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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Group C racing

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Mar 7 2004, 07:53 PM

Anybody remember Group C racing in the 80's? Those cars were, in my opinion, the best race cars EVER! For those that don't remember, they were prototype cars with pretty much unlimited technology. Kinda like full body'd F1 cars. When they used to race at LeMans, before the chicanes were added to the Mulsanne straight, Group C cars would hit 300+ mph yes 300 mph. They were the fastest race cars in existence at the time. I'm not sure, but I think they were doing 300 mph before top fuel drag racers were, and that was on ROAD COURSES!! If there's anybody out there that knows a source to get vintage video of those races please speak up.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:06 PM

Wait a minute. Group C NEVER when 300 mph. Maybe 250 tops. This car was about the fastest

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Posted by: vsg914 Mar 7 2004, 08:10 PM

UUUUUUHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:12 PM

I stand corrected here is the fastest LeMans trap speeds
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/maxspeed.htm

248 mph in the race and 251 mph in pratice.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:23 PM

1988 fastest

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:23 PM

1989 fastest

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Posted by: TimT Mar 7 2004, 08:34 PM

Those cars never hit 300mph they were friggin fast though 248mph is just unfathomable..

I saw a race at Lime Rock Al Holbert in a 956, or 962 had pole... and when the flag dropped he had half the straight on the rest of the field... and Lime Rock isnt a big track...it was amazing seeing him pilot that car.... lapping.. passing at will.. this was when Group 44 Jags were in the frey too.. Aston Martin Nimrods...

Group C

Simply amazing

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:37 PM

I got a bunch of sites and pictures of the GTP/Group C era.

The best sports car racing ever.

Posted by: TimT Mar 7 2004, 08:37 PM

Paul that Mulsannes corner sight is cool.... found it a few yrs ago...love the pics

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 08:44 PM

Here is another great one. The wants to have pics from every sports car race there ever was.

http://www.racingsportscars.com/

You can submit your own pictures

Paul

(Tim, worked on the door today)

Posted by: sixerdon Mar 7 2004, 09:08 PM

Go read your Porsche history books. There was nothing more potent than the 917-30 in the Can-Am series of '73. With almost 1200 Turbo HP on 12 cylinders....... nothing then or since has come close to these machines. Mark Donahue was the man!

Posted by: URY914 Mar 7 2004, 09:18 PM

True the 917-30 was the top of the sport but it was not built to run at top speed for miles at a time.

It was acceleration out of the corners that it was designed for.

Posted by: J P Stein Mar 7 2004, 09:54 PM

I dunno how fast Donohue got that sucker going, but he lapped Talladega at 221 mph.....the motor bout melted, tho.

I went & saw some USAC roadracing ... pre Can Am stuff....pretty damn impressive. The Can AM didn't come up this way....or I was off doing Uncle Sugar's work when they were.

I would think that 30-40 8 liter Chebbies heading for the first turn would make ones bowels loose.

Posted by: Dave_Darling Mar 7 2004, 10:50 PM

I think that they managed to get a 917 of some configuration up to almost 240 MPH on the Mulsanne straight. But I also think that was one of the longtail versions that was ... ummm... challenging to control.

When they cut off the tail of the car, it got a whole lot more controllable.

--DD

Posted by: campbellcj Mar 7 2004, 11:08 PM

The 917LH (longtail i.e. langheck or something like that) apparently did 390kph or 242kph on the Mulsanne Straight. I think the general consensus is that the various 917 flavors were pushing 250mph if not a tad more. I have personally never heard of any car before or since significantly beating that mark in similar conditions.

I don't recall ever travelling more than 140mph myself, and that's plenty scary!

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Mar 8 2004, 05:22 AM

Sorry, I thought I remembered hearing 300+ mph at LeMans many years ago. Still, they were the coolest race cars IMHO. I would love to have been to a race. I was making plans to attend the race in Montreal when the series stopped running

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Mar 8 2004, 05:23 AM

Thanks for the pics, Paul