Anyone have experience going from a street C6 Z06 -> 996 Cup?
11-24-2010, 01:02 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Anyone have experience going from a street C6 Z06 -> 996 Cup?
I purchased my first real race car a few months ago and after getting some maintenance and prep done to it, it's about ready to rock. I'll be moving from a modified Chevette (but still street legal, driving to/from the track. mid 1:50's at Thill).
I've never driven a Porsche, on the street or the track. I've driven other race cars (barber/russell schools and races), but never a sports/gt race car (unless you count the E30 24H Lemons car a few months ago... but I won't. :P).
My plan rite now is to get some seat time in the 996 and run some local club races with my buddies. Once I feel like I'm fast enough, I was going to buy/rent a seat in one of the larger series (Patron, GA, etc) w/ an existing team.. but not until I feel like I have the pace to win.
Anyone have any advice moving from the Chevette to a 996 Cup, before I shake her down?
-mike
I've never driven a Porsche, on the street or the track. I've driven other race cars (barber/russell schools and races), but never a sports/gt race car (unless you count the E30 24H Lemons car a few months ago... but I won't. :P).
My plan rite now is to get some seat time in the 996 and run some local club races with my buddies. Once I feel like I'm fast enough, I was going to buy/rent a seat in one of the larger series (Patron, GA, etc) w/ an existing team.. but not until I feel like I have the pace to win.
Anyone have any advice moving from the Chevette to a 996 Cup, before I shake her down?
-mike
11-24-2010, 03:30 PM
#2
Intermediate
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Beware the dreaded TTO....Trailing Throttle Oversteer.
Run the car in some DE sessions to get a feel for it. Then race it in PCA for a couple years. You will have a great time! A couple of club races with your buddies will not likely prepare you for a "win" in Patron or Grand Am.
Competency takes time. Be sure you invest that time for the benefit of yourself and your fellow competitors.
Run the car in some DE sessions to get a feel for it. Then race it in PCA for a couple years. You will have a great time! A couple of club races with your buddies will not likely prepare you for a "win" in Patron or Grand Am.
Competency takes time. Be sure you invest that time for the benefit of yourself and your fellow competitors.
11-24-2010, 06:56 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
I can only say build up speed slowly, get HEAT in the tires not just some wiggling around on the outlap but you need to work slicks or you will find yourself in the kitty litter. The cars are light and do not react well to bouncing over curbs you could normally take in a softer sprung car. I have a picture of me riding over a curb that I always take in all my other racecars, in the cup I have THREE wheels in the air, you have to adjust...
Things come hard and fast in the cup, patience, I snickered at a few of the new cup owners that were all over the place when they first got the cars, not any more, now I know why...
Things come hard and fast in the cup, patience, I snickered at a few of the new cup owners that were all over the place when they first got the cars, not any more, now I know why...
11-25-2010, 01:11 PM
#4
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Generally, the car will be a lot more "alive" than a street Corvette (even one modified for the track). It's lighter, the inputs are more precise and the braking is better. Getting good performance out of the Cup is very dependent on corner entry due to the trailing throttle oversteer issue Kasey talked about. If you've driven a 911 on the track before, it won't be such a shock but if you haven't, take the first few laps slowly. I've seen lots of good drivers get in a 911 the first time and do a few slow spins mid-corner.
More specifically, I would say that, aside from general 911 platform-based characteristics, the Cup is very set-up dependent to get good drivability and performance. Mid and exit of corner rotation in a Cup that isn't set up well is extremely difficult. I would start with a decent amount of "push" in the car so you don't get the snap oversteer coming out of the corner. Not plowing mind you but a set up that you feel the front end a bit slow such that you can throttle-steer without the snap. If you haven't run slicks before, the grip level will be an eye-opener. The edge of the grip circle will definitely be further out than you have experienced before on non-slicks. It will take a bit to wrap your mind around just how much speed you can carry in the corners.
All of these items will be immediately apparent to you and by your 2nd or 3rd session, you will "get it." Have fun!
