Narrated lap of Watkins Glen in the GT4

Ride along on a couple of laps of Watkins Glen International in the Porsche GT4. Two-day trackday/HPDE event with Hooked on Driving, in the C/Advanced run group.
2016 Porsche GT4:
Rollbar, fixed carbon bucket seats, 6-point harnesses, upgraded brake rotors and pads, upgraded suspension pieces including TPC offset rear toe links, DSC Sport controller, 19-inch Forgeline GA3R wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tires
GT4 photo credit: tracktimephotos.com
Music credit: Energy by bensound.com

[@timothygould3542]

Thanks for sharing the video. I'm heading there next weekend and wanted to watch some reference laps.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Enjoy!

[@kcspeed9980]

Thanks for the video. I’ll be there next weekend with nasa. Should be fun

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Enjoy!

[@gabrielarch5242]

Great videos, I noticed under the Watkins video, your updates included, dsc controller and tpc offset toe links. I’m a couple of months out from receiving my new gt4 (718) and would appreciate your feedback around these two components? The dsc, (I understand that the 718 might be different) and the TPC toe links vs other offerings for somewhat less money ( say, RSS )? Also any other affordable tips for improvements of the handling would very much be appreciated. Regards, G.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Great questions. I’m not certain what chassis changes have been made to the 718 GT4 over the 981 GT4. For my 981, I did quite a bit to get it ready for consistent track use: Tarett front adjustable thrust arm bushings, front LCA inner monoballs, and Tarett rear toe links with locking plates and boots; and RSS LCA shims front and rear-this all to get a proper track alignment with more negative camber, while maintaining stock caster. This worked fairly well, but despite the Tarett rear toe links, the rear end would still get very unsettled under hard/threshold braking on track (a level of braking you would never encounter on the street). This was clearly due to toe changes in the rear as the back end unweighted under threshold braking, causing the rear to dance around. My previous track car, a 991 Carrera S, didn’t have this issue because of its rear weight distribution. So I then installed the TPC rear toe links, which do a much better job of resisting toe changes under braking, and the DSC Sport controller, which helps to resist nosedive under hard braking. Transformed the stability of the car under threshold braking. Very confidence inspiring. I’m not sure if Porsche tried to correct this issue with the 718, but my guess is it’s just somewhat inherent to a midengine platform. The TPC links and DSC controller would likely be a worthwhile upgrade to the 718 as well. As for basic changes that improve track handling, consider setting the front antiroll bar to soft or medium and the rear bar to firm. This will help control understeer. Overall, the 718 should be pretty competent as is for occasional track use, but if you plan on consistently running it on track, making the upfront investment in some of these changes (pieces to allow more camber, rear toe links, DSC controller) will make the car more stable, faster, and more fun, while maximizing tire life. Ask for recommendations for an experienced, trusted Porsche independent shop near you to assist you with track prep. Well worth it. Enjoy it!

[@gabrielarch5242]

Thank very kindly for the clear and in depth reply. I will definitely take your advice on these components and appreciate your first hand experience as reference in these areas.

[@gabrielarch5242]

I’m thinking that at the very least the dcs controller and probably the toe links ( naturally the sway bar adjustment too ). Your reply suggests that the tpc toe link, perhaps because of the offset may have an advantage over competing offerings ( but they are expensive). As to the rear end looseness, I encountered that frequently racing motorcycles and discovered that it was to a degree something that was inevitable in certain situations and required adapting to. That said to the extent that it can be minimized, the better. Thanks again, G.

[@johnkoster8328]

Thanks for the overview. Heading to WG on Monday and this video was super helpful..

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Glad to help. Enjoy it-it’s fantastic! And make sure to hike the state park in town while you’re there.

[@timw8888]

Nice video! What overlay is that?

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Thanks. It’s AIM’s automatic overlay when using the Solo DL data system with the SmartyCam camera.

[@raythemanroe]

Dog leg

[@bidencheated4392]

Thanks for the video! I will be driving WG for the first time in July with SCDA. I have been to LRP and Thompson several times and The Glen is on my bucket list.

[@malcolmatkinson3124]

That was super helpful especially your narration I’m hoping to have the rig ready for the glen this summer

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Glad to hear!

[@ramseycattn5941]

Nice driving. So smooth!

