So, our local PCA just had their bi-yearly weekend at Roebling Road. Except for the rain early afternoon on Saturday, it was a beautiful weekend. The temp did drop to the low 30s for Sunday, and most of us from Florida, were complaining, the rest thought it was warm.

Anyway, with me still being a relative newby to the track (and Porsche), and armed to the teeth with the 991S and the X51 upgrade, I was dominating my class. We are NOT racing perse, but it is good to find your limits. I had been to this track before, so I knew it fairly well which helped tremendously as most of the others were first timers. Most of the others were driving Boxsters, a Cayman or two, a Mustang GT, even a Mini Cooper. There was a 996 Turbo and another 991S among others in our class as well.

The track is relatively short. It has 9 turns, and is a tad over 2 miles in length. More of a technical track than a speed track. The front straight is where you can really let it out. I was very curious to see what I could do with the new upgrade, but kept getting stymied by the full course of drivers. As being in the Green group only allows for us to pass on the front straight. Unless I could get a clear run ahead of me, I would have to deal with people to pass, thus slowing me down for a clean run from the long turn leading to the straight.

When I first was on this track I had hit a top speed of 143mph before the hard brake into turn 1. This weekend I was consistently hitting 130+mph at the same location. Keeping in mind I usually had a slower start from the turn waiting for the signal to pass from a driver ahead of me. I could really see a difference in the speed the upgrade made just from that difference alone; less space, lower entrance speed, bodies ahead, much greater acceleration.

The last session of the day, I was the last out, but held back to let the course clear. With my Go Pro on, I was getting the lines down, practicing trail-braking, and learning a turn with a different approach. The second lap I was already catching up with the crowd, but they had cleared some, looking good. Third lap, I could see a Boxster a few hundred yards ahead, but I was closing fast even in the turns. Coming around turn five, the one I was 're-learning', there was a slight hop from my back end as turned hard to the left. I wasn't really pushing it, but we felt it. The car held, and we kept going. Catching up with the Boxster just before the straight. As we entered it, we got the signal to pass, and off we went, again hitting 130 or so before the hard brake. Coming out of turn two, hitting the gas, something's wrong. The fourth window lights up on the dash, right-rear tire at -36 PSI! Fortunately, I saw it before a fast left turn. The run was over as we limped home. I was passed for the first time that day shortly afterwards. Then the second, third, fourth... Got off track and proceeded to see what happened.

The right rear had a puncture exactly in the middle of the tire. We assume it happened at the little jump. We (me and the instructor) were lucky in two instances, one that we didn't lose the tire completely on the straight, and second that the first turn was to the right not the left, putting the friction onto the left side and not getting a spin.

So, it's a Sunday, we have all these Porschefiles around, beginner, advanced, and trained techs galore! Looking at the tire, one of the techs attempted to plug it with a patch kit he got from Walmart. Tried using multiple patches, no luck. I need to get home to Central Florida, but no spare tire or wheel. Why not put a 19" on it? One of the guys just trailered his 997S, pulled it back out and swapped our wheels! Problem solved! We all left the track happy and satisfied. I would get my wheel Wednesday when I get home; as the kind gentlemen drove straight thru for Central Florida from Savannah.

Here comes the Doh! part in the title. Like I said, all us 'experts' never thought to switch both wheels on the rear axle! The 991S comes stock with 20", we just put on a 19"! I drove back to the hotel. I felt the car hop a couple of times as the Limited Slip Differential tried to make up the for the two different sizes. I am not driving anywhere else until its rectified. Currently, we are waiting till Tuesday morning to get a tow to Hilton Head for a new tire/wheel so we can get home.

Morale of the story! Do things in symmetry! One wheel goes off, two wheels go on! Let my mistake be to your benefit. I hope to post the video compilation later this week or so.

 

. Coming out of turn two, hitting the gas, something's wrong. The fourth window lights up on the dash, right-rear tire at -36 PSI! Fortunately, I saw it before a fast left turn. The run was over as we limped home. I was passed for the first time that day shortly afterwards. Then the second, third, fourth... Got off track and proceeded to see what happened.......[/QUOTE]

Bummer and great catch- glad you had a safe end to that ride.

 

Having a tire go at the track is always scary.

At least it was nothing like this.

 

chup, you are clearly can hold your own on the track, great story! and i mean this in the most gentlemanly of ways, but swapping a 20 for a 19? what a dumb*** mistake!

seriously, hope your 991 is ok, and we're glad you and your instructor are...

 

Hey we all make the occasional mistake, yesterday I put my pants on backwards

 

Oh! The indignation!



I had to buy a new tire-wheel combination in order to make it home. The price? $2880 and change. I'm hoping to get reimbursed through the tire warranty. Or I may just buy a new matching front wheel and take them both with me on track days!

A full rear 19" tire does not fit well in the back seat. It really blocks my blind spot. It certainly will not fit in the frunk. It barely fits at all in the front seat. Oh yeah, it was doubly wrapped in garbage bags as the dealership didn't have any tire bags. It would be a ***** to clean from a pebble gray interior.

 

Good to hear that you saved yourself from disaster. It could have cost a lot more than $2800.