I've been at 4 track days in an '04 and I can't hang with the modified 3.8 911 or the semi-stock 993 Porsches (forget the Stradale and the Carrera GT!). I can go as deep braking, I can keep them in sight on the long straights, and I pull them in the esses and long sweepers. I get absolutely smoked coming out of every corner onto a straight. Experimented with gear - either I'm off the VTEC or banging the rev limiter while in a drift. Am I doing something wrong, or do I need to get a GT3?

 

One word: torque

 

Are you on a stock motor? An SC or a low boost turbo would even the playing field quite a bit. Or you could completely gut the car, get to about 24-2500 pounds.

 

If you think corner exit is weak with 135 lb-ft of torque, imagine what happens with 95 (Spec Miata).

It is certainly a combination of low torque relative to the other cars, lower exit speed due to drivng style or some combination of the two. If you're an excellent driver, it's the torque. If not, improving exit speed, even at the expense of entry speed into the turn, can help even things out down the following straight.

In the S2000, I could easily keep up with Porsche 944 turbos and early 911s, but the newer P-cars have a lot more engine. If they're driven well, it's not possible to keep up when driving a stock S2K.

 

What does this have to do with peak torque output?

The 1994 911 Carrera RS 3.8 has 300 hp and weighs under 2700 lbs. Those cars are just faster than yours!

 

More low-end torque will help. You need a stroker motor.

2.5-Liter Stroker Kit

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=207071

http://www.inlinepro.com/


2.3-Liter Stroker Kit

http://www.bulletproofautomotive.com/catal...tail.php?ID=138

 

It's going to be difficult without more power and traction to put that extra power down.

I've done a lot of NA versus turbo runs around a track on car on the same platform with only their induction types being different. On NA cars, I can drive a lot more aggressively without overheating (on our very short track) and it responds to better throttle feeds, making it easier to control at the limit into the turn. With turbo cars, I'm faster on the straights even if I don't exit the corner at an ideal speed so the problem is lack of power.

My theory is that you need to look at effective power to weight ratios to start then look into improving your figures to match. Increasing power often means increasing the ability to hold traction and match the suspension to allow more effective power to reach the ground. The rest could be dealt with good corner exitting techniques, and trying to minimize as much understeer and keep more speed in the turn.

 

You could try getting an 04.

What I've found is that following a faster car, unless you have some serious nads, is always going to result in you getting left behind... why? most track day goers are not willing to go in that deep, since your (theorectical) advantage is in corner entry and speed. Go out a couple laps by yourself and turn your best time, and then take note of your speeds at different reference points in the corners. Now, get out behind one of the Porsches and do it again and see what happens.

But, like everyone else said, with equal drivers a 94 911 RS 3.8 is gonna smoke you. Our cars aren't the fastest things out there, nor are they super easy to drive.

I have no problems keeping up with equally prepped NA 993s and 996s around the track, though.

 

I totally agree.

 

He's got an '04.