Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap is a highly anticipated annual event for automotive enthusiasts. The event pits various cars against the clock around Virginia International Raceway (VIR) to establish benchmark lap times. However, a recurring point of contention revolves around their “available OEM tires” rule. This rule, intended to level the playing field, often introduces complexities and arguably skews the very comparisons the event aims to provide.
The core issue lies in the interpretation of “available OEM tires.” While seemingly straightforward, it leads to situations where cars are tested on vastly different tire categories. Take the example of the Honda Civic Type R, theoretically “available” with ultra-performance track-focused tires like Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. Does this availability truly reflect the typical consumer experience or the car’s standard configuration? Conversely, an Acura Integra Type S, while mechanically similar, might be evaluated on more street-oriented OEM tires. This discrepancy immediately puts the Integra at a disadvantage in a direct lap time comparison, despite potentially possessing comparable inherent performance.
The recent Ford Mustang Dark Horse further exemplifies this point. Its impressive Lightning Lap time, nearly matching that of the significantly more expensive BMW M3 CS, is noteworthy. However, digging into the details reveals the Dark Horse was running on tires essentially in the race tire category. This crucial detail, often buried in the fine print, is vital for proper interpretation of the lap time. Without this context, the raw numbers can be misleading, suggesting a closer performance parity than actually exists when considering more representative tire setups.
For dedicated enthusiasts, these nuances are often understood and debated. However, for a broader audience, the published lap times can be easily misinterpreted as definitive performance rankings without considering the significant variable of tire choice. Ideally, a more standardized approach, perhaps categorizing tires by treadwear rating or tire type, would provide a more transparent and genuinely comparable dataset. Comparing a car on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires to another on Cup 2s across a demanding four-mile track is less a comparison of the vehicles themselves and more a demonstration of the performance delta between tire categories.
Ultimately, while Lightning Lap remains a valuable source of data and discussion, it’s crucial to approach the published times with a critical eye. Understanding the tire specifications and the “available OEM tire” rule’s implications is paramount to accurately interpreting these “Lightning Lap Times” and drawing meaningful conclusions about vehicle performance. The raw numbers are only part of the story, and the tire context is an essential chapter.