[@joshuadelorimier1619]

Thanks for sharing this been doing this race in the simulator wanted to see/hear how it is in real life. Love driving this thing in VR.

[@BobTrieste]

Awesome work Jason !! I enjoyed the commentary as it helped me appreciate all the nuance and strategy that goes into racing and understanding the car. The second lap you did great work reeling in that yellow GT3 - thanks for the inside look !!

[@views40]

Great video! And nice laps! Enjoyed this video very much :) What is the software/hardware you use to capture your lap time, mph, RPMs, etc.? Thanks!

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Thanks! Hope it was helpful. This is the AiM system-the Solo datalogger/lap timer connected to a SmartyCam.

[@views40]

@@AutoPilotgogogo - Wonderful! Thanks so much! Adding this to my notes now. Have a great week ahead :)

[@DerekNYC]

Great driving. Really helpful to prep for my first DE at the Glen. SCDA is a great organization. Elivan and the team run great/safe events.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Glad to help. Enjoy the Glen-it’s truly amazing.

[@PSA955]

Thanks. I'll be there PCA NY Metro, end of July ,'22. 2nd time, started HPDE last year, great program, al lot of fun.

[@SlurpMyFat]

Thanks for this video. I watched it to learn your line a few times and just put down a 2:10 in a 992 Carrera T!

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

That’s fantastic! Congrats!

[@toyzforbigboyz9296]

What hardware do you use for data overlay?

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

AiM Solo DL lap timer/data acquisition with SmartyCamHD camera, using AiM RaceStudio software.

[@paulbriggs3072]

Wish they'd get rid of that chicane.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

The Bus Stop is a blast!

[@Atelier6_Motorsports]

Nice!! Can you make a video to talk about gt4 track running costs? Thx!!

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Great idea. I will work on it! I’ve been trying to think of new content for the channel. Spoiler alert: it’s not cheap. 😃

[@gbass7328]

Very cool! Been there but never on track. Looking forward to it and that helped. Curious, have any instructors commented on your thumbs? I've been scolded before and hold the wheel differently now, even for the street.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Watkins Glen is amazing--the length, the variety of corners and features, the overall speed, the flow, the history... As for the thumbs, bad habit I developed over time. More proper would be wrapped around the wheel.

[@gbass7328]

@@AutoPilotgogogo Agree on both.....

[@gvandiv1]

Nice laps and great voice over. You've got real skill and smoothness at the wheel and I love the sounds of your car. You've got some time available in 1,6,7 and 8. On 1 if you rotate down a touch later using the end of the tire over track out as your visual reference you can get on throttle before the apex and let the track grab you, it feels great when done well. On 6 consider starting turn in at the culvert on the right and hug and hold the inside apex, look for the rubber on the inside curb from the race cars. This is a long apex not a single point. On 7 use the patch mid-way as a reference with left front tire on seam, turn in a bit more with the slope providing compression and get all the way into the apex. Roll on throttle as approaching it, full when you touch it. Visual reference is the TV tower at turn in. On 8 maybe slightly later turn in, again goal is full throttle at apex, you need that full track out because you are a little early on the turn in, by slightly later you can get to full throttle earlier and use the track out for more speed. Visual reference right side of billboard on the left. These may or may not work for you try at lower speed and then build.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Great comments. Thank you. Have now moved on to a 992 GT3, so eager to put all of this to use.

[@gvandiv1]

Wow that’s a nice step up! Are you going back to the Glen soon? I’m there a couple times a month and keep going back.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Aug and October. Can’t wait.

[@KatoDriven]

