GT3 cup hard to drive ?

[stentech]

How can a car so well set up and with such little power be as hard to drive as some describe? Please help explain.

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[bobt993]

Steve, PM Larry.  I found the 996 GT3 rather easy to drive both at the Glen and Summit Point.  I think the last second or two out the car would be a challenge as the power is always there and oversteer is at the doorstep.   Great brakes, power, and transition.  I also ran passenger in a 997 GT3 and found it much more tame, much easier to drive on the throttle.  A driver can make hard inputs and still avoid the not going out of balance.   I think the real problem is too much car for the beginning driver to advance on.   You could make a habit of being rough on inputs and get away with it in a 997, but that one time when you exceed the electronics "save me now"..................  At a DE,   is little reward in momentum as you just can run a late apex and heavy throttle.   In a race, equal cars, you would really need to get into the apex with alot of speed in order to compete.

[Terry]

What is this thread about? if we're talking about Cup cars, I know nothing. If we're discussing my 997 GT3, who says it's hard to drive - give me a season, or at least a couple more events! Bob, my last run group at WGI was by far my best and I think the car will (with tires) have a lot more without much drama. Now, back to Cup cars...

[Racingswh]

I have heard some say that a GT3 Cup racing car is hard to drive.  I think the question is exactly the same as mine.  How can a car that's blessed with so much capability be hard to drive?  It's NA so no crazy turbo lag to contend with, it's an exceptional platform on which it is built, great ergo's etc, etc...

The street car like Terry's is amazing.  I have had the pleasure of riding in one and Bob is so right on the money with how the car absolutely masks the inputs of the driver when shy of driving it at the limit.  It's almost like you can do anything in the car regarding inputs and it doesn't care.  It sounds as if Bob and I have ridden in the same car based on his experience. 

 

 

[smankow]

maybe Steve is just doing some research before purchasing his "car of the week".  I guess the Radical must be getting dirty, so it's time for a new car 

IIRC, the early 996 GT3's would oversteer quickly (like in the esses at WGI), but I think that was resolved.

[ccm911]

I had a chance to drive Ken's GT3 at Jefferson a few years back.  It was by far the easiest car to drive on the track.  It was just so, so good.  It felt like an extension of my body.  But I am sure that one can get into trouble if they drove at the absolute limit.  But then again, that is true for any car.

[catchacab]

For me the hardest part would be writing that check.  I am in awe of those who can spend that amount of money on a track car, willing to risk writing off the entire amount, all in the name of fun.

Favorite DE quote of the year, "I think you need to get your speedometer calibrated.  It didn't feel like we were going 175mph on the back straight."  FYI the car was going 175.

[Phokaioglaukos]

Two words: track insurance.

[Brian Minkin]

Steves question was about the cup car.  I think Don Cox would be an authority on this as well as Don Bowman who sold his after only a year of ownership. I have heard the word difficult come out of both of their lips. They are nothing like the street version.

[bobt993]

Terry, two comments.  I was not talking about your car, I rode with someone else to help them learn a track.  Their inputs on the car were pretty rough as the car was new to them.  I felt the car forgive several heavy imbalance rotations.   Sorry if you thought this had anything to do with your car, I realize your learning it in a very smart and disciplined manner.

As far as Cup,  I misread the initial post, so I made a mistake.  Larry did rent a Cup for an SP race and could give better incite on this topic as could Doug F.