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24 Porsches V 1 Soarer

June 2003

by Peter Scott

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So how does an automatic V8 Soarer stack up against Porsches on a track? I beat three of them. An old 911 and two 944's. Beat 4 WRX's as well. So I didn't cover myself with glory or anything - the Porsche guys reckon I was doing just fine - and it was a blast - the ultimate fang!

I like organised Sprint days. You get flag marshalls - official timing, rules, scrutineering etc. In South Australia that means you tag along with the  Porsche Club. The guys were great, made me feel welcome from that first phone call to the beer at the Mallala pub. The WRX club had a strong showing as well. My best time was 1:28.71

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Here's the track - hard on brakes, slow corners. Not like Phillip Island with high speed bends.

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http://www.pcsa.asn.au/

The Porsche club website

http://www.pcsa.asn.au/calendar.pdf

The calender of Sprints - next one in August - I reckon I'll go to all of them now - just hope to get one more Soarer there one day!

http://www.maximumattack.biz/

Maximum attack attend motorsport events and take photos. The PCSA Mallala sprint day in June is the day to look for.

http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/20030615-PCSA%20Sprint/index.html

A bunch photos from the day.

http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/20030615-PCSA%20Sprint/index2.html

I'm in this page from memory - the following is more photos from the day.

http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/20030615-PCSA%20Sprint/index3.html

http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/20030615-PCSA%20Sprint/index4.html

http://www.maximumattack.biz/photogallery/20030615-PCSA%20Sprint/index5.html

It was very wet on this day - but it dried out towards the end.

I actually like driving my Active suspension car in the rain. In the dry with semi slick tyres on the track it can get a bit boring - the car just goes around and the lack of power means it can be bit of a yawn. But add in some rain and suddenly it's action time!

The best action at Mallala is corner 1 - especially in the wet. If you are ever there go up to the grandstand (free on track days like this), sit down, set up the video camera if you have one and enjoy! The track sessions start from the start finish line just before corner 1 - so no action first of all. But one thing you can count on is that the first hot lap, without fail, everyone goes into corner 1 too hot.The result is entertainment city. I enjoyed sitting there waiting for my session to start while all the cars come in too hot and oversteer, spin out, or go straight through under brakes. The crowd loved it. Some of the real fast GT3's come in oversteering all the way no sweat - the better 911 and 928 drivers go for it too, hanging the tail out. As soon as you see brake lights come on you know their in trouble and the it's going to be spin city. Several cars spun off onto the dirt on the inside of the track. I learn't watching this. The second lap everyone was more circumspect - more care was taken - it was the first hot lap that was the best for the crowd.

Finally it's my turn in my session. I get bumped to number 2 position on the grid because the Boxster next to me is supposed to be faster (he is faster..... in the dry) - that's a red flag to a bull! Off we go - it's wet and I'm calm and I won't go in too hard to corner number 1. The Boxster takes off and I'm after him. First lap and the red mist and the adrenaline takes control and my first lap take it easy approach is out the window. The Boxster is struggling in the wet - my Bridgestone tyres make my car better under brakes, better around corners and better exiting corners.

Corner 1 looms for the first timed hot lap. I go in way too hard, way too hard, about 140 kph - the back comes around and I've already got the car on full lock. I don't even think about the brakes. Feathering the throttle ain't gonna help this time. The Active Four Wheel Steering has activated and the rear wheels turn out to try and get things back under control. I get the dreaded bing and red japanese message on the dash (later translated to read Active 4ws:"you've done it now...") - a great help mid spin. The 4ws gives up and leaves it up to me. The car is going around for sure now. The car was still on the racing line and travelling quite nicely - just at 90 degrees and still going around. Sure enough I'm soon facing the wrong way - but the car is still on the racing line - the car is just rotating quite nicely, quite fast and I'm not losing much time. I get another bing and red warning in japanese on the dash (later translated as Acitve sus: "you must be joking"). I've left it on full lock - no use fighting the spin now - just going with the flow - I see the Boxster pulling out valuable tenths over my shoulder. The car is still rotating smoothly - with the car still on full lock the nose comes around nicely - car still on racing line. I've now rotated 270 degrees with the nose of the car now sliding sideways to my right - I see in the grandstand Richard Ashcroft (fellow UZZ32 driver who came out to give moral support) whooping it up - I offer a small wave - don't know if he sees me. The car is coming back on line now and I let the steering out judging the time to give it full power - NOW! - I slam it and away we go. Richard and the others in the grandstand let out a small cheer - action is action!. My car is still on the track and didn't stop - so according to Craig Dean (race car driver and 2nd outright in Targa Tas with manaul TT Soarer) that makes it a controlled slide and not a spin!. The Boxster has pulled away but I reckon I can still catch him - especially with my superior tyres. I catch him next lap and apply enough pressure so that he let's me through. Porsche drivers are gentlemen.

