rikhek

Track day yesterday at Hallett and came across a 991 911 GT3. We were both on slicks with me on Pirelli's and he on Hoosiers so pretty equal there.

Seven seconds into the video you can catch a glimpse of him ahead of me at the top of the hill entering T8 as I track out of T7. I caught up to him pretty quickly but track day rules prevented passing in corners and also needing a point by so getting around him got me a tad annoyed as that's were he was holding me up.

I think he got the point that I wanted around him at T2 when I outbraked and dove under him prior to parking it. No rule against parking, just against passing....

The cars are pretty equal with the C7Z edging out the GT3 due to the Corvette's better chassis and brakes.

I think our boosted cars lose about 100 hp when the engine gets up to track usage temp (i.e., 3.6 mpg) which would bring the Corvette down to about 550 hp.

Porsche always underrates their engines and I believe the 991 GT3's advertised 500 hp is closer to 550.

You can see we're pretty equal down the straights with him getting an advantage as he had a PDK versus my M7. FWIW, Mike Levitas/TPC Racing/DSC Sport believes/agrees these 550 hp numbers are close to actual and he knows the two cars as well as anyone out there. He also owned both prior to selling his GT3.

I was able to significantly outbrake the GT3 driver as well as carry more corner speed due to what I feel is a better chassis in the C7. Only mods I have are a DSC Sport controller and TracTive shocks which surely helps.

I believe I might have pulled even with him down a straight if he hadn't slowed my corner speed and resulting loss of mph on corner track out. The PDK helped him here as well.

End result is I was over 1 second faster running low 1:20 laps. Close to 1.5 seconds. Both are nice cars.

Fun stuff.

Rick

P.S. I'm pretty certain some of you saw my post and video about 2 weeks ago of a track encounter with a Mustang GT350R in which I was on the receiving end of a practical joke. This round it was the real deal...

cvp33

That was simply awesome. "WTF!?" LOL

spearfish25

Can you explain how the C7Z has a better chassis than a 991 GT3? Are you just implying engine layout is better with a front mid engine? Those GT3s put power down out of corners like crazy.

The C7Z was better driven than the GT3. He was missing apexes left and right (see what i did there?).

Love the timeless Corvette/Porsche rivalry happening out there!

64drvr

Larry M

I think you broke too hard at 1:02

rikhek

Valid point. I got impatient as if I don't get by him by T2 I have to follow him around the whole back half of the track. Not an excuse but it's what happened. I should have waited.

On a lighter note I didn't break the "rules". Since I didn't have the pass made prior to turn in I gave him the corner. However, again I agree I was a bit of a dick, got caught up in the moment and should have waited.

Rick

Mr. Gizmo

rikhek

I've tracked both with properly set up chassis's and believe the C7Z is better balanced and puts all available power down. If you watch my throttle application PTM is not pulling much power and I'm going full throttle at apex, most corners. Chassis stiffness/rigidity is structurally impressive on the C7 as well.

I'm on the P car forums and believe the guys over there would take issue with my statement.

I'm by no means saying the P car is not great, I just think the C7 is a a bit greater. I've thought long and hard about picking one up and will some day. I'm a fan.

sagrea

You are killing him. Very smooth racing line and I really like how early you push on the throttle. Welldone

Bullet Tooth

I think you were quite a bit more than 1.5 seconds quicker than him. You ate up a full 6-7 straight by turn 1. I have run with a group of doctors running GT3s and a couple really know what they are doing. They consistently run high 1:23s. After running with them I would not trade may car for a GT3 for a track day.

They are amazing on track out and on the straights but give up a lot under braking and turn in just like you pointed out. Their sound is lacking compared to the v8s as well. Still awesome cars but I am happy with mine.

I love the turn 2 dust up. I would have done and said the same.

I need to come up and run with you sometime soon. Maybe I can learn some things from you. Let me know if you get a private day soon and I will come up.

rikhek

As a reference point to their 1:23's I'm running consistent 1:19.4 - 1:19.5 laps without traffic and a best of 1:19.10, I was really disappointed it rained before I was going out to run a couple hard laps to get a 1:18.XX. Cool air and track conditions were such I have no doubt I would have gotten it. Track slowed 1 second following the rain and then the heat arrived.

Send me a PM with your contact info. I have another private day this Tuesday but there's a wait list. Most groups are full with their own folks but spots do become available. There's also HST run by the track on COMMA weekends but these aren't much fun due to lots of cars and many/most of them on the slow side.

Rick

Pacembellum

Rick, what gas are you running? I only ask because when i get my blend up to about 93+ i don't really feel any drop in power but i was running 220 coolant 280 oil last weekend low to mid 80*.

rikhek

91 octane 100% gas, however, a bit of power is gained with the ethanol blend. I run 100% as that's what is avaiable close to track. I'm too cheap to pay $5 - $6 for gas at the track

The race cars are a different story.

JJLAI724

You represent us well. Good job on the track.

Pacembellum

Rick, try out some boostane for testing. I think you will need about 13oz to raise a tank of 91 to 93 and see if any pesky 911's pull away after that, might need to reset ECU? I bought 5 gallons on black Friday 🏁🏁. It worked out to $0.40/gallon i think so way better than race gas.

bcmarly

Nice driving - no lift shift?

rikhek

Correct plus prodiguous use of PTM. Chassis also allows extending braking points due to it's predictable trail braking characteristics.

Brake late, trail brake to the apex, immediately transfer to full throttle at apex tracking out of most corners and let PTM manage power delivery as you open up the wheel AND USE EVERY INCH OF THE TRACK/CURBING.

At the risk of annoying some by posting again here's a better example of a clean 1:19.10 lap. I'm posting again only to demonstrate how well GM did making the car manageable. Using no lift shift, PTM, late/trail braking, a DSC Sport controller with TracTive shocks (i.e., virtually a mind boggling active suspension) results in a world class track car.

I'm hopefully educating some owners via demonstration how well the car works if you make use of the available go fast features. I see a lot of guys tracking their cars and not utilizing the available features or even knowing they have them. It's surprising how many people are serious enough owners to track their cars yet are: 1) ignorant of track specific features or; 2) if familiar they don't really know what they do or how they work or; 3) familiar and know how they work but don't utilize them.

Those with PDR should pay attention to their throttle and brake position indicators. If one of them isn't lit up you're leaving time on the track.

Racers lie, lap times and data don't...

spearfish25

PTM is nice but not something everyone chooses to use since it's specific to Chevy. Try that behavior in another car without PTM and you'll have a big problem. It may make drivers faster but it's not necessarily a good habit to develop.

rikhek

FWIW and IMHO I disagree.

Every car is different. Some with a 4 speed dog box, some with a sequential, some with a PDK, etc. Some with ABS and some without as well as stability control. Some power cars, some momentum. Front engine, mid engine, rear engine. Auto blip versus heel-toe. The list is endless.

Each is driven with what is offered or available on it. Of course if you got in a 650 hp car without PTM you probably wouldn't want to go to the floor in 2nd at the apex of a sharp turn. Would not be pretty.

If I hear you correctly you're suggesting "someone" shouldn't use the auto blip feature on their car as the C6Z next to it in their garage doesn't have it.

I guess I don't really understand your point. PTM isn't a "habit", it's a tool

Rick

Boba Fett

Dude you were clearly the better driver by far. Not a way to measure how the cars match up obviously because of this. Im not rally sure what either of you were thinking at 1:01.