NJ-GT

Assuming that was not a rookie run group, I can't justify the retard driving from the Black Targa. The car is being driven way under its limits, and the driver still tracks out, giving a point by on the left. Those drivers really bother me, and they seem to be at every track day I go, they just commonly drive Corvettes.

I've a different opinion but not conclusive given the lack of the steering view on the video, Pinching. It happened at the turns before. I could justify the spin to too much gas, or rear static toe off, if the driver was using all the space available, but that wasn't the case. At that Apex one should be at full gas and with the steering wheel pointing almost straight. This car was still to the right way pass the Apex.

It's good that both the driver and the car are ok. A new bumper cover and some wax should make it look new.

RSA333

Folks-

Great speed and pretty good line. BTW - The guy in the targa is supposed to point left between turns 1 and 3.

After running at the original Summit Point track with PCA and others for over 12 years, here are the accidents I have seen or have occured while I was there.

(1) 4 cars that went off track at turn 10, tried to over-correct to get back on track instead of driving straight off, spinning and hitting the outer pit lane wall sustaining great damage. (early apex) . They have provided more curbing now on the exit of this turn.

(2) 3 cars that turned in early on turn 9 (which is okay), but didn't let the car carry them all the way to the left on exiting the turn ("pinching") - it did not seem like you were doing this - seems more like a slipppery track and too much speed for those conditions.

(3) Several cars driving straight off the 'chute'.

(4) 2 cars flipping over because they were sideways at turn 1 and went off track after the long straight (after the gravel trap was put there).

(5) Late apex at turn 3 driving off track.

(6) Many spins - that's what it's all about.

(7) One bad motorcycle death near turn 1.

Just my limited experience, FWIW.

-Gerry

fc-racer

That looks a lot like something on the track (oil, marbles, etc), didn't look or sound like it was about to go out of control like that at all! Was the alignment checked on this car before the event?

My friend who bought a new 996 GT3 kept spinning his car on track and was very frustrated. He eventually put the car on the rack and found one side had toe-out! Ever since he re-aligned the car, it has been great; maybe the 997 also requires a check before going all-out?

997gt3north

- having now done 3 track events with my new 997gt3 in similar temps (limerock) with race allignment settings + full wing (I want all the grip I can get) this "unexpected rear breakaway" doesn't fit with what I know so fa abot the car
- I can say that for the Friday morning when we had rain, i did get rear slippage in big bend on throttle application, not front push, so I would tend to agree with some of the above posts that likely one of a few factors were to blame or more likely a combo of all of the above

1) very slightly too much throttle as the cam changes over at 6000rpms
2) cold track surface with likely some dirt/marbles
3) too high rear tire temps (on the mpscs I noticed 39psi = too slippery, 36/37 is better)

I have approached this car with the notion that I do not want to get bitten so in my 3 events this year I have been very careful to always apply very smooth throttle (in my S4 with 4wd i could just mash it and never worry for a second anything was going to happen and it has 500whp running 23psi so it would come on very hard but I never had issues).

I think this is unfortunately a great video that cost you money but hopefully everone can learn from (I know I have) that while the 997gt3 is maybe less twitchy that the 996?, it is still a 400hp rear engine, rwd car that you have be be very careful with

I'm sorry this cost you a few grand to fix but much appreciate you posting it - my 3 days so far at Limerock are giving me confidence but this just shows you hat even with what appears to be very smooth driving you have to be exceptionally smooth and cautious with this car in terms of track tempts, throttle applicaiton, tire pressure, etc


I have a few questions:

1) do you know your tires pressures at the time
2) were sways on stock settings (front 1 from soft, rear on hard)
3) were you in normal or firm pasm setting
4) was the wing in stock position
5) were you on the mpscs or the nittos

thanks

str8ner

Tires were OEM MPSC pressure was f32 r34.
Sway bar: f1 from soft, r middle setting
PASM hard
Wing stock. By the way I then changed it to max angulation and it was shaking starting at 140 mph. Have any of you experienced that?

str8ner

Toe links. My mechanic recomended to change my stock toe link to the rigid ones of the cup 997. Any imput?

997gt3north

- this doesn't make me feel good as I haven't yet hit 140 (only 130 at Limerock) and the fact that you were running full wing + correct tempts + you even softened the rear bar by 1 setting for more grip

- I haven't yet tried the hard setting - maybe there is something to learn here??

- on the rear wing, I will be at Watkins in a few weeks so I'm sure the noise will surface then - I just cannot understand the design they are using here that requires you to remove the screw for the +4 and +8 degree settings as surely this provides less support ( I guess 140mph is where this matters) -wonder what it is like at 160mph+?

- again, thanks for the vid, will make me very aware of highspeed sweepers

- I hate to say that I am beginning to watch more Nascar, but I am, and your video just reminds me of when they are finishing a 160mph corner on an oval and on trackout the rear end just comes out and hits the wall with no to very little warning - maybe the GT3RS wing with even more downforce is an option?

Steve N.

I don't know this track at all - but it looks like there is a lot of sand/dirt on the track at every curb. Could easily explain the loss of grip.

leif997

Is any one else seeing the same video that NJ-GT and I are watching? we have both said the same thing in two different ways.....yet there are a bunch of you "seeing" debris all over the place as the cause....?

RamVA

I was there this past Thursday. There was dirt everywhere but the grip was good (when it was dry).

I agree it's a somewhat ragged line through 7/8 leading to an early turn in, pinched exit, and then too much throttle for grip/conditions. Happens to the best of us, and to me as well.

Stisseront - thanks for posting.

iLLM3

Oh man that is horrible, glad you are alright!!

cviles

This sounds to me like a little too much throttle mid-corner. Listening to the audio, there's a subtle spike in revs just before the spin. There's something similar in the previous corner -- a very slight lift mid-corner and then full throttle.

I think this is just a case of being too greedy with the Go Peddle.

fc-racer

If this were a case of being too aggressive with the throttle, why didn't the traction control step in (it was on according to the owner)? This would seem to be the ideal situation for the TC to intervene.

Carrera GT

Thanks for doing the leg work to post the video.

Oh how I wish there was a track with a straight like that in California ... to shift up out of 4th in the GT3.

Carrera GT

The guy driving the black Targa did just fine. Held the line, kept control of his car, gave a full point-by (arm extended not just a half a hand waving randomly in the cabin or poking a tiny bit out of the window) and promptly gave up the line (no rule says the driver giving the point-by has to do anything except lift) without any herky jerky or unpredictable stuff.

I wish everyone would drive that well at a DE.

And I wish people wouldn't be abusive on Web forums in ways I'm sure they'd never be so rude in person.