Hey man! Love the channel. I’m strongly considering trading my M2Comp for a 981 GT4. Car will be mainly for track and some street driving. Curious if you prefer the gt4 over the m2 on track? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Thanks for the kind words. My GT4 was my everything car for a couple of years (daily driver, including winter with winter tires, and track car) until I got a second car for daily use. That second car was a 2017 Audi S3, which was great for daily duty, especially in the winter with snow tires. But I wanted to try something different after the three-year Audi lease, so I moved on to the M2C for my daily driver. It has been great--much more involving and fun than the Audi. I've never had the M2C on track, other than a car-control clinic (wet skidpad and small autocross course), so I can't directly compare the M2C to my GT4 in terms of track ability. The M2C did seem to come alive during the autocross session in a way that I hadn't experienced before with it on the street--I think you'd have to be a real hooligan to push the M2 near its limits on the street. Ironically, that's kind of disappointing--it made me realize that you don't really get to fully appreciate the M2C's personality unless you are ripping around an autocross circuit or track. It would probably also come alive on a nice curvy backroad on a Sunday morning with no traffic around, but for the daily slog back and forth to work, it just feels like a regular BMW. The GT4, on the other hand, feels special even at 30mph on your local streets. It's just so much more mechanical and visceral and special feeling than the M2C. Even at sane daily driver speeds, the GT4 is a breeze to heel and toe. And then it's a whole other level when on track. It just feels so planted and natural and at home on the track. As a result, it's very confidence-inspiring and doesn't take long to feel comfortable exploring its limits. Ultimately it can feel a bit underpowered on track, especially when around Z06s and GT3s, but it's essentially a super-capable momentum car. You learn how to carry very high speeds through corners, kind of like a German Miata on steroids. You do have to keep it in the higher part of the rev band, but it's so satisfying. The engine and manual transmission work together like the fine machinery they are. I can identify just two downsides to the GT4 as a track car, other than the relative lack of power vs Corvettes and GT3s. One downside is the front strut suspension, which can cause some understeer in certain corners. This can be frustrating and can chew through front tires, but you can adjust your driving style to help things here--more trail braking to point the nose, etc. The other issue is a rear-end wiggle under heavy/threshold braking on track. This can be a bit scary the first couple of times you experience it, as you come flying into the braking zone at the end of a long straight. The rear end lifts a bit, the rear suspension unweights and allows some toe-out, and the back end feels very unstable and darty. Couple of solutions to this--one is to brake a bit earlier and less abruptly, to allow the car to settle on all four tires a bit before getting harder onto the brakes. And the other solution is a set of offset rear toe links from TPC Racing that prevent the dynamic change in toe under braking, as well as a DSC Sport controller, an electronic box that replaces the OEM PASM shock controller and firms up the front shocks under heavy braking to prevent the nose-dive and keep the rear from unweighting. I did this combo and it made a dramatic improvement in stability under heavy braking. I will say that I've seen quite a few OG M2s and M2Cs at the track (even an M2CS with a rollbar in it last weekend at Lime Rock), and they do seem to make a good track car, with their ample turbo power, decent chassis and short wheelbase. They can be plenty fast, probably faster than a GT4 on track in the right hands. But there's something about the satisfaction and pure joy of driving a GT4 on track (and the street, too) that the M2 can't touch. I haven't posted to the KZbin channel in a while (too long), but I ended up selling my beloved GT4 because I got an allocation for a new 992 GT3. I've had it on track twice now and it's pretty epic. Still learning its differences compared to the GT4 (cornering attitude, shift points, braking points), and taking it a bit easy as I gain experience with it, but it's looking to be truly amazing. Hope this helps. Keep me posted.

[@KatoDriven]

@@AutoPilotgogogo thanks so much for this! This is a ton of great context and put things into perspective for me. This also reaffirmed that I need to get the GT4 lol some of the negatives you shared about the GT4 were very similar to what I’ve experienced in my old f82 M4. I drove my buddies GT4 a few weeks ago and just thought.. I have to have it lol. Right now I daily a X5M and track the m2 with some occasional weekend cruising. I think the gt4 will be the perfect replacement until I take the plunge into 911 GT3 territory (one day lol). Congrats on the 992! I’m excited and will definitely stay in touch. Josh

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

@@KatoDriven Glad to be of help. I miss the GT4 enough that I'm tempted to get a 718 Spyder as a daily driver...

[@KatoDriven]

@@AutoPilotgogogo wow. Good to know! I’m taking delivery of my GT4 next weekend. I’m excited.

[@MrSwarner793]

Great video! Just got home from this weekend’s SVRA at Watkins Glen.

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

That’s great! Hope the weather was good. A childhood friend of mine, Rob Davenport, was running a beautiful red ‘72 Alfa there at the Glen this weekend.

[@MrSwarner793]

@@AutoPilotgogogo I will look through my pics, I am sure I saw him. I will let you know what I find. Be safe!

[@jamesserafino6977]

Awesome commentary J!

[@nataliewells1939]

Very nice 😎

[@RSXperience]

nice video AutoPilot!

[@AutoPilotgogogo]

Thanks fellas!