World Time Attack @ SMP

[Gman993]

World Time Attack (WTAC) is on at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.

Patrick Garvan and Paul McKinnon (Evolution Motorsport) will be competing in the insane 951 turbo that they have been building and developing over several years now against a large field of very quick, highly modified Japanese cars.

Here is a link to the WTAC website with some more info about their car:

Evolution Porsche continues to amaze | World Time Attack Challenge

I just wanted to wish you guys the best of luck and let other know so they can follow it.

[JET951]

Yep , its going to be a big event & a massive few days for both Patrick Garvan & Paul Mc Kinnon & a real first for Porsche , I can not think when any Porsche has earned a place at the pointy end of World Time Attack Challenge

Sean gets a kick out of going down to Paul's workshop to do 951 engine refresh work on this car & I think Sean is going out on Friday to help out on the spanners on Friday at the track

Its been fantastic watching how Paul has turned a road going 1986 951 into a track record breaker with such a confined budget & its still mainly just a 1986 951

It still retains its basic 4 cylinder 951 engine with slightly bigger displacement & a more track orientated engine management system

It has N0 ABS & N0 traction control & No sequential transmission , just a 968 ( 944 ) manual gearbox , a gear stick & a clutch pedal ( very 1970's / 1980's technology ) , but it works

It retains the McPherson strut front end , that all 944's have ( no double wishbone )

It retains its 1986 rear trailing arms & its 1986 rear brake callipers ( no double wishbone)

It retains the standard bell housing & clutch design & its standard 1986 Torque Tube

The list of standard stuff just goes on & on

But like all 951's , it has perfect 50/50 weight distribution , this is a big help in designing something that now will get the help of Aero ( just like the Porsche cup cars have )

The very big advantage in the 944/951 engine is the small size & weight of the power unit , its a very light & strong engine , that on E85 & if well sorted , meaning sensible oil control & cooling in conjunction to the Aero package that Paul has built, brings out the best in a car with perfect weight distribution

This car is a real evolution( in the footsteps ) of the 1981 924 Carrera GTP ( Hugo Boss Racing Porsche)

And to think , this 951 has even more potential , could you imagine if we got rid of the road going 1970's suspension( They literally have a 1970 Ford Escort front strut setup ) & went to double wish bone F & R like a modern sports car has to eliminate the camber changes ( that we do not want ) , my goodness it would be quite something

Good Luck on the weekend Pat & Paul , I know a lot of people around the world are watching with great interest

Kind Regards
Bruce Buchanan
Buchanan Automotive

[mc968cs]

Good luck guys, can't wait to see you go well.

It looks like it's not this weekend but next, FYI.

[333pg333]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Personally I don't think this is of much interest for the majority of the Porsche community however despite this I would like to feel that we are still representing the marque, model and PCNSW. We will do our best against some seriously fast cars. I see the favourite being the Powertune GTR34 which has over 500kw's to all 4 wheels and has been testing at over 40psi! We run at about 20-23psi by comparison. They also have the same fantastic sequential Albins transmission that the Supercar V8s run. That would be good enough for 1-2 seconds a lap depending on the car. Unfortunately at about $25k for the 'box that counts me out for now so we'll just have to do with our olde worlde H pattern 6 speed.

They've already done a 1:31 in testing on lower boost (prob 30psi !) and Benny Tran in his front wheel drive Honda did a 1:32 last year which will be improved upon with the new Aero and powerplant. They predict that to win Open class one will have to drop into the 1:29's which is hard to fathom! We've done a 1:32 at the last Super Sprint but weren't running as fast as we can. Finger's crossed we can improve and do the job.

Hot Picks for the 2014 V-Sport Open Class | World Time Attack Challenge

[Gman993]

Patrick, the commitment and incredible performances that you have achieved with your car have impressed many, including me. To see that your 28yo car is almost as quick as a V8 Supercar or Porsche Gt3 Cup car (with massive financial backing and pro drivers) is quite incredible.

This has led me to to become very interested in this whole WTAC event and the insane cars that have been developed. I am planning to come out to SMP (probably on the Friday) to see the cars in person and in action.

[333pg333]

I agree Graeme, the Time Attack format has inspired some amazing cars to be built. I believe that it was unfortunate that the local organisers banned rear engine cars of 6 cylinders or more for the first few years. What I feel was a bit of a knee jerk reaction in fear that someone would come along with a Cup car and decimate the field in the early days has grown to be unfounded. Overseas they let cars run on slicks and this is why there are some very fast purpose built T.A. 911 derivatives tearing up the competitions. Until they allow slicks in the Upper classes here, there won't be any rear engine Porsches and hence a lack of interest from the general Porschefile community. Only my opinion of course. Until then we hope to do well and compete with what is still largely just a modified road car as Bruce points out.

