What would you do if offered an open seat in a GT3 autocross car for a season?
 

I probably should not look the other way on this one .
I was messaging my good friend today, asking him what the hot tire choice is these days . I am planning on running my m3 a few events here and there.
He has offered for the last few seasons, and i always decline. He basically said, arrive and drive . I could probably also could get a seat in a 944 hill climb car if I wanted as well.
Think you could race someone else's car ? Im rusty, and that car is fast . He stuffed it into guardrails last year, Boy would I hate to do something like that in an expensive car that I do not own. I would probably have to maintain the car ( I already do )
It would be nice to come back , and be right there with the fast guys .
Your thoughts ?

Uh, a GT3. unless on an open course, is a handful. but yeah.

The hillclimbs are MUCH more fun, if more dangerous. I would take the 944 up a hill in a heartbeat.

I would be right in my comfort zone in the 944. I Autocrossed a na, and a turbo . I am sure I would learn the GT3 pretty quick, but I have some reservations

So the GT 3 would be just AX?

Just around the cones with the GT3. He hill climbs with the 44. He does not want to take a chance of balling up the Gt , and I do not blame him .

Exactly, so if it's just AX, I would definitely do the GT 3 where you don't have to worry about hitting anything....or do both if you can! Tough choice if you had to pick, but I think I would still go with the GT 3.
What year is the GT? PDK or manual trans?

Totally run the GT3, just keep it reeled-in around the hard points like rails and light standards. Last weekend an up and coming driver handed me the key fob to his 991 GT3 RS to run a session at Chuckwalla for comparison. Tires were past their expiration date and we had a lot of traffic but... OMFG That is a lotta car!

I'd run the GT3 at autox in a heartbeat. Hillclimb in the 944, sure why not! Just take some time to learn the car, or don't go at it 100%. If I do drive a friends car and for some odd reason end up crashing it, I'll shell out the money to fix it back the way it was.

I don't get AX.

No.

I’ve seen a few cars at an AX that got damaged and one that almost rolled on an off camber turn. He was 3’ up on one side.

Just my $.02

I race in other people’s cars. The owner has a “don’t hit $hit” sticker to remind us not to crash. You break it you buy it does apply.

Do it! *

* My advice is based upon my own AX experiences with the local PCA, which runs its monthly AX events on the nothing-to-hit runways of a former naval air station.

Do it. How many chances does life drop in your lap? Do it.
I don't want to get too personal, but in your life experience you know you are given chances and then they are taken away. Hold them close and give it everything you've got for as long as you can.

Friend went to a driving school where you use your own car. He was the best in his class but just couldn't quite match the speed of the instructor driving his car. He asked the instructor how he could be faster in the same car. The instructor replied, "Easy, It's not my car."

I wouldn't have the skill/control to handle a GT3 autocrossing that's for sure. A bad screw up in that setting could cost lives or a six figure car.

OTOH a screw up in a fofo on a hillclimb would maybe cost a 10k car and a tree or two along with your own life/health.

and the hill climb would, IMO, be tons more fun.

I don't blame you, and I did it passionately for 4 years or so. It is very engaging mentally, but the amount of seat time vs the amount of time standing in the heat running after cones isn't worth it. PCA ax is more laid back and fun than SCCA but still a lot of standing.

Hillclimbs less so. Still, the runs are short. But much more like real racing. Solo 1 is cool if you can get it.

Sure why not. The chance of wadding up a car are pretty much nil (provided driver and course designer are not idiots).

I think the accepted gentlemen arrangement is you get to buy a set of dot/slicks/tires for the car if you will be regularly codriving.

definitely get this argument. It has been a long time since I have been to an autocross. However, I tended to think of the standing around time as a social event for car enthusiasts. There is a lot of fun BS and car talk if your region has good people

The driving bit is way more exciting than HPDE though, there is just so little of it.

I see some of us feel the same way about AX. I did about 5 full seasons, tried to make every event etc. I really enjoyed it, but it was a whole lot of work and money to drive for 5 minutes on a Sunday afternoon. I did a few part time seasons after that, then the love faded. I was a lot younger then, and had dreams of moving to wheel to wheel at that time . I figured I would tear up as much seat time as possible, and try to interject myself in with the local motorsports scene.
Made some lifetime friends there. Once I had a family, mortgage, moved my business, and life started to get serious, I put it down, just not enough time in life .
I still think it would be fun to show up for a few key events every season, dust off the cobwebs, and enjoy a car at its limits .
I could totally get into the hill climb thing, this sounds like a blast . A bunch of my old ax buddies are now doing it .

Local PCA autocross is great. 9am to 2pm and you get 8 runs. Went to a couple local SCCA. 8am to 6 or 7pm and only 4 runs. Not worth it.

To me AX and road course have a close analogy in adolescence. You find out about your sexuality and play with yourself (AX), it is great and you think you really found something! Then you meet your first girlfriends and start playing with them ... (Track). :eek: Whoa, now we are talking! You aren't going back to AX, unless you have to. :)

That's my view. Even a free seat in a GT3 at AX, I'd rather pay to go to the big track in my own car.

G

I dont know regular non-racing track driving seems a bit boring compared to AX to me. AX is one of the few venues where you can consistently go over the limit without much recourse. You spin off a track regularly and sooner or later you are going to bend metal.

The problem with AX is more quantity than quality for me

Things come at you much faster in ax. Lots of fast track guys can’t do ax and vice versa.
The camaraderie thing is great, I love car guys. I fell out once I had kids, so many folks in our local PCA that were active didn’t. It wasn’t just time it was attitude and priorities.
Hillclimbs were different, much more down to earth and motorheady. And what a mix, everything from ex campcars to vintage Tigers on slicks.


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I've done both. AX is not as appealing to me. I don't do track days anymore either since I moved up here, but I still get the appeal of track days.

AX? Not so much. I'd rather go karting.

GT3 is a pussycat
it'll be the most fun you can have with your pants on

I'd take it to a real race track. ;)

Asked earlier.. What year GT 3? and is it a PDK? Those two questions are big variables to me on if I would want to do it or not.

If I was offered a chance to drive a GT3, I think I'd pee a little, then assuming there was no visible wetspot, I'd probably jump in and go.

I would not drive a friends car further than around the block. Assuming you want to remain friends.

I can see not wanting to drive someone's car on the street, but autocross? Anything you might hit would buff out. I was late to an autocross deal at Sears Point, so I did not get to walk the course. Trekkor was the starter, so I had him hop in and drive my car to show me the course. I would totally autocross someone else's car.

Steve, you need some astronaut underpants.

Fred, hell to the yeah you ought to try it out.

Since I'm not expecting anyone to offer me a drive in anything that cool, I should be fine.

2007 No PDK. I get huge grins every time I drive it . It is a pussy cat, but is also blindlingly fast and capable . I could see how one could get in trouble with it .
He came into the finish way to hot last season, spun through the timers, and ended up into the guardrails .
Priced a GT3 fascia and fender lately ?

Too bad it's not a PDK for two reasons... Less to tear up if you miss a shift, and much harder to drive fast!