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Sprint days are all about qualifying and hotlaps - not racing. Often find yourself circulating by yourself driving as hard as you can - no distractions - not as fun - but faster. Although chasing someone can make you faster. Blasting three wide down Phillip Island main straight at 200 kph playing chicker with corner 1 is fun too - but that doesn't happen at Mallala.

Rain Session One

Remember, in the rain people take it real easy - they don't want to stuff a $270 000 Porsche into the wall. Romantically I like to think that when it's wet the big power cars don't have such an advantage, they can't get power down and the low power cars (mine) have a small chance. Might be true on TV racing - but for us, when it rains people don't try so hard - we all have to drive home in the car we are driving! So even though I posted a better time than a GT3 in this wet session - it really only means he was trundling along taking it easy.

surname

first name

model

best session 1 rain

(add 1minute to time)

LOVELL

ANDREW

WRX

27.06

WALLIS

JED

WRX

27.66

WASHINGTON

BRICE

EVO6

29.58

WALLIS

ADAM

GT3

30.19

COOK

GRAEME

GT3

31.4

HARVEY

LUKE

VR4

31.94

ZAMPONGA

FRANK

WRX

32.72

GEBHARDT

CHRIS

993

33.04

OLLE

GEOFF

9112.4

33.16

BENNETT

CHRIS

WRX

33.21

NORMAN

BILL

996 3.4

33.38

WASHINGTON

GARY

GT3

33.65

EWER

MARTY

911RSCS

33.7

PALMER

JASON

993

33.92

MAYER

PETER

993

34.58

MEULENGRAFF

CHRIS

993RS

35.02

GOODALL

NORM

911SC

35.18

GILBERT

DAVID

928S

36.45

BLACK

ROB

911S

37.33

MORCOM

RUSSELL

996 3.6

37.33

WONG

KEITH

911 3.2

37.77

ROOKE

MIKE

911SC

37.82

SCOTT

PETER

SOARER

38.31

CROWE

GEOFF

911 3.2

38.7

GIUSTOZZI

ANTHONY

GT3

38.76

MURCH

PETER

9112.4

39.58

MAIRKIS

BABIS

WRX

39.69

O'DALY

KEVIN

944T

40.12

KRIEGER

ANDREW

WRX

40.57

TRIMMER

ADAM

911 2.7

41.33

DAW

RICHARD

BOXSTER 2.7

41.89

EATON

HAMISH

WRX

43.81

PAUL

GEOFF

944

49.42

RUEDIGER

MICHELE

944T

54.24

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That's Richard Ashcroft's UZZ32 - he came down to cheer me on - nice to see a fellow 32 owner!

Session 2 - still raining - not as bad.

 

