The Decline of PCA Club Racing
#166
Burning Brakes
And honestly it’s because it doesn’t make sense to build a GT car. You have a mish mash of various builds and cars couldn’t be more different and there’s absolutely no parity. The beauty of Spec classes is that everyone is on level playing field and that’s what racing is all about. Not to mention it keeps costs somewhat down relatively speaking.
In many conversations I’ve suggested PCA need to transition to 4-5 Spec classes and 1 GT class with all the various GT3/GT4 factory cars and all other GT builds all in one with some BOP factor. But it’s not sustainable to have 15 different GTC and GTD classes. We have a new one every year Porsche releases a new
model. Number of classes and number in each class keeps getting diluted. They need to condense the classes and prioritize new racers moving to the classes they think have a long runway.
In many conversations I’ve suggested PCA need to transition to 4-5 Spec classes and 1 GT class with all the various GT3/GT4 factory cars and all other GT builds all in one with some BOP factor. But it’s not sustainable to have 15 different GTC and GTD classes. We have a new one every year Porsche releases a new
model. Number of classes and number in each class keeps getting diluted. They need to condense the classes and prioritize new racers moving to the classes they think have a long runway.
Agreed. Especially about most of the newer factory built race cars running in Porsche Sprint or other entry-level (fun) pro series.
Your observation of the class migration within PCA CR matches what I've seen for the last decade or more. Few letter cars, very few home-built GT cars, even B1 is not what it was in the mid 20-teens.
Your observation of the class migration within PCA CR matches what I've seen for the last decade or more. Few letter cars, very few home-built GT cars, even B1 is not what it was in the mid 20-teens.
The following users liked this post:
mobius911 (07-31-2024)
#167
Rennlist
Basic Site Sponsor
Basic Site Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Posts: 19,190
Received 3,350 Likes
on
1,902 Posts
And honestly it’s because it doesn’t make sense to build a GT car. You have a mish mash of various builds and cars couldn’t be more different and there’s absolutely no parity. The beauty of Spec classes is that everyone is on level playing field and that’s what racing is all about. Not to mention it keeps costs somewhat down relatively speaking.
PCA CR was founded for anyone who wanted to race a Porsche car (or Porsche powered prototype) in an age where racing and running what you liked took precedence over insuring parity. It was a social event and a bastion for those who built and modded their own cars, or bought historically significant cars and wanted to race them with other Porsche racers. Heck, there were even open trailers, for goodness sake!
Now, time is so much more of a commodity, the cars have advanced so that few can touch, fix or mod every subsystem on the car, that parity and time saving is now the prime driver.
Not that one is better than another, but every club-level program (SCCA/BMWCCA/NASA/etc) has experienced this as the cars and the times change.
I love SPC, a great step up from the popular SPB class. Modern, reliable and safe cars, great competition, solid, limited spec.
__________________
-Peter Krause
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
-Peter Krause
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
The following 5 users liked this post by ProCoach:
LuigiVampa (08-07-2024),
mobius911 (07-31-2024),
Nickshu (07-31-2024),
RLnkds176 (08-12-2024),
tgsmith4845 (08-01-2024)
#168
Burning Brakes
Some of us still have an open trailer….
Well, this reflects the larger picture of how club racing has changed over the years.
PCA CR was founded for anyone who wanted to race a Porsche car (or Porsche powered prototype) in an age where racing and running what you liked took precedence over insuring parity. It was a social event and a bastion for those who built and modded their own cars, or bought historically significant cars and wanted to race them with other Porsche racers. Heck, there were even open trailers, for goodness sake!
Now, time is so much more of a commodity, the cars have advanced so that few can touch, fix or mod every subsystem on the car, that parity and time saving is now the prime driver.
Not that one is better than another, but every club-level program (SCCA/BMWCCA/NASA/etc) has experienced this as the cars and the times change.
I love SPC, a great step up from the popular SPB class. Modern, reliable and safe cars, great competition, solid, limited spec.
PCA CR was founded for anyone who wanted to race a Porsche car (or Porsche powered prototype) in an age where racing and running what you liked took precedence over insuring parity. It was a social event and a bastion for those who built and modded their own cars, or bought historically significant cars and wanted to race them with other Porsche racers. Heck, there were even open trailers, for goodness sake!
Now, time is so much more of a commodity, the cars have advanced so that few can touch, fix or mod every subsystem on the car, that parity and time saving is now the prime driver.
Not that one is better than another, but every club-level program (SCCA/BMWCCA/NASA/etc) has experienced this as the cars and the times change.
I love SPC, a great step up from the popular SPB class. Modern, reliable and safe cars, great competition, solid, limited spec.
