dbanazek

It does seem that at most places the CUP cars beat the GT3 class cars in PCA but at some tracks with the right drivers there are GT3 cars in with the top CUP cars. You will usually see Gary Boss up there with his GT4 beating a lot of the CUP cars too. I think the aero on most GT3 cars is worse than the aero on CUP cars, which makes the CUP cars faster on long straights.

Of course one could build a lightweight 997 bodied tube frame car with 993 rear suspension for SCCA and add back some of that extra weight needed over the front axles and have a car with the same aero, better power to weight ratio and better weight distribution than a CUP car. That would be a lot of time and money for GT2 at this point though.

Bill L Seifert

While most of the above theories may work, here is how I see reality. In SCCA, there is only one class where a Porsche has a chance. That is GT2 with the 944 S, that has won the runoffs several times. T1, T2, and a Cup car in GT2 are marginal at best. A T1 car would cost at least $125,000, and a Boxster in T2 would cost $75,000, to be done right. How much is a Cup car, and I ain't seen one win a head to head fight with the top guys in GT2.

Now lets talk about the rest of us, Older 911's in GT 3, or E Prod. or F Prod. I have the 95 GCR, and no offense, they are in an uphill battle. 911's in ITS can't even use a duck tail spoiler, and puts out 160 hp at the most, compared with a 210 hp Junkyard motor on a BMW or a prepared BMW at 240 hp.

944 8v, absolutly no prayer.

924 ITB, ain't seen one yet.

944S- I'm building one, I'll let you know.

Bill Seifert

1987 944S Race CAr

924RACR

924 ITB, you ain't seen it yet because our season hasn't started yet, and we only got reclassed for 2005. It's going to be a whole different story. My biggest fear is that we're too good for the class, and get weight slapped on us for doing too well.

The 944 "S" in GT2 - that's a real outlier, practically a factory-built car, nothing related to most home-built GT cars; Finch has a long distinguished history with that car, it would be very difficult for any of us to even come close to matching that.

I do feel that at least 50% of the problems Porsches face now in SCCA are due to SCCA not knowing enough about Porsches to write the rules correctly (meaning correct tech specs). Simply a matter of a lack of knowledge, not malice; of course, any previous biases against Porsches may be a contributing factor to the small numbers of Porsche-savvy SCCA rule-writers. But they are there - most notably Erik Skirmants here in CenDiv - so I think and hope that the statement that SCCA hates Porsches is old news (if even that).

For once, I'm really looking forward to running SCCA this year!

Bill L Seifert

Vaughan,

Very well said, and for the most part agree with you, but remember Vic Skirmants, I assume Erik's dad, use to always say that SCCA was rarely fair to Porsches, I remember one time 15 or so years ago, he quit racing SCCA for a while for that very reason.
Be sure and keep us posted on the 924's in ITB. I hope you do well. Remember the old axiom, "win at the slowest possible speed". Don't draw unusual attention to your self.

Good Luck

Bill

dbanazek

Right now the Mazda guys are complaining in GT2 that SCCA is unfair to them. While the air cooled 911s may need a little more help they have a much better shot of doing well now than in quite a while. The top runners in GT2 have been at it for a long time, have spent lots of money, and do very well. It would not really be fair to make it so the average PCA racer can come in with his GT3 Cup car or PCA GT3 car and win the runoffs. The top guys have spent years working on shock setup, fuel injection, aero etc. All of those top cars are over $100,000.

At least now most PCA GT 3 & 4 cars can go out and run SCCA and do pretty well at a lot of their local races without having to buy new wheels or build new motors. If we get some numbers out there and have some guys go to the runoffs with top level preparation and show 911s still can not win they may drop the weight a little more.

We do have Dave Finch on the comp board and he is pro Porsche of course, 911 & 944. He knows 911s too.

I love PCA racing and will continue to do it. I encourage all of the PCA GT 2,3 & 4 racers to give their local SCCA races a chance. They are a lot cheaper, more frequent and probably closer than most PAC races. You can compete in regionals with a PCA licensce in most cases. If we get a few more people in GT2 it should be a lot of fun too. It is nice to race some of the other marquees with their different perfomance characteristics.