2016 ACR vs. Porsche GT3 at Thunderhill 5-mile

[VENOM V]

Car looks amazing and that track looks like a blast!

Amazing videos!! Thank you for sharing.

Wow that track looks amazing. Love your car and thanks for posting the video. Nice driving!

What an awesome post! Looks like it was a blast for sure. Way to represent!

Thanks fellas!

[VENOM V]

What a great day to be out. On the fifth photo down with the red Porsche behind you, it looks like you have at least an inch of daylight under the right front tire! Nicely done.

Rich from Abel is a good guy, he is aligning and corner weighting my Vette on Tuesday. They just installed some new alignment rack that is suppose to be the bomb diggity bomb.

George! Yes a gorgeous day. I may frame that picture with the wild flowers and vineyard in the background.

Rich was very cool. He loaned me a scan tool to diagnose my trouble code. Also mentioned how well the CCBs have worked on the Vettes. In fact, they are converting their serious track customers from steel to CCBs, believe it or not. He's running in the Optima Challenge. Suggested I should consider it, but I'd need 200 tread wear tires. I told him that the Kumhos ARE 200 tread wear! LOL, hard to believe because they stick like chewing gum on the bottom of your shoe.

The 5 mile Thunderhill is by far my favorite track, period. And I believe Todd ran the newer bypass configuration that gets rid of a couple super slow hairpins on the new West addition and makes this track world class IMO. The elevation changes are incredible.

^I completely agree with this- 5 mile T-Hill is just terrific. And yes, the bypass fixed my one complaint with the track. It is an excellent all-around track that rewards great handling cars with good drivers behind the wheel.

[VENOM V]

Where do you do the wrapping Todd? Pretty sure it's going to be one of the first things I do once I get my ACR delivered.

Brione Go of Go Wraps does all my clear wrap, including the Clearplex on the windshield. He also did my stripes. Excellent guy to work with. He re-did my stripes a couple of times on his own initiative because he wanted perfection.

[VENOM V]

Hey Todd,

What a great looking track, fine driving, and glorious weather! Oh man, it was 15 degrees earlier today up here as I looked at a stack of new Corsa's in the basement... with snow coming tomorrow. Thanks for the lift buddy.

Car looks great, and those stripes are perfect! Thanks for sharing.

Bruce

Haha, I feel for you Bruce. I've been to four tracks already, we are spoiled here. We've also been lucky with the weather. It's a very rainy year but seems to dodge the tracking weekends. Thanks to the mighty Viper Gods.

[Arizona Vipers]

I was the sole Viper in a sea of Corvettes and Porsches.

Isn't it always this way? LOL


And those GT3's are crazy fast on the straights, they have way more horsepower than what Porsche says! Insane for a non-boosted 4 liter 6 banger.

[VENOM V]

Isn't it always this way? LOL


And those GT3's are crazy fast on the straights, they have way more horsepower than what Porsche says! Insane for a non-boosted 4 liter 6 banger.

So true. In fact it seemed like we were dead even on acceleration. I beat him in the corners. Funny thing is that he thought it was the other way around.

[Arizona Vipers]

So true. In fact it seemed like we were dead even on acceleration. I beat him in the corners. Funny thing is that he thought it was the other way around.

Yep it's always that way, I don't know how many guys have come up to me after a session asking about my car and wondering how I'm killing them in the turns...
Did you see last months car magazine article with the ACR, GT3-RS, Z06? The Porsche annihilated the Viper and Vette in the 1/4 mile. It ran an 11.1. That's a mid 10 second car on drag radials....
No Porsche driver ever wants to admit a Viper is faster in the turns. When you beat one they always say it's in the straights....

[Nine Ball]

Great looking scenery at that track, especially with the orange Viper to accentuate the photos.

Optima Challenge is a fun event, you should give it a try. The heavily modified AWD EVO's and WRX's tend to dominate the Auto-X events, but the Vipers do well on the road course. Great group of track enthusiasts, and a big variety of new and classic cars competing.

Oh, and GT3's don't feel that fast on straights. Engines sound cool, but they do not accelerate anything like a Viper does. Could be just keeping up due to the ACR wing slowing you down. My TA walks away from them pretty awful, on any straight that sees over 120 mph.

[SSGNRDZ_28]

Love the photos of your beautiful car, the one with the flowers / vineyard is worth framing for sure. Thanks for posting the videos and as always sharing your ACR experience, issues, and methods in detail with the rest of us.

[Snakebit10]

And those GT3's are crazy fast on the straights, they have way more horsepower than what Porsche says! Insane for a non-boosted 4 liter 6 banger.

Ok I'm glad I wasn't the only one that came to that conclusion after watching the videos. I was shocked to see the ACR not gaining ground on the GT3 when they initially started out on those straights. Even at those lower speeds it seems like the acceleration was a wash. 640hp vs 500hp doesn't seem like it should be a fight on straights at all. Must be a combination of the rear weight over the tires and no driveshaft to rob additional power. It must be extremely efficient putting all of that 500hp to the rears instantly. Incredible machine.

On another note there is a video of an exhaust/header mod GT3 running away from a exhaust modded 458 Speciale from a roll so these GT3/GT3 RS's may be underated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzZI5HQLRHY

I would love to see how a similarly modded GT3 RS with comparable tires to the ACR would fair against an stock ACR. Might be a close battle on some tracks.

[Jabba954]

NICE - I love Thunderhill, but it's so far from the South Bay. That said, I joined the T1 Club at Sonoma specifically for my ACR, so planing a couple dozen track days this year!

