Production Car Racing (GT4, CTSCC, PWC GTS/TC, MX-5 Cup, etc)Touring Cars

[Pete05]

That’s actually pretty wild to think about, hey. I know there’s a good 35 years of technological evolution here, but still.

I’ve absolutely been loving the GT4 racing in iRacing lately and it’s given me a whole new appreciation for them and their capability to produce some great racing, so I really hope the series continues its upward trajectory here in Australia. And speaking of the 12 Hour, hopefully we see more GT4’s competing from next year onwards, give those big GT3 boys an extra challenge.

I don't know where to start as far as specs for the various GT4 vehicles, but I can offer a few for the Sierra RS500 that dominated the domestic Group A category in 1989.

All the front running cars had in excess of 500bhp for the beginning of the year.
It's fair to assume they had around 10% more for a banzai qualifying run.

Category regulations meant that all Sierras weighed a minimum of 1100kg, and had to use tyres no wider than 9" driving through a 5-speed gearbox.

Finally, of the cars involved in the Top Ten shoot out, Dick Johnson was fastest up Mountain Straight at 252km/h, and fastest down Conrod at 285km/h for a lap time of 2:16.79

By comparison, Brock was 4km/h slower up Mountain Straight, and 3km/h slower down Conrod, but still laid down a 2:15.80
This despite coming under scrutiny for trickery involving the under bonnet fire extinguisher placement in relation to the turbocharger intake.

The only non-Sierra in the 1989 shoot out was Jim Richards in the HR31 Skyline GTS-R.
235km/h up Mountain and 266km/h on Conrod for 2:20.09
Gibson Motorsport never quoted any more than 420bhp from the RB20DET.

 

[05XR8]

Yeah, you’re looking at about(before BOP): 350-380bhp/1100kg for an Alpine A110 to about 550bhp/1400kg for an AMG GT. The new M4 GT4 Evo has 518 hp.

 

[Pete05]

Yeah, you’re looking at about(before BOP): 350-380bhp/1100kg for an Alpine A110 to about 550bhp/1400kg for an AMG GT. The new M4 GT4 Evo has 518 hp.

Do we know what vehicle is used as the target for BoP?

 

[05XR8]

Do we know what vehicle is used as the target for BoP?

Depends which car is winning.
Here are two. One from the 2024 12H and one from GT4 European Series at Misano.

https://www.gt-world-challenge-australia.com/documents/notice/32/s07.0+-+SB07+-+Revised+Balance+of+Performance+%28v2%29+redacted.pdf

https://www.gt4europeanseries.com/documents/notice/2109/Bulletin+05+Balance+of+Performance+18%3A05%3A2024.pdf

BOP adjustment for the Mustang at PI.

Ford GT4 team blasts last-minute BoP change

FORD has seemingly got on top of its parity war in Supercars; now there’s a new battle ground brewing. The Mustang has impressed in the early stages of

www.v8sleuth.com.au

 

[05XR8]

Quick times again.

Pro-Am Cup decided after close Bathurst qualifying battle

Qualifying at Bathurst is always a highlight and Monochrome GT4 Australia provided this in two frantic 10-minute sessions where the Pro-Am Cup title was decided

gt4australia.com.au

 

[Pete05]

Quick times again.

Pro-Am Cup decided after close Bathurst qualifying battle

Qualifying at Bathurst is always a highlight and Monochrome GT4 Australia provided this in two frantic 10-minute sessions where the Pro-Am Cup title was decided

gt4australia.com.au

Wow! Those times have really come down.

A 2:13.1xx is good enough to sit on the front row alongside Skaife in the '91-spec GT-R.

You could also line up in P2 and look over at Dick Johnson who set the fastest time for a Sierra in 1992. He did a 2:12.898

You might be wondering how a GT4 compares with a bewinged V8?

Larry Perkins set pole in 1993 with a 2:13.013

For anyone wondering, Rickard Rydell took his Volvo S40 around in 2:14.9265 to set the fastest time by a 2-litre SuperTourer.

 

[05XR8]

Scary driving the cars back then with elbow out the window.

 

[Pete05]

Scary driving the cars back then with elbow out the window.

That's not scary. That's just being relaxed.

Racecam in the #05 with Brock during the 1986 race is the perfect example.

 

[05XR8]

That's not scary. That's just being relaxed.

Racecam in the #05 with Brock during the 1986 race is the perfect example.

Truuuuuuuuue.

Edit: Production car race just started. Little Polo is a problem for the RX-8s.

Edit 2: In the “BMW Class” that M2 is fast!

Edit 3: Dude spins out on the final corner and reverses his Clubsport across the line.

 

[05XR8]

Awesome way to end the season. A+ debut series.

Edit: Miedecke just said they just sold their sixth car.

 

[05XR8]

 

[Pete05]

I enjoyed the first race. That was well behaved with any over excitement only costing the guilty party.

Race 2 was cancelled due to time constraints in the event program. Typical of Supercars.

Race 3 was a non event and made me angry with what happened on the opening lap.
These cars are not replicas or mock ups.
Some drivers need to a wrap over the knuckles, and a stern reminder that they were sharing the track with OTHER PRICELESS AND IRREPLACEABLE cars.

 

[05XR8]

They go hard at Goodwood in those priceless sports cars too. I don't fault these drivers for going hard either. Driving them as they had been driven in the past. No doubt these owners and drivers are custodians of historical works and I'm sure they keep that in mind. Maybe it's just, at the end of the day, reliving the same feeling the original drivers had and why driving these cars at the ultimate circuit in Australia, is the best place to go all out for that thrill.

Murph is a year younger than me and for sure, some of those drivers the same age, with less skill, should be even more cautious.

 

[Pete05]

They go hard at Goodwood in those priceless sports cars too. I don't fault these drivers for going hard either. Driving them as they had been driven in the past. No doubt these owners and drivers are custodians of historical works and I'm sure they keep that in mind. Maybe it's just, at the end of the day, reliving the same feeling the original drivers had and why driving these cars at the ultimate circuit in Australia, is the best place to go all out for that thrill.

Murph is a year younger than me and for sure, some of those drivers the same age, with less skill, should be even more cautious.

I guess where it all went pear shaped in race 3, is having some faster cars/drivers, that had a DNF in race 1, coming through from the back.
Something we didn't see in race 1 thanks to the qualifying order.

Don't get me wrong. I want to see all these cars return, and more, and I don't want to see them turn up to put on an orchestrated demonstration.
What I can see though, is some very nervous owners parking their cars, rather than risk their prize possession against someone that drives like its Touring Car Masters.
That's precisely why Jim Richards pulled out of the class.

In Historic races such as these, in most cases there's no big trophy, cheque or points on the line. It's all for the pleasure and bragging rights for those that need to trumpet their success. Nothing more.

 

[05XR8]

For sure. Certain cars are so few and far between here, than other places in the world. Certain series cars here are unique one of one, even if they’re fraction of the price of a pricelesss Jag overseas.
Like you say, so many cars on track. A dozen more channeling the spirit of VanGisbergen would have some owners save a buck and watch from home.