Any New Pedders Plans for the Sonic?
- Thread starter laborsmith
- Start date
rdss
Junior Member
Yes I did
I figured. I might be tracking that stuff down tomorrow. If it works it will cost a 5th the cost of Dynomat. Thanks for the heads up! Also, great show at the event! To bad the Camaro let go though, it sounds sick!
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
It's good to see the Sonic blasting by faster, in some cases exponentially more expensive, cars.
-Eric Smit
Our Sonic complete with mods cost less than most of the engines in the cars we ran against
Eric Smit
Enforcer
Fixed. ;POur Sonic complete with mods cost less than most of the engines in the cars we bested.
-Eric Smit
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
The build up to SEMA, SEMA and the OUSCI were the best ever. Each year we are at SEMA I try to make it better for us. Last year was pretty amazing. I left this year wondering how we would live up to last year. We were under the pump from the start. We had two special projects with GM and were also doing coilovers for the all new Ford Fusion. On top of that we were supporting a number of SEMA builds and of course preparing three cars for the OPTIMA Invitational. The Sonic was the last car on the priority list. You take care of your clients before you take car of yourself. These are the Bridgestone S04 Pole Positions Thursday morning before SEMA.
The final ride height adjustments, corner weighting and alignment were completed Friday morning. I was ready to leave and a small storm knocked out the fiber optic line coming into the building and damaged some of our networking equipment. I stayed until those services were restored and started out for Vegas in the 'cargo' version of the Sonic at 7:30 Friday night after a quick detail with my youngest.
With the rear seat removed for weight savings, the Sonic made a great cargo van.
Friday night I pulled into a Holiday Inn Express about 2 in the morning. I met up with MSW444 and his son for breakfast. That is the best part of what I do. I don't think there is a city in the USA where I don't have a good friend. Being car guys we know the best part of what we do is the people we meet. Big Mike is one of the best.
We are in the front row at the LVH.
Ford was late on getting the Fusions out to the builders which meant we were late gettng the Fusion parts. The Fusion coilovers arrived Thursday before SEMA when the two SEMA Fusions were already in transit to SEMA. I promised both builders their Fusions would be on coilovers for the show so my plan was to install them at a Ford Dealer on Saturday before move in. The coilovers arrived on Friday instead of Wednesday. So we moved to Plan C. Plan A was to have them to the builders the day before the vehicles shipped. Plan B the Ford Dealer. Plan C -- the Silver Parking lot.
Things just don't go as planned. We were supposed to get started at 8:00 sharp. The first Fusion was not unloaded until 10:45. It doesn't matter because I brought my A TEAM: Bruce Raymond, Clayton White, Andrew Sanders and Richard Raymond.
We must have done something right.
Monday evening we attended the GM Preview with Neil Tjin, Rick Bottom, Mrk Pedder and Ron Pedder. Just before the event kicked off I found out that Bob Kern, Mr. GM SEMA was really retiring. Bob has become a very close friend and I will miss him at these events. Literally minutes after that Tom Gardner comes by to tell me he has a new position at GM. Tom is taking Bob's place. I don't remember what cars they showed or the celebrities they introduced.
Tuesday morning started off with meetings and ended with meetings, though I did take off enough time to attend key press conferences: Ford, GM, Lingenfelter and Chrysler.
I was invited to another GM ****tail party that confirmed I really was in Vegas.
Leaving the ****tail party Dave Ross passed me in the stair well and 'reminded' me to be at the GM SEMA Awards Breakfast. I thought that was really nice. The breakfast is for the GM SEMA award winners. For a number of years I have wished I could attend the event and watch my builders receive their wards. How cool is this going to be. I saw Tom Gardner as I walked out of the GM display. Tom, 'reminded' me to be at the breakfast with a big grin. About an hour later Bob Kern called me. "Pete it is my honor to inform you that Pedders has been selected as the Best New GM Performance Product for your work on the Spark".
I had no idea Pedders was even eligible to compete for a GM SEMA Award. Not a clue. Then I get calls from Rick Bottom and Neil Tjin. WOW! There is a back story to all of this. Suffice it to say that I never expected to even be recognized for the Spark coils. The wheel stand by the Spark listed the coils as a GM part TBD. We dd those coils for our friends at GM behind the scenes. Over the last number of years GM has done a great deal for Pedders and we have tried our best to be good partners. I never expected to receive an award like this as a thank you.
Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president Performance Vehicles and Motorsports
David Ross, Design Manager Styling at GM
Bob Kern, Look up Old School and you'll see Bob's picture there.
Pedders Build TEAM
Rick Bottom
Neil Tjin
Roger Tessman, Fear One
Bob Kern, Me, Mark Pedder and Jim Campbell
Tom Gardner
Bruce Raymond
TEAM Chevrolet
My Chevrolet SEMA Swag: 2013 Hot Wheels Edition Camaro, Autographed COPO Camaro Book and 2012 GM SEMA Best New Performance Product Award.
The rest of Wednesday and Thursday were spent smiling and and in more meetings. All the meetings went well. 2013 will be a very good business year. I have to admit the rumor is true. I carry my blue velvet bag and 2012 SEMA trophy almost every where.
SEMA is a great opportunity to see our Dealers. I used to be much better at getting pictures of all of us. This year I only have a few to post.
Tuesday night Bruce and his brother joined us for dinner.
The final ride height adjustments, corner weighting and alignment were completed Friday morning. I was ready to leave and a small storm knocked out the fiber optic line coming into the building and damaged some of our networking equipment. I stayed until those services were restored and started out for Vegas in the 'cargo' version of the Sonic at 7:30 Friday night after a quick detail with my youngest.
With the rear seat removed for weight savings, the Sonic made a great cargo van.
Friday night I pulled into a Holiday Inn Express about 2 in the morning. I met up with MSW444 and his son for breakfast. That is the best part of what I do. I don't think there is a city in the USA where I don't have a good friend. Being car guys we know the best part of what we do is the people we meet. Big Mike is one of the best.
We are in the front row at the LVH.
Ford was late on getting the Fusions out to the builders which meant we were late gettng the Fusion parts. The Fusion coilovers arrived Thursday before SEMA when the two SEMA Fusions were already in transit to SEMA. I promised both builders their Fusions would be on coilovers for the show so my plan was to install them at a Ford Dealer on Saturday before move in. The coilovers arrived on Friday instead of Wednesday. So we moved to Plan C. Plan A was to have them to the builders the day before the vehicles shipped. Plan B the Ford Dealer. Plan C -- the Silver Parking lot.
Things just don't go as planned. We were supposed to get started at 8:00 sharp. The first Fusion was not unloaded until 10:45. It doesn't matter because I brought my A TEAM: Bruce Raymond, Clayton White, Andrew Sanders and Richard Raymond.
We must have done something right.
Monday evening we attended the GM Preview with Neil Tjin, Rick Bottom, Mrk Pedder and Ron Pedder. Just before the event kicked off I found out that Bob Kern, Mr. GM SEMA was really retiring. Bob has become a very close friend and I will miss him at these events. Literally minutes after that Tom Gardner comes by to tell me he has a new position at GM. Tom is taking Bob's place. I don't remember what cars they showed or the celebrities they introduced.
Tuesday morning started off with meetings and ended with meetings, though I did take off enough time to attend key press conferences: Ford, GM, Lingenfelter and Chrysler.
I was invited to another GM ****tail party that confirmed I really was in Vegas.
Leaving the ****tail party Dave Ross passed me in the stair well and 'reminded' me to be at the GM SEMA Awards Breakfast. I thought that was really nice. The breakfast is for the GM SEMA award winners. For a number of years I have wished I could attend the event and watch my builders receive their wards. How cool is this going to be. I saw Tom Gardner as I walked out of the GM display. Tom, 'reminded' me to be at the breakfast with a big grin. About an hour later Bob Kern called me. "Pete it is my honor to inform you that Pedders has been selected as the Best New GM Performance Product for your work on the Spark".
I had no idea Pedders was even eligible to compete for a GM SEMA Award. Not a clue. Then I get calls from Rick Bottom and Neil Tjin. WOW! There is a back story to all of this. Suffice it to say that I never expected to even be recognized for the Spark coils. The wheel stand by the Spark listed the coils as a GM part TBD. We dd those coils for our friends at GM behind the scenes. Over the last number of years GM has done a great deal for Pedders and we have tried our best to be good partners. I never expected to receive an award like this as a thank you.
Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president Performance Vehicles and Motorsports
David Ross, Design Manager Styling at GM
Bob Kern, Look up Old School and you'll see Bob's picture there.
Pedders Build TEAM
Rick Bottom
Neil Tjin
Roger Tessman, Fear One
Bob Kern, Me, Mark Pedder and Jim Campbell
Tom Gardner
Bruce Raymond
TEAM Chevrolet
My Chevrolet SEMA Swag: 2013 Hot Wheels Edition Camaro, Autographed COPO Camaro Book and 2012 GM SEMA Best New Performance Product Award.
The rest of Wednesday and Thursday were spent smiling and and in more meetings. All the meetings went well. 2013 will be a very good business year. I have to admit the rumor is true. I carry my blue velvet bag and 2012 SEMA trophy almost every where.
SEMA is a great opportunity to see our Dealers. I used to be much better at getting pictures of all of us. This year I only have a few to post.
Tuesday night Bruce and his brother joined us for dinner.
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
Wednesday night dinner with Ron Pedder, Mark Pedders, Andrew Sanders and our international guests friends from Isreal was excellant. Thursday night's Camaro5 dinner brought the close of SEMA for me. My Aussie mates handled the booth on Friday while I shifted focus to the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational.
John Buttermore, Lead Development Engineer for the Sonic and Back-to-Back SCCA T1 Champion prepares for his interview.
The first question is: Have you lost your mind? You brought 1 1.4T to the OUSCI. Is this some kind of joke? No, the joke will be on those we beat with gorgeous purpose built cars with engines that cost more than our complete OUSCI ready Sonic. We have two bad axx Camaros running in the event in addition to the Sonic that we believe will can win the event. The Sonic is here to prove that a very good off the showroom floor economy Chevrolet, well setup with GMPP Pedders Xa coilovers and a very good driver can compete with the biggest baddest dogs around. Suspension and Driver Make it Happen
We did pause to savor the event.
Ms. Optima, Rob, Richard, Bruce, Me and Ms. Yellow Top Optima
Ms. Yellow Top, John, Me, GM Best New Performance Product and Ms. Optima
Danny Popp and Goldberg with the Lingenfelter / Pedders L/28. We had the winning combination of car and driver, but had the misfortune of breaking on the road course.
The rubber drive shaft coupler failed on our first hot lap. The fastest road course time was 1.46 and change. That is measured on the fly start line to finish. A top car at this year's OUSCI past the start / finish line at a minimum of 110 MPH. On our warm-up lap from a dead start Danny posted a 1.49.5. We all know the L/28 is fast, very fast. Let's just say the L/28 goes from ZERO to 110 MPH in 4 seconds flat which would be a very optimistic number. You can do the math to see what car would have been the fastest. The L/28 standing start warm-up lap was the 5th fastest hot lap of the day!!! This was a bitter disappointment to a great season. Running only two of the three timed events placed the L/28 7th in the final standings.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda...
As disappointing as this is, we were still the fastest 5th Gen in the field blowing past a very well prepared LG / Pfadt equipped Davidson Racing Camaro that posted a 01:57.894
Bruce Raymond's Raymond's Performance Camaro did well.
With a first year OUSCI driver behind the wheel they placed 22nd overall. Todd put four wheels off on his road course warm-up lap and never really settled in after that, but still posted the 11th fastest Road Course lap of the day at 01:52.440. On the Speed Stop they made a tactical error running all out on all three runs. We needed one conservative run with no cones to score. We'll do better next year, but 22nd out of 56 with points in only two events is a very good outing.
We came to win. We also come to enjoy the time we spend track side with our friends.
Murray Pfaff, Ken Lingenfelter, R.B. Bull and Dave Ross
Mr. R.B. Bull and Ms. Optima
Our Sonic LTZ 1.4T AUTOMATIC ran with OE wheels, OE tire size, OE Brakes and was stock with the following exceptions. The all season tires were replaced with Bridgestone S04 Pole Position rubber the same size as OE. Advanced Racing Dynamics did the tune with a mild increase in boost for a FWHP gain of only 25 ponies. GMPP Pedders Xa coilovers with a race ready set of coils 6kg front and 8kg rears. The ride heights were 580mm with 17" wheels all round. This setup allowed the car to rotate in the turns with the OE front sway bar and toque tube rear axle based on speed or just breathing on the brake pedal. 34 pounds in the front tires and 38 pounds in the rear. We did remove the rear seat and cargo area materials for weight savings. John drove with the windows up and the heat on high.