surname

first name

model

session 2

WALLIS

JED

WRX

21.29

COOK

GRAEME

GT3

24.14

WALLIS

ADAM

GT3

24.58

WASHINGTON

BRICE

EVO6

24.69

ZAMPONGA

FRANK

WRX

24.7

NORMAN

BILL

996 3.4

24.99

GEBHARDT

CHRIS

993

25.02

OLLE

GEOFF

9112.4

26.34

LOVELL

ANDREW

WRX

27

WONG

KEITH

911 3.2

28.7

WASHINGTON

GARY

GT3

29.2

O'DALY

KEVIN

944T

29.31

HARVEY

LUKE

VR4

29.42

KRIEGER

ANDREW

WRX

29.64

ROOKE

MIKE

911SC

29.75

CROWE

GEOFF

911 3.2

30.02

GOODALL

NORM

911SC

30.52

MEULENGRAFF

CHRIS

993RS

30.63

EWER

MARTY

911RSCS

30.74

PALMER

JASON

993

31

TRIMMER

ADAM

911 2.7

31.73

BLACK

ROB

911S

31.89

MAYER

PETER

993

31.95

MURCH

PETER

9112.4

32.17

SCOTT

PETER

SOARER

32.22

GILBERT

DAVID

928S

33.09

GIUSTOZZI

ANTHONY

GT3

34.31

DAW

RICHARD

BOXSTER 2.7

34.59

MORCOM

RUSSELL

996 3.6

34.69

EATON

HAMISH

WRX

37.43

PAUL

GEOFF

944

42.05

RUEDIGER

MICHELE

944T

46.72

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Mallala isn't as fancy as Phillip Island - Scrutineering was slower and more thorough. They checked dates on fire extinguishers and tread depth on tyres. Blue triange sticker for battery location is required. Have to bring/make your own number. Smaller numbers overall, smaller scale for everything. That's the registration hut on the left and scutineering under the carport. Race control is further up the track. From that grandstand you can see the whole track - great for spectators. I drove around with Richard Daw and his Boxster most times. In the wet/damp my superior tyres gave me the edge, in the last dry session he pulled away

Session three - last and the driest

surname

first name

model

session 3

WALLIS

ADAM

GT3

15.3

COOK

GRAEME

GT3

17.44

EWER

MARTY

911RSCS

17.7

GIUSTOZZI

ANTHONY

GT3

18

WASHINGTON

BRICE

EVO6

19.09

WASHINGTON

GARY

GT3

19.64

MEULENGRAFF

CHRIS

993RS

19.75

GEBHARDT

CHRIS

993

20.41

WONG

KEITH

911 3.2

20.9

WALLIS

JED

WRX

21.35

OLLE

GEOFF

9112.4

22.02

NORMAN

BILL

996 3.4

22.16

MAYER

PETER

993

22.16

GILBERT

DAVID

928S

22.66

PALMER

JASON

993

23

MORCOM

RUSSELL

996 3.6

23

BLACK

ROB

911S

23.38

O'DALY

KEVIN

944T

23.49

GOODALL

NORM

911SC

24.58

CROWE

GEOFF

911 3.2

25.3

TRIMMER

ADAM

911 2.7

26.29

ROOKE

MIKE

911SC

26.84

DAW

RICHARD

BOXSTER 2.7

27.39

SCOTT

PETER

SOARER

28.71

MURCH

PETER

9112.4

30.19

PAUL

GEOFF

944

39.91

RUEDIGER

MICHELE

944T

42.54

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8 cars at a time - next bunch lining up for a go.

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Corner 1 - this is the action corner. GT3's sound great and go real hard.

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This 928 was real fast, front engine V8 manual. I was shopping for a 928 before buying the Soarer.

Personal best times for everyone for whole day:

surname

first name

model

best (add 1 minute)

WALLIS

ADAM

GT3

15.3

COOK

GRAEME

GT3

17.44

EWER

MARTY

911RSCS

17.7

GIUSTOZZI

ANTHONY

GT3

18

WASHINGTON

BRICE

EVO6

19.09

WASHINGTON

GARY

GT3

19.64

MEULENGRAFF

CHRIS

993RS

19.75

GEBHARDT

CHRIS

993

20.41

WONG

KEITH

911 3.2

20.9

WALLIS

JED

WRX

21.29

OLLE

GEOFF

9112.4

22.02

NORMAN

BILL

996 3.4

22.16

MAYER

PETER

993

22.16

GILBERT

DAVID

928S

22.66

PALMER

JASON

993

23

MORCOM

RUSSELL

996 3.6

23

BLACK

ROB

911S

23.38

O'DALY

KEVIN

944T

23.49

GOODALL

NORM

911SC

24.58

ZAMPONGA

FRANK

WRX

24.7

CROWE

GEOFF

911 3.2

25.3

TRIMMER

ADAM

911 2.7

26.29

ROOKE

MIKE

911SC

26.84

LOVELL

ANDREW

WRX

27

DAW

RICHARD

BOXSTER 2.7

27.39

SCOTT

PETER

SOARER

28.71

HARVEY

LUKE

VR4

29.42

KRIEGER

ANDREW

WRX

29.64

MURCH

PETER

9112.4

30.19

BENNETT

CHRIS

WRX

33.21

EATON

HAMISH

WRX

37.43

MAIRKIS

BABIS

WRX

39.69

PAUL

GEOFF

944

39.91

RUEDIGER

MICHELE

944T

42.54

The Washingtons are Father/Son! - On this day son Brice beat Dad's GT3 with his Evo6 - it was great watching them dice.

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That's me into Corner 1 - fastest corner on the track - lots of runoff room.

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There was a Holden ute as well with Gen III LS1 5.7 litre V8. Utes don't handle that well.

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At least you get to hear the Porsches overtake you at full noise - in four laps you don't see them again - especially the topgun Porsches.

