NJ-GT

Congratulations Leh !!!!

How do you pull this stuff off? Last week you were in an endurance drive through the U.S. in One Lap of America, and suddenly you're in the super crowed (best race in the world) 24h of the Nurburgring driving one of my favorite cars.

2nd place OVERALL against so many factory backed efforts from BMW, Toyota, Porsche, Audi. You guys beat every single flavor of Porsche race cars, GT3 Cups, RSR, R Hybrid, RS street, even a Cayman, and you were the only other car ending the race in the leading lap.

Now, take a break and sleep long!

cgomez

Ditto!! Great job Leh!! and you were running a much slower class car and still finished 2nd overall in the same lap! Amazing!

N24h is a must do in this lifetime!

Spyderidol

Not really - there is not such a class distinction in the ADAC sanctioned races as there is in the ACO sanctioned races.
GT2 cars were in SP7 and the F430 had in fact a bigger rear wing and larger restrictors (so more air) as well as a 25kg weight break in comparison to its ACO version.
This of course, takes nothing away from Leh's accomplishment. Just trying to set the record straight.

cgomez

Are you sure? I think SP9 (where th faster Manthey Porsche runs) is the FiA GT2 equivalent (gt3 before). Up through SP8 is limit by displacement and weight and SP7 is where the regular Cup Cars fall (or maybe just some slightly faster modded versions like our GrandAm cups?, but not GT2 which is RSR territory or GT3R as Manthey calls it).

Spyderidol

Yes I'm sure.
The #1 Manthey Porsche was a GT3 R which is a GT3 car. The RSR is a GT2 car.
The GT3R is Porsche's new replacement for the Cup S and will compete in FiA GT3.
The RSR along with the F430 are GT2 cars.

The SP9 class was composed of the following:

Audi R8LMS GT3
BMW Z4 GT3
Dodge Viper GT3
Porsche GT3 R
Porsche GT3 Cup S

SP7 was made up of the GT2 Ferrari and RSR's (and other GT2 cars).

BTW - The Farnbacher F430 was the same car that had been racing in the LMS race at Spa a week earlier. It was then "upgraded" for the 24h Nurburgring.

cgomez

Wow, im more amazed then at the speed of the "lesser" GT3 Manthey car... (and the Quali pace from the Audis, Faster thannGT2 Cars!). Why?

Spyderidol

A couple of years ago ADAC decided that they did not want the GT2 cars dominating the race. At that time Porsche was the dominating influence in the "GT2" class. Subsequently they started restricting the RSR. Last year was the last year that Manthey used a RSR, and even then (if you can recall that far back) they entered the RSR with a Cup S because they were not sure which one was faster. Finally they decided that the RSR was quicker (due to down force) but I remember reading that it was about 16km/h slower down the straights than the Cup S car.
When Porsche introduced the GT3 R, the choice was made for Manthey. This GT3 R (GT3 class) is much quicker than the previous GT2 RSR.
The RSR's continue to be too restricted (in spite of the weight break and increase in restrictor size for this year).
BTW - All indications are that Porsche will build no more RSR's.
Look for a new car for 2011. (probably a evolution of the GT3R - pure speculation on my part).

kingleh

Thanks guys.. Yes the classing is confusing.. Overall is the important part...

Many of the cars were different classes but similar performances...

The GT3r and R8 and M3 were pretty much specific built for the Nurburgring...

Our car was a GT2 car with more aero like stated...

We were a little bit better handling then most of the fast cars.. but lacked speed on the straights... We weren't at a Huge disadvantage because of this.. but did make racing the other cars impossible once we got to the long back straight.. they would just walk away...

Also the R has ABS as does the M3 and the R8.. this helps ALOT at the Ring because of the changing conditions and slippery surface.... We had abs also installed on the ferrari...


The race went unbelievably well for us.. Traffic alone could take you out at any moment... i had hard contact with a BMW at 120mph though a corner.. but lucked out and just got a doughnut on the door...


in the night.... i cant even really explain how crazy it is....

Spyderidol

For general information:
There will be 6 GT3 R's competing this week-end in Brno FiA GT3 event.
2 from Muelhner Motorsport
2 from Trackspeed (but one with a 30Kg penalty)
2 from Prospeed Competition

Rassel

The speed of the Manthey car in the start, especially where it pulls away from the rest on power was... suprising...

Throttlesteerer

Congrats Leh,

that was an outstanding achievement. I mean not only finishing in that Ferrari and on top finishing 2nd.
But getting positive response for doing good in a Ferrari against Porsches in a Porsche forum is remarkable.
Done the N24 twice myself. What do you think about the traffic and the track?
Come back next year.

cgomez

Good to see more N24 racers here in RennList. For the mere mortal racers (i.e. non-Pro and not flooded with offers for rides like Leh) what are good well known teams you can talk to to get rides at VLN races?
I'm looking for GT4 (or similar pace) type of ride (Good if its a P-Car, but Bimmers are great too around the NRing).

And what FiA license is required for VLN and which for the N24?

Throttlesteerer

You will need international competitors driver licence Grade C for the N24 and a national Grade A for VLN races.
For a Porsche cup car I could recommend "Car Collection", for GT4 you could use Mathol who offers Aston Martin. But to start racing there a E46 M3 in the stockclass V6 is really more than enough to gain experience.
I started racing a 318i moved to M3 before pushing a cup car. A cup car is a serious thing on the Nordschleife and the speedlevel it can deliver there should really be treated with some respect. I think its more fun to squeeze a small car there than drive a big car halfassed. But that is just me...
Hope i was of any help.

kingleh

A cup car is serious business at the ring.. No abs and no TC... moves around alot... little downforce... before the VLN1 race i was givin a 997 cup to learn the track for 2 hours... it was pooring rain and i was VERY humbled by the experience.. and was just happy i had good pace and didnt crash...


The traffic is a whole new thing in itself... Actually.. they whole race is not even comparable to anything ive ever done.. and i LOVED it....

cgomez

Understood. A 996 Cup is what I had run in the past at the NRing (well setup for the north loop) and rented some Street 997 GT3s. I'm conformable with the pace but obviously will do some testing first to make sure i can deliver and not be too far from Pro-pace (otherwise a good team will not let me drive). Main concern I have with 997 Cup is the lack of ABS; that must a big issue in the rain, so need to try that first too. This is why other brands GT4s might be the safer ticket.

My main aversion at some of the slower classes in such a crowded and long endurance race is that you end up driving with your mirrors most of the time, as you are being lapped every ten seconds by the faster cars (and that's a nightmare specially at night). I personally prefer to deal with the traffic ahead than deal with the traffic behind. I think a top quartile (25%) class would be best (and as you say, as long as you can drive to the potential of the car).

Thanks for the info. Any other good teams running Bimmers?