[RedTanRT/10]

Todd,

Great pics and great video!! I saw the video from the silver 911 and saw u pull over. Was thinking that was one of times you said it shut down. I had those issues in my viper with the original venom ecu. Dan C says the computer doesn't like to bang the rev limiter. First time it happened I was on the front straight at Fontana going 150 mph. Motor cuts out and now I'm heading into NASCAR one

I gotta get to TH someday soon. Going surfing for the week. Good luck with Josh. Keep me posted

Isn't it always this way? LOL


And those GT3's are crazy fast on the straights, they have way more horsepower than what Porsche says! Insane for a non-boosted 4 liter 6 banger.

I hear ya!! Not sure if it's hp or less arrow drag?? I'm 600 at the wheels and barely pull those 450 hp porsches

[genVer]

Spectacular driving on what looks like a very complicated track! Thanks for sharing.

[serpent]

It's the transmission that's the saving grace for the GT3. They shift fast as hell, faster than any human.
The GT3 isnt a drag car either, but there are tests showing it can do the 1/4 mile in 11.2 @ 126mph!!!

OP, I wonder how well you would have done with some hoosier A7s? I know the Viper TA with equal tires to the C7Z would be faster, but it is stuck with shitty corsa tires when magazines did those reviews.


Also concerning lap times, I think its easier to wring out the potential of the GT3 compared to the ACR. Anyone have experience with Both cars???

What I really want to see is a Mclaren 675LT vs ACR!!!

[Jabba954]

What I really want to see is a Mclaren 675LT vs ACR!!!

You'll have it May 3 or May 19th at the latest. Presuming my ACR arrives by then.

[ViperDog]

NICE - I love Thunderhill, but it's so far from the South Bay. That said, I joined the T1 Club at Sonoma specifically for my ACR, so planing a couple dozen track days this year!

I've been to both and I drove down from the state of Washington. Not sure I'd do it again for Sonoma but I would for Thunderhill. It's worth the drive. It's faster and more spectacular than Sonoma. The shelters they have there are terrific; easy to stay out of the sun or rain while parked. You have to try it at least once. I did the 3 mile east portion.

[rw99]

The 5 mile Thunderhill is by far my favorite track, period. And I believe Todd ran the newer bypass configuration that gets rid of a couple super slow hairpins on the new West addition and makes this track world class IMO. The elevation changes are incredible.

Agree 100%. When we first ran the brand-new "combo" 5-mile course, the West side was a little overdone (IMO) with the hairpins. I really like this bypass config!

Great vid, Todd. And the pics of Thunderhill with a green landscape are almost surreal. Looking forward to our visit in 3 weeks!

[w00tw00t]

You'll have it May 3 or May 19th at the latest. Presuming my ACR arrives by then.

Like!!

[Bill Pemberton]

Been a long time since I ran Thunderhill, and definitely not the 5 mile track. Your pics and video make a lot of us want to get our cars on a trailer and get out there tomorrow. Yes, follow your own lead and everyone else's -- the vineyard/meadow shot needs framing!!!

[Jabba954]

I've been to both and I drove down from the state of Washington. Not sure I'd do it again for Sonoma but I would for Thunderhill. It's worth the drive. It's faster and more spectacular than Sonoma. The shelters they have there are terrific; easy to stay out of the sun or rain while parked. You have to try it at least once. I did the 3 mile east portion.

Oh, I've run Thunderhill many times before, and demolished an LP-560 there as well. And I really love the 5 mile course - it just really is way up there when I have to other closer tracks available. And the T1 club at Sonoma is like a country club for car nuts - which means the best covered parking and pits and a crew to maintain the car on track days.

[TrackAire]

Oh, I've run Thunderhill many times before, and demolished an LP-560 there as well. And I really love the 5 mile course - it just really is way up there when I have to other closer tracks available. And the T1 club at Sonoma is like a country club for car nuts - which means the best covered parking and pits and a crew to maintain the car on track days.

What does it cost to join the T1 Club?.....their website does not appear to be working.

[Simms]

Nice driving! Car looks fantastic and that track looks like a blast.

[darbgnik]

Oh, and GT3's don't feel that fast on straights. Engines sound cool, but they do not accelerate anything like a Viper does. Could be just keeping up due to the ACR wing slowing you down. My TA walks away from them pretty awful, on any straight that sees over 120 mph.

I think that's because the Porsches are geared quite a bit lower, which helps coming onto slow to medium straights, but the advantage evaporates at higher speeds..... I think.

[Jabba954]

$9k/year and a recommendation from a member - so really just like a country club

[Nine Ball]

I think that's because the Porsches are geared quite a bit lower, which helps coming onto slow to medium straights, but the advantage evaporates at higher speeds..... I think.

The GT3 has more grip on corner exit, allowing you to get hard on the throttle just past apex. It has loads of grip there, with the engine sitting over the rear tires. So, it can enter the straights at a higher mph, but then it gets passed by the Viper if the straight is long enough. Very different driving characteristics between these two cars.

It's the transmission that's the saving grace for the GT3. They shift fast as hell, faster than any human.
The GT3 isnt a drag car either, but there are tests showing it can do the 1/4 mile in 11.2 @ 126mph!!!

Lets not get carried away, now. I've timed numerous no-lift shifts that were indeed faster than the PDK. I've also ran door to door with the Turbo-S, which is much faster than the GT3. Not impossible, but also not easy