How Different Is Driving a Cup Car?

[Larry Herman]

Originally Posted by CWS

Moving from modern street GT3 to 996 Cup is relatively easy transition. The lower weight of the Cup is offset by less HP (370-390 vs 435-450) so absolute speed difference is not that great.

I respectfully disagree. Unless you are not driving it at its limit, you do not realize how difficult it is. A GT3 is lazy as compared to a Cup, and the reactions are so much slower it is not even comparable. A street GT3 is very compliant and has a high level of grip that stays fairly consistent. A Cup is very stiff, and its higher level of grip is constantly and immediately changing.

When I had my GT3, I raced a 996 Cup at Summit Point (in 2005 on the old bumpy surface), mistakenly thinking that it would be very similar. I used to stuff my GT3 deep into turn 1, trail brake it towards the apex and then jump on the power. Back in the day, 1:21s were easy. The first time that I tried that with the Cup, when I got on the power it literally hopped up in the air and pointed itself directly at the apex, 90 degrees to the track! "I guess that we are not in Kansas any more Toto!" It took a different type of driving, much more reactive and correcting, to make that Cup go fast, but it did and I got it down to a 1:17. But it was enough to get me hooked, sell the GT3 and get an RSA setup just as stiff as a Cup. Now with a friend, I hope to be back in a 996 Cup (as shown) this season.