kboustani

i have a 1976 carrera 3.0 which i love.i have not been to a de for the last three years and finally got to go to one.
my delima is i am in advance class(4 run group)and it seems like all the cars had at least twice the horsepower and much newer cars and were set up so well that i felt like my car was so slow.
anyone else have this problem and if so what have you done about it,

g-50cab

#1 Nobody wins DE. Learn to drive your car well - to get some space - drive through the pits to clear out traffic behind you.

It's the same thing everywhere - the new cars are so capable - and can make any Joe look like a hero. The older cars are much more difficult to drive fast - but also more communicative. Seems like GT3's are like bellybuttons these days.

encourage some other folks with similar cars to come out with you. We have a great group of folks that are all in similar cars and we have a blast together.

HFDesignworks

Is dropping down a group an option? I tracked my 1983 911 last year and because I knew the track well I started in the fast group. Well, I quickly realized my 170 HP car was no match for 400+ HP cars and I got tired of constantly checking the rear view mirror. I let my ego go and dropped down a group and had a much better time.
Of course this year I have a 1995 911 with a bit more power and am back up with the fast group.

wildcat077

I hear ya ...
I'm surrounded by GT3's in my run group and honestly some of those drivers are
scary to say the least!Take out their power steering,ABS and traction control and a few would be in the guardrail in no time ...

A lot of them are all over the place on a wet track and i get to pass a few but other than that they just
blow right by me on the straights.Not much to be done on a somewhat stock street/track 911 other than dream about less weight and more power

Cheers !
Phil

race911

And that's where you've got to get your head.

Funny how this comes up over the years. How about those first 911 guys running roughshod over the 356s? (I get that DE as we know it today didn't exist then.) Later, about the time I got into this, it was the first of the 930s killing the itty-bitty 2.7 RS engined cars. Move forward a few years, and those wascally 3.6L 964s were all over your *** RIGHT NOW.

Basically, pick your generation and maximize your competence. There's always going to be a bigger spender. (And if you think it's bad in DE, look at wheel-to-wheel.)

911 Rod

Welome to the world of the air-cooled.
I find I can stick with them .....for a bit.
Then I had way more fun with a friend passing each other going into the corners.
Flaggers let us be because they new what we were up to. just having fun!

Amber Gramps

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/pts/3207401865.html

ron mcatee

Ask to be put in a slower group. If you are not, then your event master is not safety oriented and should be removed.

tlarocque

I don' think you should move down a group... you want to be with the better drivers, no matter how much faster they (or their cars) are. Its a DE and its there job to pass you in a safe manner. If that means they have to be patient, so be it.

I do sometimes wish that there was a pre-89.5 911 run group. The cars are so fun to drive on a track, it would be a blast to have a bunch of them out there together.

kboustani

i agree tlarocque.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

+++++++++++++++1

Ken is really on the mark here; the prize money & trophy girls at DE events are generally atrocious so the whole objective of these exercises is to have fun and learn/improve your car control skills.

Competition driving, OTOH, requires a high level of car control as well as racecraft skills and thats a totally different game.

WPOZZZ

Just have fun and enjoy the drive. I know it can be demoralizing as I used to run a euro 635csi against E46 M3s, but just set your mind to enjoy the experience.

911tracker85

I have the same experience. but I enjoy driving solo a lot since my skills have reached that level. but still get an instructor to ride at times as I still have a lot to learn.

and as commented above. it is NOT RACING.

sometimes think of just attaching an arm from a maneqiun to my roof so the godzilla cars can just pass at will.

Mike Valentine, Valentine radar detectors, runs a Carrera GT at some of our events. I told him if I see him come out of the turn onto a straight, even if I am half way down the straight I just stick my arm out. he'll blow past me before we get to the breaking zone.

I recall a friend who got a race preped 930. first DE he could find was with a VIPER club. said his arm was worn out constantly waving car past.

having to deal with some traffic sharpens you 'awareness' level. and the fun part is when you are running with a car/driver of similar capability.

just wave the fast cars by, be safe and go have fun.

ivangene

I will pop in, lots of great advice above -

I agree...I often time run in a slower group - BUT I can tell you that your car with its modest HP will be fine in any run group if you drive well and check your mirrors as you approach let by zones - when the fast guys come up just be ready to let them by. The other option is to be the fast guy in a slow run group and you get behind slower (newer) drivers that may be less aware of the need to let you by and you get 6 laps behind someone on parade lap speed....

it really isnt a big deal either way and I always just dial in my line when following slower cars - drive "perfect" what else is there to do while waiting for them to wake up and see you

race911

What's the discussion have to do with safety? Situational awareness is of magnatudes greater importance than differentials in acceleration between the cars in a group.

And here's that pesky situational awareness thing. Basic problem with DE these days, especially outside of the car club groups (which have their own issues), is that you've got too many people out there running solo who have no business doing so.

I don't get it at all. We're out there to help, and that someone with minimal skill seeks to merely pony trot around pretty oblivious to the big picture does sadden me. But I can easily find someone else who is continually eager to learn/refine skills.