Lightning Lap Drivers Tell Us Their Favorite (and Least Favorite) Moments from 2023's Event

Sure, we all love watching each of the entrants from this year’s Lightning Lap make their way around the 4.1 miles of the Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway. But have you ever wondered what’s going on in the heads of the drivers? That’s what these videos explore.

Like last year, we sat down with each of the drivers from this year’s Lightning Lap and watched their fast-lap videos. Think of it like director’s commentary, only at 165 mph down the Front Straight in the case of the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica. You’ll hear what each driver was thinking while they were on track and some of the challenges they faced, from tire availability to seat adjustments.

Dan Edmunds explains how years of suspension development helps to judge how much curbing the Subaru WRX could take. Also: How to remove the shift knob from a Volkswagen GTI at 100 mph.

Dave VanderWerp tackles tire issues that we had with the Hyundai Kona N and Elantra N, as well as the challenges of getting a decent lap time from an EV like the BMW i4 M50.

David Beard covers the difference between the Audi RS3’s standard tires and the incredible grip provided by its optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs.

K.C. Colwell set the fastest time this year with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the slowest time with our long-term Kia Carnival, which we ran with six occupants on board.