Porsche Club of South Australia DYNO DAY

22 June 2003
Here are the results of the Porsche dyno day -

rwkW

mass Kg

1

Bob

Dove

930

233

2

Ame

Baron

HoldenHDT

220

3

Brian

Gilbert

930

210

4

David

Gilbert

928

183

1590

5

Keith

Wong

Carrera RS

177

6

Jason

Palmer

993 Carrera

170

7

Chris

Jennings

Boxster S

163

8

Rob

Black

911 Carrera

155

1475

9

Norm

Goodall

911sc

141

10

Pedro

Brunnthaler

911sc

130

11

Stuart

Elshaw

911SC

116

12

Mike

Rooke

911sc

107

13

Paul

Hunter

9112.7

90

GT2 - 1440kg

911 turbo 1540kg

944 1247 kg

Next Porsche events - the next sprint day clashes with Phillip Island so no good for me.

Sun 3 Aug Supersprint Mallala Yes

Fri 22 Aug AGM Details to be posted and advised

Sun 24 Aug Motorkhana Tea Tree Plaza carpark Yes

Fri 27 Jun Social/Drinks/Chat 7:30 pm or so at Glenelg

Beach Bar, Watermark Hotel (Old Lennies) 631 Anzac Highway

Sun 21 Sep Motorkhana Tea Tree Plaza carpark Yes

Sun 5 Oct Supersprint Mallala Yes

Sun 2 Nov Motorkhana Tea Tree Plaza carpark Yes

19 - 23 Nov Classic Adelaide Rally Use Downloads button for details

Sun 7 Dec Supersprint Mallala

http://www.pcsa.asn.au/sprints.htm

Good information on how to prepare your car for a sprint.

http://www.pcsa.asn.au/SprintPrep.pdf

PREPARATION FOR A SUPERSPRINT OR REGULARITY EVENT By Peter Murch

BRAKES Mallala is recognised as the toughest track in Australia on brakes. You may consider having your brake fluid replaced with SRF (synthetic racing fluid) which has a higher boiling point. Porsche original brake pads are of a good standard, but once again, this track may cause brake fade after 4 or more laps. I suggest on your first outing that you stay with the factory pads and then seek the advice of members if you experience fade. If you have brake work done, ask your mechanic to check the wheel bearings as well. AT THE TRACK Try and arrive by 9.30am so as to give yourself time to meet officials and committee members. Unload your car prior to scrutineering and attend to any paperwork or car details. At approximately 10.00am practice begins, so you may be taken for a slow lap of Mallala prior to this to view the track and be given some basic advice. When practice finishes at approximately 11.30 am, driver training will be held. This will give you the opportunity to be on the track in your car as well as in an experienced members car. The advice you receive should help you to understand the track, your car and instil some confidence. Prior to the lunch break, timed practice takes place in the form of 2 laps to establish the afternoon running order. SUPERSPRINT The Supersprint consists of a warm-up lap followed by 3 timed laps. This is repeated twice more during the afternoon to give you a total of 9 timed laps. There will be between 6 & 8 cars on the track with similar lap times. You do not race as such but are let away from the start line at 60 metre intervals. The thing you are trying to do is better your last best lap time. Should you be in a situation where you need to pass a competitor, do it only on the straights - not into corners. Keep an eye on your rear vision mirror, as someone may be looking to overtake you. Should you go off the track, come back on slowly - leave the soil and stones in the paddock - we don’t like them on the track.The other reason for returning to the track slowly is to allow the soil which has built up inside your tyre rim to fall out and/or spread evenly around the inside of the rim. If you re-enter the track “full tilt” the kilo or two of soil which is now trapped by centrifugal force inside the rim will make you think you have a rim out of balance, causing the car to vibrate and make you think more serious problems are evolving. After you have finished your 4 laps, your brakes will of course be very hot and in fact continue to heat up when you stop, so most members, when they return to the pit area, continue to drive their car out of the raceway and towards the Mallala township. A couple of kilometres will allow the brakes and motor to come back to normal operating temperatures and avoid the disc/s possibly cracking. If your car is not road registered e.g. you brought it on a trailer - do not drive it on the Mallala road - you have no insurance cover. At the end of the day, please speak to a committee member and let them know what you thought of the event - we appreciate feedback. HELMENT CAMS LICENCE CASH or CREDIT CARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER FITTED VINYL TAPE FOR LIGHTS BONNET TIE-DOWN BLUE TRIANGLE CAR NUMBER MOBILE PHONE HAT & SUNSCREEN

 

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