certainly fast, but how fast?  what was the distance? track?

The Stig

 

I love stuff like this.

The fastest lap ever in an opened wheeled car was at Texas Motor Speedway, IIRC in the early 90's.  Gil De Ferran was the driver.  I read about it in this months Road and Track and he said something to the effect of "if the Engineer's and designers were allowed to do what they do best the drivers would be passing out in the first corner from the G forces".

If you've never seen these cars in real life, please do so at some point in time.  We went to an Indy race in '96 in Vancouver and I still to this day cannot believe that these cars went from 190MPH to 60 MPH in a distance no longer then a football field.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJXEBpsDi_w&eurl=http://www.tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?post=83756&feature=player_embedded

here's another...

yuck

The cars they usually test there run in the 1:35 to the high 1:40's and were talking honest-to-God supercars.





One minute flat?


 

One of my goals before I die is to drive an open wheel race car.  Can't even imagine the feeling of taking one around a track.

Watch The Hamster try it:








 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/powerlaps.shtml

Car usedTime (mins)
Gumpert Apollo1.17.1
Ascari A101.17.3
Koenigsegg CCX (with Top Gear spoiler)1.17.6
Pagani Zonda F Roadster1.17.8
Caterham R5001.17.9
Bugatti Veyron1.18.3
Pagani Zonda F1.18.4
Maserati MC121.18.9
Ferrari Enzo1.19.0
Lamborghini LP670 SV1.19.0
Ariel Atom1.19.5
Lamborghini LP5601.19.5
Ferrari Scuderia1.19.7
Nissan GT-R1.19.7
Lamborghini LP6401.19.8
Porsche Carerra GT1.19.8
Koenigsegg CCX1.20.4
Corvette ZR11.20.4
Ascari KZ11.20.7
Mercedes McLaren SLR1.20.9
Ferrari 599GTB1.21.2
Audi R8 V101.21.6
Ford GT1.21.9
Ferrari 360 CS1.22.3
Porsche GT3 RS1.22.3
Corvette Z061.22.4
Noble M151.22.5
Mercedes SL Black1.23.0
Murcielago1.23.7
Zonda1.23.8
Koenigsegg1.23.9
Aston Martin DBS1.23.93
Veritas RS III1.24.2
Prodrive P21.24.3
Audi R81.24.4
TVR Sagaris1.24.6
Mitsubishi Evo FQ4001.24.8
TVR Tuscan1.24.8
Noble M4001.25.0
Lotus Exige S1.25.1
BMW M3 Saloon1.25.3
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder1.25.7
Lotus Evora1.25.7
Lamborghini Gallardo1.25.8
BMW Z4 M1.26.0
Porsche Cayman1.26.2
Porsche 911 Carrera 2S1.26.2
Brabus Biturbo Roadster1.26.2
BMW M51.26.2
VXR Bathurst1.26.3
Lotus Exige1.26.4
Jaguar XFR1.26.7
Chevrolet Corvette1.26.8
Lexus IS-F1.26.8
Mercedes CLS 55 AMG1.26.9
Aston Martin Vanquish S1.27.1
Aston Martin DB91.27.1
Holden Maloo1.27.1
Telsa Roadster1.27.2
Porsche 911 GT31.27.2
TVR 350C1.27.5
Nissan 370Z1.27.5
BMW M3 CSL1.28.0
Roush Mustang1.28.0
Renault Megane R26R1.28.1
BMW Z41.28.2
Marcos TSO GT21.28.2
Subaru WRX Sti1.28.2
BMW X5M1.28.2
Mitsubishi Evo X1.28.22
Dodge Viper SRT-101.28.5
MG SV1.28.6
Porsche 911 Carrera S1.28.9
Mitsubishi Evo VIII1.28.9
BMW Alpina Z81.29.0
Mercedes CL651.29.0
Ford Focus RS1.29.3
VW Golf W121.29.6
Alfa 3.7 GTA Autodelta1.30.0
Ford Shelby GT5001.30.0
Subaru Impreza STI1.30.1
Vauxhall Monaro VXR1.30.1
Aston Martin DB7 GT1.30.4
Golf R321.30.4
Audi S41.30.9
Porsche 911 Turbo1.31.0
BMW 760Li1.31.2
Vauxhall VX220 turbo1.31.3
Vauxhall VXR81.31.3
New Audi TT1.31.4
Honda NSX Type R1.31.6
BMW M31.31.8
Nissan 350Z1.31.8
Mazda RX-81.31.8
BMW 535d1.31.8
BMW 1301.31.9
Mercedes S63 AMG1.32.0
Ford Focus RS1.32.2
Mazda 6 MPS1.32.2
Lotus Esprit V81.32.5
Audi TT V61.32.7
MG ZT1.33.0
Noble M12 GTO1.33.1
Mercedes SL 55 AMG1.33.2
Volkswagen Golf R321.33.2
Audi Q7 V12 TDI1.33.2
Cadillac CTS1.33.3
Honda Civic Type-R1.33.5
Holden Monaro1.33.9
Ford Mondeo ST2201.34.5
Jaguar XKR1.34.7
Ford Focus ST1.34.9
Volvo S60R1.35.0
Ferrari 575M1.35.2
Vauxhall Vectra VXR1.35.3
Our Car1.35.4
Fiat 500 Abarth1.35.5
Alfa 147 GTA1.35.6
Lotus Elise1.35.6
Aston Martin Vanquish1.36.2
Renault Clio V61.36.2
Honda Civic Type R1.36.5
Alfa Romeo Brera1.36.9
Saab 95 Aero1.37.9
Maserati 3200 GT1.38.0
Alfa Romeo 8C1.38.2
Bowler Wildcat1.39.4
Bentley Arnarge1.40.8
Overfinch Range Rover1.44.0
Aston Martin DB51.46.0
Hawk HF 30001.48.2

-p.

nice

pretty cool, a very humbling experience!