1.08 Gs steady state in the turns
23 rd in the AC
30th in the Speed Stop
33rd on the Road Course
While were were disappointed we did not break the Top 20 we realize that the field for this year's OUSCI is stronger and deeper than ever before. We went out to prove that Driver and Suspension are the key to on track performance. There can be no doubt we succeeded.
I cannot thank John enough for coming out to Vegas and participating in this event. It all comes back to the people.
Bruce Raymond and driver Todd Rumpke
John Buttermore and Danny Popp
John Buttermore and Greg Davidson
Congratulations to this year's Champion Mark Steilow!
Full OUSCI Results
At the end of the day we gathered back at the host hotel. We should have taken pictures. John, Danny, Todd, Bruce, Rob, Richard, special guest Brandon, Eric and me for a few beers car guy style in the parking lot. We ordered pizza and shared a toast to a great TEAM effort and the friendships we forged this season.
We did stop by the hotel bar. That was an interesting experience. I don't think they liked us. After two rounds our waitress came by the tanle with one of these for each of us.
They came with instructions. You cannot open or drink these in the bar. That is the most gracious way I have ever been invited to leave an establishment.
In the morning our Sonic was converted from race car to cargo van. First the tools of the trade, data logging gear, suitcases and Bull Bag.
20 hours 10 minutes and 1,279.5 miles. I drove home straight through and made the trip in 19 hours and 30 minutes including fuel stops. What did I learn at SEMA 2012?
I have more friends in the industry than I could have imagined.
Competing in the OPTIMA Qualifying Events and the Invitational is exhausting, but worth every minute of effort.
No matter how hard I try to plan the month before SEMA it will always come down to a last minute fire drill.
I should have my car done in time to send it by transport so I can fly in and out. Hey I can dream can't I?
It is impossible to do all the work required for SEMA, the OUSCI and my day job at Pedders.
I have a brilliant idea for SEMA and the OUSCI for next year. If I can pull it together, I'll be twice as busy with that project as I was this year, but my clients will love our new products.
There are so many people I left out of this recap of SEMA 2012, but it is already far too long. I am still worn out from my SEMA - OUSCI MONTH, but it already feels like it was a month ago. I am happy to be at home, but miss my home away from home in Vegas for SEMA week. Thank you for reading this far. It proves you are just like me. A certifiable Car Guy.
John Buttermore, Lead Development Engineer for the Sonic and Back-to-Back SCCA T1 Champion prepares for his interview.
The first question is: Have you lost your mind? You brought 1 1.4T to the OUSCI. Is this some kind of joke? No, the joke will be on those we beat with gorgeous purpose built cars with engines that cost more than our complete OUSCI ready Sonic. We have two bad axx Camaros running in the event in addition to the Sonic that we believe will can win the event. The Sonic is here to prove that a very good off the showroom floor economy Chevrolet, well setup with GMPP Pedders Xa coilovers and a very good driver can compete with the biggest baddest dogs around. Suspension and Driver Make it Happen
We did pause to savor the event.
Ms. Optima, Rob, Richard, Bruce, Me and Ms. Yellow Top Optima
Ms. Yellow Top, John, Me, GM Best New Performance Product and Ms. Optima
Danny Popp and Goldberg with the Lingenfelter / Pedders L/28. We had the winning combination of car and driver, but had the misfortune of breaking on the road course.
The rubber drive shaft coupler failed on our first hot lap. The fastest road course time was 1.46 and change. That is measured on the fly start line to finish. A top car at this year's OUSCI past the start / finish line at a minimum of 110 MPH. On our warm-up lap from a dead start Danny posted a 1.49.5. We all know the L/28 is fast, very fast. Let's just say the L/28 goes from ZERO to 110 MPH in 4 seconds flat which would be a very optimistic number. You can do the math to see what car would have been the fastest. The L/28 standing start warm-up lap was the 5th fastest hot lap of the day!!! This was a bitter disappointment to a great season. Running only two of the three timed events placed the L/28 7th in the final standings.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda...