Feel free to drop past the pits. Hopefully we won't be struck with ailments like last year. Possibly the best spectacle from the T.A. cars will come late Saturday when the Shootout takes place. This will pit the fastest 5 cars from each run group on the track at the same time trying to win the event with one last Hot lap. If we're lucky enough to be there we will have a set of fresh tyres to see if we can eek out our best time and challenge for a step on the podium.

Thanks again for expressing interest and highlighting this event.

[mc968cs]

Hi guys.

Just picking up on the comments about the Porsche community and it not following this event, as I agree it's not really on centre of the radar for it. However, it's nothing to do with front or rear drive debates etc..IMHO

I think it's just a few factors like,

1. It's a trailer car type event, and many are so modified the members aren't really going to associate with it, as opposed to club events where the majority drive there and back.
2. It's on around Bathurst and Carrera cup support event time of year. They do very much dominate talk around now and many members spare time
3. Most of the press covered cars are really highly modified vs our rules and a club system.

How many time attack patrons come to our club events???? ...it is a that question probably puts it all in perspective....

In summary, nothing to do with you Pat or your car, just you are playing in a different, and still cool alternate additional car world. Personally I find it interesting, however I don't expect many Porsche people too.


Good luck, I hope you win mate! If the recent rate of lap time improvement, coupled with the success of others with wild 944t builds like Duke are anything to go by, you are in with a good chance.

[333pg333]

Hey Mac

I agree with some of your points.

Certainly the camaraderie within the club when driving to and from track and competing with and against your mates is a strong one. I do miss being able to do this myself. Building a full on track car is a dual edged sword in some respects and you wind up missing certain aspects of the community.
Perhaps some people assume that one feels superior and not to be talked to...which is completely wrong from my point of view and I'd apologise if that's what people think. In point of fact I always marveled at some of the higher tech race cars both here on overseas but most of the time it was impossible to have interaction with the owners. My point of view is that somehow we've made something pretty special here and I'm happy to be accessible if anyone has questions about it.

I feel that in the past some of the race car guys have not necessarily exuded an inclusiveness or perhaps had just been mistaken for being aloof. There used to be a bit of an 'Us and Them' mentality pervading. Certainly when we first joined the club, the guys with the GT3's and Cup cars almost seemed not to even see some of us with our little jalopies. While some of them were nice enough if you made the effort to speak to them, others we're on a higher plane. I like to feel that I talk to a lot of people when at the meetings and am always happy to discuss our relative cars. I feel that I have been pro active on the boards and always encouraged others and been enthusiastic regarding their videos, pics and general performances.

I do believe 100% that if I or anyone else had built a Time Attack car from a 911 derivative there would be a lot more active participation on threads like these. This car gets the same reaction on other 911-centric forums...just not interested. Look at how many people have viewed this and other threads about this car compared to how many actually respond. Over 100 views and less than a handful communicating on this thread. I don't have an issue with this but it demonstrates my point. However, I would also say that I totally get this and expect it. Porsche is of course totally synonymous with the flat 6 rear engine and this is as it should be. The Transaxle models definitely are second cousins and this is understandable. No matter how good these little cars can be.

My initial point about this car and event not being of particular interest to the broader Porsche community was based not on sour grapes, but more of embarrassment that it wasn't worthy of a thread. I get the general feeling that those that are interested have had enough saturation of this car and those that aren't are sick of it.

[mark2559]

Patrick and Paul ... you certainly have my best wishes and I will be keenly watching for the results.

I may even pop out on Saturday in "Old BLU" to muster some support for your team.

Bruce's words regarding suspension and 1980's technology ... truly remarkable what you have achieved within the confines of the 944/968 platform. I know that a 1:44 is a good time for me and Sean gets down to low 1:42's of 1:41's ... but for you guys to leap down to the 1:32's is a chasm of difference.

Be safe and have a BLAST this weekend!

[333pg333]

Thanks Mark B. We are hopeful of getting under 1:32 to have any hope of challenging the leaders so we will need all the best wishes and planets to align to go close!

We are still making some changes to the car on an Aero basis and hope that this gives us a few more kmh from less drag. I must say that having worked with some highly credentialed Aero guys, the mind boggles just how much can be gained via this field. I find it very interesting with my very slim understanding of the field. Sort of wish I'd studied that field when I was younger. In terms of the PCNSW our car is pretty fast but we will be swamped down the straights by some of our competitors at WTAC so we need to rely on Aero to make up for the lack of outright HP.

