finally had a chance to try out my GT3 RS on the track for the first time yesterday. it was sunny and 70 F at Thunderhill - what a perfect weather ... so why am i so scared? i have watch one too many 911 and GT3 crash videos/pictures and heard stories about how rear heavy Porsche will swing it's tail wildly around and bite you in the *** if you let off the throttle in a slide. it does not help that idiot Clarkson on Top Gear crash a red GT3 first time out. to add on top of this, a silver 997 GT3 behind the hands of an experienced driver in the advance group crash and roll over several times at Thunderhill the day before my event .... he had a roll bar and was lucky to be alive

i asked for an instructor to ride with me to "teach" me how not to crash my RS on the first run. needless to say, i was braking too early, turning too late and miss all the proper line trying not to crash. it was miserable. Bob, my instructor decided to take me in his Miata and spun around the track couple time to shake off the bad spirit. "screw it" i said and DROVE the damn car on next session like how i would normally drive in my M3 ...... oh man, what a joy!!!

straight line speed was incredible (much faster than my M3) and easily top 130 mph on the straight before turn one at Thunderhill. it is very poised on turns and the car correct itself if i ease on the throttle in a slide - nothing like what i have imagined. it behaved very well in turns and inspired confidence. i best my M3's lap time by 3 seconds in the RS. this is incredible since i am at best using 60% of my RS capability with sports button on (still has some stability nanny) less aggressive alignment and brake pads compare with my M3 ... which i drive pretty much all out w/o traction control. i will take my time and slowly push the RS on the track ... it will get much faster with more aggressive alignment and Hoosier tires. this car is meant to be driven hard ... stock from factory!

just can't over emphasize the need for a roll bar even in DE. case in point, i was behind a 996 C4S cabriolet when it swung wide to the right on turn 6 and drop it's right front wheel off the track. when he try to correct the trajectory, he over correct it and spun the car right in front of me .... into the field on the left and hit a patch of ground depression so hard that the car bounced up and threw rock and debris inside of the car and blew the right rear rim and tires. he was lucky the car did not roll .... to make thing worst, his wife was in the car with him first time out on the track. i will have my GMG roll bar install soon before next track event

one draw back of the RS are the brake pads. i notice some fads after several repeat hard braking which is much more compare with my M3 with steel rotors and Performance Friction 01 Race pads. i heard there is some form of a "green" brake pads which is much better than OEM.

OK, here are couple pictures from the track.







let's blitz the Eagle's nest





yes, my instructor had a polka dot helmet with flapping rabbit ears lol

 

well done! Was this the HoD event? I know a few P-cars that went (had to do the tech forms). Either way she looks at home!

 

Very beautiful! So glad every time I see an RS at the track. These cars are so fun to learn. That's why I lovem.

I have a GMG cage for sale for cheap if you're interested. Either way, the GMG guys have some awesome stuff.

Enjoy in good health.

 

thanks! yes, RS is home on the track

this was with Trackmaster and there were couple GT3 there .... mostly 996

 

Gotya... I knew HoD and Trackmasters were around the same time up there (either the day before or after).

PS Gotta try Reno-Fernley too!

 

thanks. glad you mentioned health. not much good if your C-spine is crushed in a roll. the guy in the silver GT3 that rolled several times the day before is very Lucky to be alive. i have the GMG roll bar ready for install. just waiting for Fabryce's video DIY

one of these days i have to try Reno-Fernley. it is so much cheaper compare with Infinion. i am just not too excited about the altitude. forced induction cars will do better there

 

Sweet pics and car mike!

 

mike, awesome having a blast with the car already! i heard about the gt3 that rolled over. any idea if it had a rollbar?

you comin' out to TH next month on the 13th?

 

Might be a dumb question, but is that white sand on the track in the pics???

 

Hey Joe

you hard about that silver GT3 crash with the Porsche club. oh man, he is one lucky guy and he had a roll bar that is what saved him. i was talking with the guy that was right behind him when he roll at turn 7. he was too fast for the turn and went off the track on the right and tried to save the car and back on track. that is when he clip the hill and roll several time. he landed on all 4 wheels and the guy i spoke with said he could see his whole body shutter when the car finally landed. what saved him was the roll bar and 6 points harness. you should get the 6 points harness if you don't have it already

i think the NCRC event on 2/13 is all full for DE correct me if i am wrong. may try the March event

 

berms. used to be high like a sidewalk just after they repaved the track. they trimmed it down after several complaints.

 

not at all ... very astute observation

they spray some kind of stuff on the track to clean up an oil spill on turn 10. it was very slippery for 2 sessions. there were unusual amount of spin out, small crashes etc yesterday. people must be too excited since it's the first event of the year

 

Great photos and you will love the car on the track. One suggestion - save yourself some money and install intake grills on the front before you need to replace the radiator when track debris punctures it.

 

T7 is flat land no? maybe T8? wondering which brand rollbar it had.

not sure if 2/13 ncrc is full.

 

ah okay. i thought he was asking about that white stuff on the side of the road.