As disappointing as this is, we were still the fastest 5th Gen in the field blowing past a very well prepared LG / Pfadt equipped Davidson Racing Camaro that posted a 01:57.894
Bruce Raymond's Raymond's Performance Camaro did well.
With a first year OUSCI driver behind the wheel they placed 22nd overall. Todd put four wheels off on his road course warm-up lap and never really settled in after that, but still posted the 11th fastest Road Course lap of the day at 01:52.440. On the Speed Stop they made a tactical error running all out on all three runs. We needed one conservative run with no cones to score. We'll do better next year, but 22nd out of 56 with points in only two events is a very good outing.
We came to win. We also come to enjoy the time we spend track side with our friends.
Murray Pfaff, Ken Lingenfelter, R.B. Bull and Dave Ross
Mr. R.B. Bull and Ms. Optima
Our Sonic LTZ 1.4T AUTOMATIC ran with OE wheels, OE tire size, OE Brakes and was stock with the following exceptions. The all season tires were replaced with Bridgestone S04 Pole Position rubber the same size as OE. Advanced Racing Dynamics did the tune with a mild increase in boost for a FWHP gain of only 25 ponies. GMPP Pedders Xa coilovers with a race ready set of coils 6kg front and 8kg rears. The ride heights were 580mm with 17" wheels all round. This setup allowed the car to rotate in the turns with the OE front sway bar and toque tube rear axle based on speed or just breathing on the brake pedal. 34 pounds in the front tires and 38 pounds in the rear. We did remove the rear seat and cargo area materials for weight savings. John drove with the windows up and the heat on high.
1.08 Gs steady state in the turns
23 rd in the AC
30th in the Speed Stop
33rd on the Road Course
While were were disappointed we did not break the Top 20 we realize that the field for this year's OUSCI is stronger and deeper than ever before. We went out to prove that Driver and Suspension are the key to on track performance. There can be no doubt we succeeded.
I cannot thank John enough for coming out to Vegas and participating in this event. It all comes back to the people.
Bruce Raymond and driver Todd Rumpke
John Buttermore and Danny Popp
John Buttermore and Greg Davidson
Congratulations to this year's Champion Mark Steilow!
Full OUSCI Results
At the end of the day we gathered back at the host hotel. We should have taken pictures. John, Danny, Todd, Bruce, Rob, Richard, special guest Brandon, Eric and me for a few beers car guy style in the parking lot. We ordered pizza and shared a toast to a great TEAM effort and the friendships we forged this season.
We did stop by the hotel bar. That was an interesting experience. I don't think they liked us. After two rounds our waitress came by the tanle with one of these for each of us.
They came with instructions. You cannot open or drink these in the bar. That is the most gracious way I have ever been invited to leave an establishment.
In the morning our Sonic was converted from race car to cargo van. First the tools of the trade, data logging gear, suitcases and Bull Bag.
20 hours 10 minutes and 1,279.5 miles. I drove home straight through and made the trip in 19 hours and 30 minutes including fuel stops. What did I learn at SEMA 2012?
I have more friends in the industry than I could have imagined.
Competing in the OPTIMA Qualifying Events and the Invitational is exhausting, but worth every minute of effort.
No matter how hard I try to plan the month before SEMA it will always come down to a last minute fire drill.
I should have my car done in time to send it by transport so I can fly in and out. Hey I can dream can't I?
It is impossible to do all the work required for SEMA, the OUSCI and my day job at Pedders.
I have a brilliant idea for SEMA and the OUSCI for next year. If I can pull it together, I'll be twice as busy with that project as I was this year, but my clients will love our new products.
There are so many people I left out of this recap of SEMA 2012, but it is already far too long. I am still worn out from my SEMA - OUSCI MONTH, but it already feels like it was a month ago. I am happy to be at home, but miss my home away from home in Vegas for SEMA week. Thank you for reading this far. It proves you are just like me. A certifiable Car Guy.
HareBrained
New member
Wow, the posts alone were a significant level of effort. OUSCI, SEMA and a "day" job must have been non-stop, and I'm totally jealous. Congrats and can't wait to hear what additional ideas you have for next year.
