danielyonker

OK, so this year will be my third year at Sebring. I will continue to run in GT4S, which, at least for the last couple of years, has been one of the slower classes running with the Cup Cars. For those of you who race in this run group at Sebring, you know that there are a large number of Cup Cars. Given the (a) number of Cup Cars, (b) their significance in the series as they relate to the Michelin Sponsorship and (c) the fact that their tires take longer to warm up than others (often resulting in many warm-up lap/first-lap incidents), wouldn't it make sense to have the cups in a single run group? I wonder if the run groups could be configured this way, or if the numbers don't make sense.

Thoughts?

mcongleton

I agree splitting out the Cups would make a lot of sense. I am not sure there is enough time for this to happen next year, but after what happened this year, I think it would make my track time much more enjoyable.

I hope some of our friends in FL are seeing this post..... let's keep the aircooled cars "together".

Mark

ninjabones

Agreed... i will be there in gt4s. Let the cups play amongst themselves. Move gt4s to the middle group.

Astroman

What about GT-3?

analogmike

It's pretty ridiculous to have other cars in the large GT3 cup group. It's tough to get more than a few laps in each session before we get black flagged due a crashes. Anything to help get more track time would be a huge benefit. I don't plan on going as the last few years have been not been enjoyable. If you miss getting to grid on time just once, or have a problem in any session, you can't qualify well due to the number of cars and lack of track time.

mcongleton

Astroman. I am a GT3 too and would move down a group to the middle group. Thr GT4 cars would also move down a group.

I am emailing Vicki at PCA to discuss changing the groups hopefully that will work.

Mike. Would you attend if you did not have to run with the Cups?

Mark

uscarrera

Mike you come down to the blue group and I will kick your ***
Rich

uscarrera

Sorry I meant Mark in his GT3 993

mcongleton

Rich. My only concern if we can get moved out of the red group is getting spanked by you.

Guess I just have to deal with it.

Mark

uscarrera

Mark, Now that is funny
Rich

SoClose

We had a long discussion with Brian and crew at Rd America this year about this issue.
We are 100% behing separating the GT cars from the Cup cars. There are multiple reasons which would certainly generate heated debate on this forum.
The bottom line is that the GT cars perform quite differently from Cup cars, and not all of the drivers understand that. Incidents occur as a result.
With recent developments in air cooled technology, the GT cars are getting faster. A few years ago, it was only one or two- now there is a growing number of both GT3 and GT4 (and 5&6!) cars that are well developed, which I believe would allow good, clean racing between ourselves. It is frustrating to be chasing a car in your class that you can see, but have several cars inbetween that you cannot safely pass because of car/driver performance issues.
In smaller events, I understand the need to combine the groups. But at Sebring, The Glen, Rd America- I hope that the powers that be will seriously consider this issue.

mcongleton

Paul

I sent an email to Dave Herndon in FL yesterday asking about the air cooled cars being split out of the Cup (red) group. He sent my message to Vicki M. who I believe is with pca. She noted registration is what will dictate grouping of cars, if I am grouped with the cups I must consider if I really want to run.

I think if pca hears from several of us regarding this issue we may have a good chance of getting out of the Cup group. Can you follow up with Brian or pm me and I can get you Vicki's email to follow up with her.

I hate to say it but my car, which has a stock enduro motor, is getting a bit too valuable to run with the cup group.

Mark

uscarrera

At Sebring would it not make more sense to run the GTB1 cars with the Cups and get the GT4s and 3s into the green group? Seems the GTB1 cars are closer in handling and design to a Cup than an early air cooled 911, thoughts?
Rich

SoClose

Thanks Mark-
I'll send an email to Brian and Vicki. I believe that Brian understood my concerns after showing him my first 2 laps in the first race at Rd Am this past September.
Perhaps it will take some different organization, like Rich mentions above. The PCA has a current list of classes, which I'm pretty sure is based on expected lap times and not how the cars perform.

uscarrera

Guys I have been active in Suncoast PCA for some 25 years it has been my understanding that PCA National decides the run groups not the local region. That being said a few years ago when Gerry Burger and I were running GT6S cars we were placed in the middle group at Sebring race instead of the slower group we wrote National and explained our concerns and they did move the GT6 cars down a run group. Of course that was before Juan Manual Fangio (LOPEZ-SANTINI) showed up in his incredibly fast GT6
Rich