 GT3 Manthey Racing - 2:39.8
Porsche 911 GT3 RS - 2:37.2



Here is the article in its entirety: Lightning Lap 2024. For reference here is last year's Lightning Lap which included the Civic Type R. The Type R turned a lap time of 2:58.8.

Going to have to send them my Type R to test to see what times it posts with all the extra power.

 

[Integra23]

You can't. Cup2s are available through Honda dealerships. Here is the part number 42751-MIC-175.

But you could upgrade any car if it's a dealer option. Strange.

 

[Jester04]

But you could upgrade any car if it's a dealer option. Strange.

The type S would perform really well with cup 2’s.

 

[GrDeleto]

Seperate note, but is it slightly dissapointing that the new si is somehow slower than the 10th and is as fast as an rx8/fiat?

 

[spectre186]

Smart that they don’t offer the Type S with Cup 2s. Otherwise I think there would be a very real possibility of the Type S being faster than the Type R at this track.

 

[Fanatic]

That Camaro racecar is something...

 

[RacingManiac]

I didn't know you can order the TypeR with Cup2s

lol

 

[optronix]

Yeah it's a sort of strange position that C&D takes where they will only permit cars to use tires that are theoretically "available OEM"... and they end up shooting themselves in the foot sometimes like they did with the M3 CS where they couldn't even get the right tires in time for the event. The Type R is "available" with Cup2s... but what does that really mean??? I'm certain that I could ask my Acura dealer to slap Cup2s on my ITS. Please tell me how that's different from what I'd do had I bought a CTR... and while they clearly explain this in the article and video, they still lean in heavily with the inference that the ITS is a slower car than the CTR around that track. They basically conclude that tires are a part of the OEM package, and that's not necessarily a fair assessment IMO.

Too many people lock in to numbers that are displayed without knowing the context. Just like the original post. Pretty important detail to leave out, especially if you're explicitly referencing a time set in a car from last year as comparison...

Also another data point, just look at that Dark Horse. What a blistering lap time! Almost within a second of a car that costs twice as much in the M3 CS? Oh yeah, it's on basically a race tire... but you have to read the fine print to find that out.

I guess to people who really care about this stuff (like us commenting here), they'll figure it out. But then, why don't they just put RE-71RS on all the cars?? Oh they don't make them in all the right sizes... then at least get in the ballpark with treadwear/category. A PS4S vs a Cup2 on a 4+ mile course is not even a relevant comparison except to display just how much of a difference tires can make...

Fun for the discussion but only barely useful data. I guess that's what media is all about though, amirite?

 

[ABPDE5]

Also another data point, just look at that Dark Horse. What a blistering lap time! Almost within a second of a car that costs twice as much in the M3 CS? Oh yeah, it's on basically a race tire... but you have to read the fine print to find that out.

My first thought was: wow, the Dark Horse is seriously impressive. Missed the tires. I agree: the range of tires on these cars is pretty ridiculous. Also... anyone seriously taking a car to the track is going to explore tire options, anyway.

 

[PointByPatrol]

I have a half worn set of cup 2's as back up tires. They really do grip well, but for the price the NT01 is the way to go. Cup 2's are also going to wear out a lot quicker than the PS4's that come on the car.

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