Hey Fritz!

I think I have a bunch of old film stored on my old hard-drive. I'll have to look for the KB videos.

 

I still have all my favorites on my computer so I'll upload a bunch to the youtube site and keep the videos rolling

 

Figured you'd like this one- 2:03 on the the full in a 996 GT3

http://www.vimeo.com/1505525

 

GGGTTTT3 BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Very nice! Videos like that make me think hard about getting a Porsche.

 

Been at the track with Dell's car. It is set up extremely well--professionally. I believe there about $15K in suspension related modifications. Engine is stock but has revised tranny gears. He ran that lap with Yokohama slicks (scrubs though). He also "lives" at the track like Fritz.

 

Rceron, Dell just sold his car last week. He's going to try his hand in wheel to wheel racing. I bet he buys a cup car

 

Yep, I bought his rims :-) I definitely believe he is going racing but I'm not convinced it is a cup car. He has a new born (8 months or so) and a cup car is very expensive to run. You basically need a crew like Synergy with you when you race. He started a whole threat on that which was very enlightening....scary as well (in terms of costs).

Incidentally, I will be at VIR for the PCA Potomac region event.

 

I've been following that thread on rennlist and it looks like he might do Spec Boxster. If there are enough people in the Mid-Atlantic region who build the SPBOX I might jump on that wagon. Much cheaper than running in PCA D-Class. I'm not going to make the Potomac DE. I'm headed there this week/weekend and doing NJMP- Thunderbolt next weekend w/ the NJ PCA region.

 

Funny you say that b/c my friend and I were thinking about the same series, but maybe in 5- 7 years. Much cheaper. GT3 engine block is $35K while a regular 911 is only $9K. I'm sure the Boxster is just shy of that or the same.

I will be at NJMP with Chin in October. Maybe I'll catch up with you and Fritz for the November 10-11 Chin event at VIR.

 

Pat,
Get some video from the new thunderbolt track

Ramon,
Have fun at VIR and let us know how the GT3 does

 

Boy I'd like to see how my car would run with $15k in suspension mods and Yoko slicks!!... I might even let Fritz flog it again!!

 

Yokos are the qualifying slicks, them is STICKY.

We should just switch cars for a session and do some lead follow

 

^^^

I have to remember that I have a total of 8 days on VIR full, and another 6 on the North over the years, but I was still humbled by your superior display of speed in my own damned car!!

If I ever make it back to the track again this fall, we'll definately go out and play!

 

Pete,
I can match that pat on the back

As far as I know 2.12 in a twin turbo street FD is the fastest time so far at VIR and the track is getting slower by the day. You are probably one of the smoothest drivers I've ridden w/ so w/ another 50 days at VIR I think you'd humble me a bit hehe

 

Pete, I've always wondered what a FD would do w/ triple adjustable shocks like Motons or JRZ on the track. I'm thinking you should buy a set and see what the do! Are you still running the Gabs?

Fritz, didn't you have a nice set of JRZ but never used them? I think they were on that Red car w/ all the issues.

 

Fritz ran the motons for a while and then I bought them. My take away from the experience is that (1) they need to be PROFESSIONALLY setup otherwise they are useless and (2) they must complement the other suspension pieces and tire selection to work right. In and of themselves they will only do so much, but there are huge synergistic effects when properly combined with suspension tuning, rollbars, rims sizes and tire selection.

At various events I've seen several RX7s running sub 2:12s (not including Fritz). Just need 350 rwhp, good brakes and R6s.

 

I had the JRZs on Waels old car which I sold to you and I thought they were terrific and very easy to setup. His car was the easiest FD I've ever driven because of those coilovers. I just set the speed and rebound the same and that seemed to work for me.

I won't comment on that lap time statement However you better bust out some sub 2.05s because that's what well driven GT3s run

 

You wont see a 2:05 out of me for a long time. I don't live at the track. My short term target is a sub 2:10. I believe the PCA racers for J-class run 2:04 - 2:06s. Those people do more events in 18 months than I have total. I'm confused re your reaction to my other statement. Are you implying that it is extremely rare for anyone in an RX7 to be sub 2:12 ? I know of 5 and that's not including you.

 

That's exactly what I'm saying it'll take you lots of seat time before you run a respectable lap in your GT3. In other words it takes more than tires, brakes and power.

In the 9 years I've been tracking FDs I personally know of 3 people who've run sub 2.12s at VIR. Damian, Brad Barber and Paul Winter so from my point of view it's VERY RARE for someone in an FD to run sub 2.12s at VIR. I probably know of 20 people at the last event I attended that did it in a GT3, Z06 etc...etc... Oh yeah and all 3 of those cars where running on Dunlop slicks hehe

 

Ramon,
I have a vid of me running a 2.16 in a stock FD with victo racers and that's probably the lap I'm most proud of The car was bone stock other than catback and pettit intake. I'll post it up asap. I'm following a modded Z06 in the instructor session and he's not running away from me

I hate to keep pounding this (well actually I guess I kind of love it) but it's how much money you spend going to events not how much money you spend on your car that makes you fast.

So when you said it just takes power, brakes and tires you obviously struck a nerve

 

don't bum me out totally Fritz. You saying I need to sell my car now and just be a sheep and buy a C5Z? HAHA.

I'm interested to know what do you think is holding the FD back from turning laps comparable to a GT3? Power to weight of most tracked FDs is likely very close. Is it available rubber under the fender? Suspension design? Porsche magic?

 

Not at all I think the FD is a wonderful car to track if you want to go fast for less in a car that's REALLY FUN TO DRIVE but difficult to setup and keep running.

However at VIR in particular it's at a disadvantage to the GT3 because of braking into and getting out of T1, getting out of the little esses, driving through the big esses, getting out of oak tree and braking into t14. Porsche GT3s have lots of useful torque ( nice power bands ) and are constantly pulling hard through all the gears (great ratios in the trans) so the top speeds are higher, they can get out of the corners quicker because they have 60 plus % of there 3000 pounds over massive 315 rear tires and finally have truly magical brakes. Most everyone that tracks any car has modded it quite a bit and the GT3 is already crazy fast out of the box so with a few tweaks it's that much faster.

The ZO6, umm well lets just say torque rules and running massive tires doesn't hurt either hehe. Then drop in a cam, set the susp up like a t1 and your running sub 2.10s all day.

The t1 record at VIR is like a 2.05 or something right now and the Cup Car record is around 1.56. I think Damian could run a 2.05 in his current car but It would be hard for a 2 rotor FD to break the 2 minute barrier. Regarding modified c5s or c6s I think Danny Popp ran a 1.30 or something very low on the VIR N course during the redline time attach which would equate to an easy sub 2 minute lap on the full course so obviously c5s have a lot of potential.

 

Fritz we are exactly on the same page. yes, it's not the car but the driver. I went GT3 not to be faster but to be more reliable (I've had bad luck). My bad if my original statement made it seem like a 2:12s was easy.

My list is a little longer for those with RX7s under 2:12. At the last Chin event Josh (whom you met) and I were at these time levels. Also, there were 2 other RX7s who run Chin were easily in 2:10 range--but they have serious horsepower. There are 2 others but you get the point.

So yes it is rare but not extremely rare :-)

 

Fritz answered your question. It is seat time followed by the necessary upgrades.

BTW, the GT3 really has more than the mfg quoted 380 hp and is geared better than the RX7. I shouldn't have to comment about the braking/stopping power--that obvious.