I've tested the GT3 street vs. a GT3 Cup AND the street car has a tick more grunt than the same year Cup car! It apparent that the little extra low end grunt from the vario-cam enables the street version of the cup to giddyup off a corner better. Resulting in a faster mile per hour at the end of a moderate straight.
Shod with the right tires, pads AND alignment settings, this car KICKS MAJOR ***!
TURBO and GT2 owners - sheesh-you'll have your hands full at the next track event when the street 3 shows up! havefuntakechancesdriveporsche-Mark-FORMULA MOTORSPORTS.(.COM)

 

I've seen the Cup cars at the track, they destroy the street GT3 severely, not even close.

 

A 2004 cup car on slicks at Road Atlanta does a 1:29.7. Same driver, same conditions in 2004 GT3 street car on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires does a 1:37.0. Yes, the terminal straight speed is higher.

 

I'll bet that slicks on the GT3 would cut that difference in half. Pretty awesome for a street car.

 

2000 cup car, slicks 57.5 at LRP; 2004 GT3 street car as delivered Michelin tires 1:03.4, MPSC R compound 1:02.5, Dunlop SP Race DOT R compound tires 1:01.4. Same conditions, same driver, same set up for the 3 tire tests on the GT3 street car. Ride height, bar positions, and alignment as per factory delivered specification on street car. No modifications to either car.

 

The driver for the GT3 was not the driver for the cup car, right? I would think that the GT3 should be faster than that. Nothing disparaging, but I have run 102.5s in my F class Carrera (the car to your left!) at LRP on old BFG Comp TA R1s 8 years ago. Club racing Carreras now run in the 60 second range.

 

Same driver for the LRP test in both cars. Keep in mind, the GT3 weighs over 3200lbs, has gears so tall that only 3rd is used for the entire lap except for 4th for a very brief time at the end of the front straight, the springs are relatively soft as are the shocks, and the ride height could be much lower. If one were to lower the car, stiffen the springs, and put a track alignment on it, I am certain it would be 1:00 flat ballpark. It would be sub 1:00 if prepared with club racing specification in mind-still on DOT tires. The car was tested completely as delivered with no modifications-which was the goal of the tire test. Also, the BFG COMP TA R1 tire was an incredibly good tire while it lasted. The same cup car at LRP with the R1 BFG tire was only 1.0 seconds slower than the car with slicks. Same driver as in the LRP tests has also done a mid 1:03 at LRP in club race trim in an H class car. You would never think the vintage car would be so close to the GT3, but at LRP it is. At watkins Glen, it would be over a 15 second difference between the H class car and the GT3 street car in showroom trim.

Keep in mind, the spread between a GT3RS race car in Grand Am trim at LRP and an H car with same driver is 7.5 seconds and the same 2 cars at atlanta are 17 seconds apart, and at Watkins it would be 25 seconds. Because of the nature of LRP, the lap times are all relatively close since it is not a hp track.

Another data point is summit point: 2000 cup car on slicks 1:17.4, GT3 street car on Michelins as delivered 1:24.5, MPSC 1:22.8. Same driver for all three. Weather was 70s for GT3 test, literally over 100 degrees ambient for the cup car lap time.

I view it as incredible that a normally aspirated car off the showroom floor can do the times that it does on DOT tires. Hoosiers of course will reduce the times a bit further.

 

Thanks for putting that into perspective. LRP is definately THE track for low HP cars. Back in the late 80s, I used to terrorize all but the best driven 911s in my 914 2.0, with all of 105 HP, but with 7" wheels & 225 tires! How about 1:05s on non R tires (if my memory isn't fading with age). Flat out down the hill, NO LIFT! Unreal pucker factor, and lots of fun.

 

Larry, I absolutely believe it! It is one of the great features of LRP.