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
Planning for next year already. If we can pull a few things together our SEMA project car will blow peoples minds. That is a big IF for a very ambitious project. IF we can make it all work :banana:
JusticePete
Supporting Vendor
JCI - OPTIMA Batteries Article Link
OUSCI Competitor John Buttermore's 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
November 25, 2012 at 1:49 AM
by OPTIMA Jim
Every year there are a few entrants that on paper, leave folks scratching their heads and wondering how or why those vehicles made it into the field. It's probably safe to say John Buttermore's entry of a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic into the field for the 2012 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, presented by Royal Purple and K&N Filters, would be one such entry.
While the Sonic was one of the lightest cars in the field, it was also one of the least-powerful. However, John Buttermore was one of the better drivers in the field, as he is the defending SCCA T1 National champion. The Sonic's entry into the OUSCI does answer questions for many folks- How would a relatively-stock car compare to the world's ultimate street cars? How much of a difference can a driver make in the OUSCI?
The Sonic puts an immense amount of pressure on the other competitors in the field, as it is a known combination that was very unlikely to have any mechanical issues (it ran flawlessly all day) and had a top-caliber driver behind the wheel. Weak sauce from anyone else in the field would result in a finish behind a nearly-bone stock Sonic. The OUSCI is not a "nothing to lose" propostion for some competitors, because of cars like the Sonic.
The inclusion of a car like the Sonic is not new for 2012 and will likely continue in the future. Do these entries intimidate and possibly scare away many "big-name" car builders? Probably. For some of those builders, the risk of their mega-horsepower machines failing and finishing behind a Sonic is too great for them to chance.
While the final results don't always present the full picture of what happened at the OUSCI, more than a few of the 2012 competitors had to explain why their rides didn't finish higher than the Sonic this year. In today's Power Source blog, we talked to Peter Basica, president of Pedders USA, to get his take on the Sonic's performance, as well as that of the other Pedders-equipped machines in this year's OUSCI and find out why they placed where they did and in some instances, didn't place even higher.
"The Sonic and John Buttermore did pretty well," says Basica. "A 23rd-place finish (out of 52 cars) in the RideTech Autocross is where we thought we would run. On the BF Goodrich Hot Lap Challenge, we ran almost exactly the time we expected (2:06.884), but finished lower than expected, due to the strength of the field."
The cars the Sonic did beat on the road course include several F-bodies, a Mustang and other tradtional muscle cars, some of which were producing well over 500 horsepower. Two Camaros that had no trouble posting faster times than the Sonic were two other Pedders-equipped fifth gen Camaros, driven by Danny Popp and Todd Rumpke, although Basica viewed anything short of victory from those two cars as a failure.
"The L/28 Camaro (driven by 2011 OUSCI Champion, Danny Popp) was the fastest car at the OUSCI and it broke," laments Basica. "Using the data we collected on the road course, we would've won that event. Instead, we broke a driveshaft coupler and went home seventh overall.
Todd Rumpke's Camaro didn't have mechanical issues, but didn't meet Basica's expecations either. "Todd roared out of the pits, determined to beat Danny and the field," says Basica. "He put four wheels off the track and never settled in, posting the 11th-fastest time of the day in the Hot Lap Challenge." Rumpke also finished 15th in the Autocross, which helped elevate him to a 22nd-place finish overall.
The driveshaft coupler failure on Popp's Camaro was obviously unexpected from a car that dominated the field at the OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America a few months earlier and would obviously be one thing they would've changed prior to the OUSCI, if they had a functional crystal ball in their tool chest. The other would be the addition of Carbotech XP 8 pads for the Sonic, as they believe that could've been good for another tenth or two in both the Autocross and Wilwood Speed Stop Challenge.
Overall, Basica was very impressed with the quality and depth of the 2012 OUSCI field, both in terms of cars and drivers and thought it was our most-competitive to date. Mark Stielow's performance especially impressed Basica, given the relative-newness of Stielow's Mayhem Camaro. The advice Basica offers for future competitors echoes what so many others have also said, "There is no detail too small to pay attetion to in the OUSCI," says Basica. "Check, double-check and then check it again."
