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[ThirdHatt]

Jim, I primarily race with the Porsche Club, so I have less experience with "other" cars than someone like LuckyDave who has raced many different cars, bikes, etc in different venues. The times I have raced other venues, my car is quicker throught he turns and under braking than a factory racing Viper GTS-R but they are a bit quicker down the straight. Top speed of my car is currently gear limited to 176mph. I barely get into 6th gear on most tracks I run (Road Atlanta, Sebring, etc) so top speed is not as important as acceleration and handling.

It all boils down to power-to-weight ratio for acceleration. My car only has about 5lbs for each hp to carry, so it accelerates pretty smartly. I'm sure if I could get a decent launch (in a perfect world) I'd probably get a sub-4 sec 0-60 and maybe a low 11 sec 1/4 mile. Porsches in general are not meant to launch though. Rolling starts are much easier on the cars.

[thoward]

I run SCCA but in a Formula Vee which is like a super low tech open wheel Indy car based on old VW drivetrain. We top out at about 120. The Vee class is only a 65hp car so it is really a drivers class. 1 mistake and you are out of the running, you just do not have the hp to makeup for a missplaced wheel. I have never been into closed wheel racing even though that is what I was raised around. My grandfather ran Grand National(the beach in Daytona) back in the day. My uncle won the Camel Lights Division of the 24 Hours of Daytona. I got to work as crew on that car as a teen. What an experience! My uncles both race SCCA ITS Mazda RX7s. They top out about 140 but only run a little faster track time than my Vee. It is funny, at least for me, I have no concept of speed in a race car. When you are flat out and everyone is as fast as you there is no feeling of speed, and you allways want to go faster. When I ran Karts we were doing 50mph but on an 1/8 mile track you were busy and the action happened as fast as in the Vee.

Tracks are the big thing at least for me. Sebring is rough and hard on the cars, you need to be real agressive and have some brass balz to do well at that course. Road Atlanta is more like a dance, You need to ease up on the grip and be real smooth through the corners. Daytona is not too exciting for my car as the track so big and fast you need to be doing 150+ to really hammer it.

[luckydave215]

For more interesting power to weight ratio, try racing AMA Superbike. 325 pounds, 200+ horsepower. Power slides at 180 mph on the banking at Daytona.
Throttle control is just a little impotrant in this class.

[Boatsb]

All this talk about speed from guys whose boats cruise under 20 Kts.

[thoward]

For more interesting power to weight ratio, try racing AMA Superbike. 325 pounds, 200+ horsepower. Power slides at 180 mph on the banking at Daytona.
Throttle control is just a little impotrant in this class.

I got to watch those boys run Road Atlanta before Panoz screwed it up. OMG that was unreal! I would like to get a few hot laps in a World of Outlaws car :O

[ThirdHatt]

Tod, you are so right! Racing is racing, no matter what type of car you do it in. You're a racer and I respect you for that. Sebring and Road Atlanta are two of my favorite tracks. It's all about setup. Once you are set up for the bumps at Sebring, you are good to go. Keep the hammer down (yes, even through turn 14) and just when you are about to see God, hit the brakes! I even won Sebring in the RAIN one year! Road Atlanta is indeed much smoother, but with THREE pavement changes thrown at you in various places on the track you really have to know where you can push and where you can't. They were supposed to resurface a couple years ago but had not last time I checked.

LuckyDave, That AMA Superbike stuff sounds incredible but it's not for me! I'll leave that to the kids who think they are immortal. I prefer some sheetmetal and a full roll cage around my precious body when I'm on the track! IMHO, 5lbs/hp is still quite respectable for a full-body car. Motorcycles are a whole different ballgame.

Boatsb, That's why we can tolerate such slow boats-- because we haul a$$ at the track and relax while cruising on the water! It makes for a real nice balance. Besides, at least there are other trained, licensed drivers out on the track. All it takes to go fast on the water is money, no talent or training required.

[Boatsb]

Thats not completely true. It takes knowledge and talent to go fast safely on the road or the water. Just because some kid buys a $20K tuner doesn't mean he has any experience in fact usually the opposite.

I mispent my youth going fast on water and not on land. I had a pickup that did 50 MPH in anything and a boat that could break 100. Most of my races were against the local police and I always went faster and many times won. A few times I was out maneuvered by multiple vessels and radios but thats in the past.

When you talk about organized, sanctioned and legal racing it's a whole new subject for many. I do a little of that but Pinewood derby is just not the same as what you guys do.

[ThirdHatt]

[QUOTE=Boatsb;66690]Most of my races were against the local police and I always went faster and many times won. A few times I was out maneuvered by multiple vessels and radios but thats in the past.[QUOTE]

NOW we're talking! I'm sure the statute of limitations has expired long ago so Scott...DO TELL!!! We're all friends here!