More specifically, I would say that, aside from general 911 platform-based characteristics, the Cup is very set-up dependent to get good drivability and performance. Mid and exit of corner rotation in a Cup that isn't set up well is extremely difficult. I would start with a decent amount of "push" in the car so you don't get the snap oversteer coming out of the corner. Not plowing mind you but a set up that you feel the front end a bit slow such that you can throttle-steer without the snap. If you haven't run slicks before, the grip level will be an eye-opener. The edge of the grip circle will definitely be further out than you have experienced before on non-slicks. It will take a bit to wrap your mind around just how much speed you can carry in the corners.
All of these items will be immediately apparent to you and by your 2nd or 3rd session, you will "get it." Have fun!
01-30-2011, 01:16 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Thanks for all the advice guys!
I was just able to take it out for the first time yesterday at Thunderhill (thanks to my buddies at Gorman Motorsports). Conditions were pretty horrible and I only got 2 sessions in because of the weather, but it was *awesome*. Since I'd never driven a 911 (or any Porsche before actually), I wasn't sure what to expect. The car was way easier to drive than I imagined! It probably helped having a truck-ton of setup data from the previous owners, but the car had never ran on these Yoko slicks (scrubs) that we picked up.
I spent the second session pushing the car a little bit more, trying to get a better feel for braking and mid corner corrections. The amount of grip the car produces is incredible... in turn 2 at TH my neck was starting to hurt toward the end of the session.
With the power steering pump turned on, the car was even easier to drive (i forgot to hit the switch on the dash before i took the car out for the first session.. lol!). I had too much air pressure in the tires, so towards the end of the second session the car started oversteering pretty good. By the time I got back to the pits and out of the car to check the pressures, they were 32 front and 38 rear. I started with 29psi cold all around since the conditions were so crappy, I didn't think I'd be able to get much heat into them.
I'm also normally a left-foot braker, but the car was so easy and responsive with just the gas pedal I never did it (except for the warm up lap).
First session best lap was 2:02 which is pretty horrible, but I was just glad I didn't hit any walls in the half wet/dry conditions.
Second session best lap was 1:54.12, I think it was the only clear lap I had. These cars are so damned fast it doesn't seem realistic to expect any clean laps in a normal track day session.
There's still so much more left in the car! With some better tire pressure adjustments next time, and a little help from mother nature I'm going to aim for the 1:40's.
ps: driving these cars in the pits or at anything below about 45mph is just diabolical! i must have stalled it like 15 times, including 2 or 3 times just trying to get into the hot pits, and at one point i had stalled it and put it into reverse on accident.... didn't know these transmissions had reverse forward and left! lolll!
-mike
I was just able to take it out for the first time yesterday at Thunderhill (thanks to my buddies at Gorman Motorsports). Conditions were pretty horrible and I only got 2 sessions in because of the weather, but it was *awesome*. Since I'd never driven a 911 (or any Porsche before actually), I wasn't sure what to expect. The car was way easier to drive than I imagined! It probably helped having a truck-ton of setup data from the previous owners, but the car had never ran on these Yoko slicks (scrubs) that we picked up.
I spent the second session pushing the car a little bit more, trying to get a better feel for braking and mid corner corrections. The amount of grip the car produces is incredible... in turn 2 at TH my neck was starting to hurt toward the end of the session.
With the power steering pump turned on, the car was even easier to drive (i forgot to hit the switch on the dash before i took the car out for the first session.. lol!). I had too much air pressure in the tires, so towards the end of the second session the car started oversteering pretty good. By the time I got back to the pits and out of the car to check the pressures, they were 32 front and 38 rear. I started with 29psi cold all around since the conditions were so crappy, I didn't think I'd be able to get much heat into them.
I'm also normally a left-foot braker, but the car was so easy and responsive with just the gas pedal I never did it (except for the warm up lap).
First session best lap was 2:02 which is pretty horrible, but I was just glad I didn't hit any walls in the half wet/dry conditions.
Second session best lap was 1:54.12, I think it was the only clear lap I had. These cars are so damned fast it doesn't seem realistic to expect any clean laps in a normal track day session.
There's still so much more left in the car! With some better tire pressure adjustments next time, and a little help from mother nature I'm going to aim for the 1:40's.
ps: driving these cars in the pits or at anything below about 45mph is just diabolical! i must have stalled it like 15 times, including 2 or 3 times just trying to get into the hot pits, and at one point i had stalled it and put it into reverse on accident.... didn't know these transmissions had reverse forward and left! lolll!
-mike