The following 4 users liked this post by Speeds5:
#169
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by Speeds5
Some of us still have an open trailer….
But then you have to start one for my sticker fund.
Deal?
The following users liked this post:
tgsmith4845 (08-01-2024)
#170
Burning Brakes
The following 2 users liked this post by Speeds5:
ProCoach (07-31-2024),
tgsmith4845 (08-01-2024)
#172
Instructor
In many conversations I’ve suggested PCA need to transition to 4-5 Spec classes and 1 GT class with all the various GT3/GT4 factory cars and all other GT builds all in one with some BOP factor. But it’s not sustainable to have 15 different GTC and GTD classes. We have a new one every year Porsche releases a new
model. Number of classes and number in each class keeps getting diluted. They need to condense the classes and prioritize new racers moving to the classes they think have a long runway.
model. Number of classes and number in each class keeps getting diluted. They need to condense the classes and prioritize new racers moving to the classes they think have a long runway.
#173
Instructor
One thing that’s stood out to me is the almost complete lack of Club Racing representation in Panorama. Why is that the case?
We’re an untapped well of content for Pano readers. There’s a pool of potential new entrants for CR reading Pano. And it’s one more way to keep racers engaged.
We’re an untapped well of content for Pano readers. There’s a pool of potential new entrants for CR reading Pano. And it’s one more way to keep racers engaged.
The following 10 users liked this post by 519Kris:
9114609048 (08-07-2024),
analogmike (08-06-2024),
Difool (08-06-2024),
GlenL (08-05-2024),
ldamelio (08-06-2024),
and 5 others liked this post.
#174
Rennlist Member
Meh. Roundel has pages and pages of club race coverage in it. I could really care less. I mean, I get it, if you club race it's nice to see pics and a write up of the races. There needs to be a balance though, between the current zero coverage in Panorama, and the far too much coverage Roundel does.
#175
Rennlist
Basic Site Sponsor
Basic Site Sponsor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Posts: 19,190
Received 3,350 Likes
on
1,902 Posts
There are just so many places to race. Especially in Porsches. PCA Club Racing is just one of them.
I do remember being shocked driving over the Sebring bridge and seeing seventy factory-built race cars on the grid waiting to go out the first time. I thought "man, this is the best kept secret, if you have one of these P-cars." That was fifteen years ago.
For me, that was the high point, at least until the Pirelli Trophy series for 981 GT4 CS came along for two years.
Now, DE's seem to be providing more value for a broad section of PCA members.
It's always been odd to me the tenuous relationship PCA CR has with the National Club. The National Club likes them when it suits them, but almost would rather not be bothered. At least that's the look from afar.
I do remember being shocked driving over the Sebring bridge and seeing seventy factory-built race cars on the grid waiting to go out the first time. I thought "man, this is the best kept secret, if you have one of these P-cars." That was fifteen years ago.
For me, that was the high point, at least until the Pirelli Trophy series for 981 GT4 CS came along for two years.
Now, DE's seem to be providing more value for a broad section of PCA members.
It's always been odd to me the tenuous relationship PCA CR has with the National Club. The National Club likes them when it suits them, but almost would rather not be bothered. At least that's the look from afar.
The following users liked this post:
Veloce Raptor (08-06-2024)
#176
WRONGLY ACCUSED!
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
One is that the number of club racers in a rounding error's worth of people compared to the members of PCA as a whole. A little over 2000 registered club racers versus 165,000 general members.
Two is that club racers are the people who actually drive these cars the way they are meant to be driven and provide a certain level of prestige and authenticity to PCA.
I think without club racing PCA loses a big part its mystique.
The following 2 users liked this post by LuigiVampa:
RLnkds176 (08-12-2024),
tgsmith4845 (08-08-2024)
The following 3 users liked this post by docwyte:
#178
Burning Brakes
100% agree - A couple years ago (2022), the Parade was in the Ponocos the same weekend as the Watkins Glen Club Race. Seems like there could have been an easy and smart way to enhance both events by bringing them together in some ways ...
#179
Rennlist Hoonigan
which cost no drachmas
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
which cost no drachmas
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
#180
Instructor
It could have changed, but the DE/Club race at a Parade is a bit more complex. The Parade is run by PCA and they do not host any DE or Club Race events. A region has to hold a DE/Club Race in conjunction with the parade timing. It's been done over the years. Tremblant had a Club Race (27 years ago - history!) and there have been some DEs that complimented the Parade, but it's up to a region to do it.
PCA National Run Offs!
The following users liked this post:
ProCoach (08-07-2024)