SONOMA, Calif. - There’s eight Porsche 911 GT3 Rs entered between GT and GTA for this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge races at Sonoma Raceway, in the penultimate round of the season.
And the potential exists that the GT-entered Porsches could have a huge weekend results-wise, based on the latest series Balance of Performance adjustments issued today.
The GT Porsche 911 GT3 R was issued a 25-kg minimum weight reduction for the car to 1,220 kgs. With the driver, that’s a minimum of 1,305 kgs/2,877 pounds. The GTA Porsche runs to a minimum of 1,260 kgs.
How big of a break is that? Consider at the last D-grade track (under SRO/PWC Balance of Performance) that PWC ran on, another California track at Long Beach back in April, that minimum weight for the Porsche was 1,260 kgs - or 1,345/2,965 respectively.
At the series’ most recent round at Utah Motorsports Campus in mid-August, a C-grade track, the Porsche was at a minimum weight of 1,245 kgs, and 1,330/2,932.
Two of the eight Porsches entered are in realistic championship battles. Patrick Long, in the No. 58 Wright Porsche, leads Alvaro Parente, in the No. 9 K-PAX Racing McLaren 650S GT3, by 21 points (1,393 to 1,372).
Michael Schein, Long’s teammate in the No. 16 Wright Porsche, trails Martin Fuentes (No. 07 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) in GTA, 1662-1390.
Porsche also holds a six-point Manufacturer’s Championship lead over McLaren, 119-113, in GT.
Long and Schein are one of two two-car Porsche efforts entered this weekend, with the high-profile debut of the Alex Job Racing, WeatherTech-backed, Porsche 911 GT3 Rs driven by Cooper MacNeil (No. 79, GTA) and Gunnar Jeannette (No. 97, GT).
Yep @RaceWeatherTech pic.twitter.com/ShlkXc74ki
— Tony DiZinno (@tonydizinno) September 15, 2016
Remaining single-car entries are fielded by GMG Racing (James Sofronas/Brent Holden, No. 14 GT/GTA), Flying Lizard Motorsports (Andy Wilzoch, No. 45 GTA), Black Swan Racing (Tim Pappas, No. 54 GTA) and Calvert Dynamics (Michael Lewis, No. 98 GT).