If you'd like to see more of the Sonic and the other Pedders-equipped cars, you can check the Sonic out here and photos of the OUSCI here, as well as in-car video with on-board telemetry here.
OUSCI Competitor John Buttermore's 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
November 25, 2012 at 1:49 AM
by OPTIMA Jim
Every year there are a few entrants that on paper, leave folks scratching their heads and wondering how or why those vehicles made it into the field. It's probably safe to say John Buttermore's entry of a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic into the field for the 2012 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational, presented by Royal Purple and K&N Filters, would be one such entry.
While the Sonic was one of the lightest cars in the field, it was also one of the least-powerful. However, John Buttermore was one of the better drivers in the field, as he is the defending SCCA T1 National champion. The Sonic's entry into the OUSCI does answer questions for many folks- How would a relatively-stock car compare to the world's ultimate street cars? How much of a difference can a driver make in the OUSCI?
The Sonic puts an immense amount of pressure on the other competitors in the field, as it is a known combination that was very unlikely to have any mechanical issues (it ran flawlessly all day) and had a top-caliber driver behind the wheel. Weak sauce from anyone else in the field would result in a finish behind a nearly-bone stock Sonic. The OUSCI is not a "nothing to lose" propostion for some competitors, because of cars like the Sonic.
The inclusion of a car like the Sonic is not new for 2012 and will likely continue in the future. Do these entries intimidate and possibly scare away many "big-name" car builders? Probably. For some of those builders, the risk of their mega-horsepower machines failing and finishing behind a Sonic is too great for them to chance.
While the final results don't always present the full picture of what happened at the OUSCI, more than a few of the 2012 competitors had to explain why their rides didn't finish higher than the Sonic this year. In today's Power Source blog, we talked to Peter Basica, president of Pedders USA, to get his take on the Sonic's performance, as well as that of the other Pedders-equipped machines in this year's OUSCI and find out why they placed where they did and in some instances, didn't place even higher.
"The Sonic and John Buttermore did pretty well," says Basica. "A 23rd-place finish (out of 52 cars) in the RideTech Autocross is where we thought we would run. On the BF Goodrich Hot Lap Challenge, we ran almost exactly the time we expected (2:06.884), but finished lower than expected, due to the strength of the field."
The cars the Sonic did beat on the road course include several F-bodies, a Mustang and other tradtional muscle cars, some of which were producing well over 500 horsepower. Two Camaros that had no trouble posting faster times than the Sonic were two other Pedders-equipped fifth gen Camaros, driven by Danny Popp and Todd Rumpke, although Basica viewed anything short of victory from those two cars as a failure.
"The L/28 Camaro (driven by 2011 OUSCI Champion, Danny Popp) was the fastest car at the OUSCI and it broke," laments Basica. "Using the data we collected on the road course, we would've won that event. Instead, we broke a driveshaft coupler and went home seventh overall.
Todd Rumpke's Camaro didn't have mechanical issues, but didn't meet Basica's expecations either. "Todd roared out of the pits, determined to beat Danny and the field," says Basica. "He put four wheels off the track and never settled in, posting the 11th-fastest time of the day in the Hot Lap Challenge." Rumpke also finished 15th in the Autocross, which helped elevate him to a 22nd-place finish overall.
The driveshaft coupler failure on Popp's Camaro was obviously unexpected from a car that dominated the field at the OPTIMA Faceoff at Road America a few months earlier and would obviously be one thing they would've changed prior to the OUSCI, if they had a functional crystal ball in their tool chest. The other would be the addition of Carbotech XP 8 pads for the Sonic, as they believe that could've been good for another tenth or two in both the Autocross and Wilwood Speed Stop Challenge.
Overall, Basica was very impressed with the quality and depth of the 2012 OUSCI field, both in terms of cars and drivers and thought it was our most-competitive to date. Mark Stielow's performance especially impressed Basica, given the relative-newness of Stielow's Mayhem Camaro. The advice Basica offers for future competitors echoes what so many others have also said, "There is no detail too small to pay attetion to in the OUSCI," says Basica. "Check, double-check and then check it again."
If you'd like to see more of the Sonic and the other Pedders-equipped cars, you can check the Sonic out here and photos of the OUSCI here, as well as in-car video with on-board telemetry here.
