mike_la_jolla

This is an msn review of the 997 Turbo. Apparently Porsche took a group of journalists to Watkins Glen and let'em rip around the track in a 997 Turbo. Porsche didn’t trust them enough to go solo -- many were FORCED to have a guy by the name of Hurley Haywood sit in the passenger’s seat. (What is the world coming to?)

I am amused by the following comment: “Several times we went full throttle through sweeping turns and it felt as if we were driving a slot car.”

I strongly suspect the author didn’t drive the car. I drive a mere 996TT X50 on the track, and there ain’t any ‘sweeping turns’, on any track, anywhere, that can be done at ‘full throttle’ in my car. Maybe he has a different definition of ‘full throttle’?

Anyway he liked the car …

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....tentid=4024058

Tahoe M3

It looks like the journalists DID drive the car at the track, but they had the race drivers with them to give them pointers along the way. It says the race drivers rode along with them.

"We had the opportunity to test the limits of the 911 Turbo at Watkins Glen International Raceway. To make certain the assembled journalists didn't make any grievous errors while driving Porsche's newest sports car, the German automaker brought along a few "guest pilots" to ride with us—race car drivers David Murry, Bill Adam, Kees Nierop and Hurley Haywood.

It didn't take long to get a feel for the track, and driving the new 911 Turbo felt too easy—almost like cheating. We just kept increasing our speed with each successive lap and the car simply stuck to the track. Several times we went full throttle through sweeping turns and it felt as if we were driving a slot car.

After we had our drive, we had a demonstration of the car's true capabilities when David Murry got behind the wheel. With the Tiptronic-equipped 911 Turbo, Murry put his foot on the brake, brought the engine up to 4000 rpm, let the turbo boost peak, and released the brake. Having never experienced reaching 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, it felt more like a jet taking off than a car. With no wheelspin at all, we were to 100 mph before we had even left the pit lane, and broke 150 mph on the track. "

ltc

Having driven Watkins Glen a time or two.....perhaps they were referring to the uphill Esses, exiting turn 2 and leading onto the backstretch on the run down to the Bus Stop?
http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks...glen/glen4.gif
http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks.../glen/elev.gif
I can see that being done flat footed.

1AS

Wouldn't the gear choice influence whether the car would tolerate full throttle?
That type of sentence doesn't make clear that the corner is "flat" (no lift from the straight), full throttle on entry, or where on exit. Isn't almost every corner full throttle on exit? Even go karts aren't full throttle on entry. AS

ltc

My 13yr old son would say otherwise.....he drives his 125cc Rotax Jr kart (single gear, 67mph) flat out thru a triple apex fast right hander all the time at thte local track.
The Esses at WGI are the only turns I can think of that would be fast flat out sweepers.

allegretto

Remember, these are journalists, not real drivers. In my experience they are mainly wannabes on the track.

Flachbau

Obviously car journo's have never ridden a sportbike on the track!

Likemystoppie?

^^^ Most riders have never even gotten on a track, let alone getting their knee down. (or for that matter their elbow down as is the case of the WSB and GP riders who are insane!! )

Flachbau

You need to hang off ... anyone can stick their knee out and scruff their pucks but in order to go really fast you have to hang off at which point you are sliding on your entire knee area which really is a much more interesting - unless you catch your leathers ... that's why those 120lb pro's look so laid over they are hanging way off .. I got 100lbs on them ... much harder for me to pick it back up for the next turn

Boulder GT3

Several times we went full throttle through sweeping turns and it felt as if we were driving a slot car.


As is said, "if it handles like it's on rails, you're not going fast enough".

allegretto

Amen!

allegretto

If you think there's a difference in skill levels for auto racers, it ain't nothing compared to the differences in bike racers!

You can't lay it down or pick it up fast enough on the track. Much more thrilling (scary) than any car I've ever driven. But I haven't driven a Champ either.

SDSmith

Porsche ran their event during the lunch break of a track event I was at. Here are a couple photos..

Stephen

T2

Ditto LTC's comment - the uphill esses at the Glen in a 996TT X50 is a rush in fourth gear - after turn one I track way out jump from third to fourth and start squeezing the throttle on as you enter the esses - I went last year and by the end of day two I was at redline in fourth at the end of the esses just to jump into fifth for the long back straight - the esses at the Glen are the bomb....but then again so is the whole damn track - it's a great place to open up a Turbo