Drop by and say G'day if you come out!

[Gman993]

Hi mc968cs, there is actually a WTAC class for road registered cars called the "Clubsprint Class" and it has quite a good sized field with 35 cars entered this year. I had a very quick look through the rules for this class and they look to allow similar levels of modifications to the rules in our Porsche club supersprints. The main area that seems to me to have few restrictions is the engine, with the rules requiring the original engine to be used but virtually unlimited modifications being permitted. The WTAC rules include the following overview of this class:

"Clubsprint:
Designed to be the entry level class for World Time Attack with modification restrictions and tyre limits to contain costs.

Professional drivers as determined by the organisers are not permitted in Clubsprint class.

Supercars as determined by the vehicle list within these regulations are not permitted.

All vehicles must use the Advan AD08 Neova control tyre.

All vehicles in Clubsprint Class must carry current road registration. Rally registration is acceptable. In states where rally rego is not available an unregistered vehicle permit is required."

Last years results show this class being mainly EVO's, WRX's & GTR's that achieved times between 1:39.2secs & 1:52secs. Based on my quick review of the rules, I cannot see any reason why our club competition cars could not compete in this class and some could be quite competitive (e.g. Sean's car).

[333pg333]

I think the issue with that is the more street oriented tyres Graeme? I'm sure the Neova are probably as good as some R specs a few years ago but I think rwd would really struggle against awd. Not to say you can't enter and have fun of course!

[Gman993]

Good point Patrick. I understand that the Neova Tyres run the same compound as the old A048 Yokohama R spec tyres but with a more road oriented tread pattern. Clearly they will not be as quick as the A050's

[333pg333]

To be honest, the Clubsprint class has been criticised in the past for allowing race cars under the guise of 'road registered' and flaunted the rules. But the times are amazingly fast for many of these cars on true road tyres. I think the awd just kills any chance of rwd or fwd of winning that class although Benny Tran does very well in the rwd Honda S2000 lapping around the 1:40 mark and I think 1:03 at W.Park on these tyres. Amazing stuff!

[333pg333]

.......200+.......

[Gman993]

Hey Patrick, any updates for us Porsche supporters leading into the final few days of preparation before WTAC?

[mc968cs]

Originally Posted by Gman993

Hey Patrick, any updates for us Porsche supporters leading into the final few days of preparation before WTAC?

I second the request! And what's ...200+..??

[333pg333]

Well, we discovered that the new CV's that only just arrived yesterday don't fit so that was another joyous customer experience from the USA yet again! Now we have to use some old axles and CV's that are notoriously prone to breakage.
Oh Joy Oh Joy....yet again we might be foiled for this event.

I was in the first Time Attack back in 2008 at Oran Park and then entered most years after that only to have to pull out due to engine not being ready for for over 3 year after sending it back to the US so many years ago! Then I had the crash in 2012 due to suspension failure. Then last year we had to retire due to bolts backing out of turbo. So this year we were hoping for a little more luck. We're still crossing fingers but nothing will surprise me. I ordered the CV's 3 weeks ago. They're for a beefed up version of the 968 6 speed 'box.

Meanwhile we've added the last of our Aero changes to the car. 'A' pillar and doors vented. Plus gurney on the rear of the front quarter panels. The final piece of the puzzle as instructed by Andrew Brilliant. Plus I think we might have the first air cooled engine mount in history! Our engine bay gets so hot that we melted one of the semi solid mounts! Enough to toast your Marshmellows!

[mark2559]

Hi Patrick,
Good update + lets hope your drive shafts hang in there !

What on earth is 200+ ??

[333pg333]

Had a difficult day today but still manage to be sitting in 2nd place overnight. Some tyre issues created problems and then of course destroyed one of the backup CVs as predicted. Damn that US shop to hell!!! Anyway, Sean built up a spare which should hold together better than what was on there so fingers crossed for tomorrow. Got some new rubber to put on in the morning and we're going to wind up the boost a bit more and see what we can achieve. There's a monster GTR32 in 1st place driven by last year's Open class winner so we know we're in for a fight. If we don't have any component failure I feel we can definitely improve upon today's 1:31.4 I think we have a high 1.29 if everything goes to plan but who knows. Of course everyone else will have something up their sleeves too. Going to be a fun one tomorrow!

A guy in Pro Am did a low 1:25 at the end of the day to be holding P1 outright which is amazing. There's some crazy fast cars on track! Just ask Graeme who we saw today. :-)