{"id":893,"date":"2019-05-07T08:02:23","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T12:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/?p=893"},"modified":"2025-03-06T16:20:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T21:20:23","slug":"porsche-smashes-road-america-and-road-atlanta-lap-records-with-911-gt2-rs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/porsche-smashes-road-america-and-road-atlanta-lap-records-with-911-gt2-rs\/","title":{"rendered":"Porsche smashes Road America and Road Atlanta lap records with 911 GT2 RS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS blasted past the previous Road America track record by nearly 2 seconds. (Photo: Porsche)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Only last fall the brilliant Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR set a street-legal lap record at the renowned N\u00fcrburgring Norschleife race track in Germany, which only remains bested by a modified version of the Stuttgart brand\u2019s own 919 Hybrid EVO World Endurance Championship (WEC) racer, but now the globe\u2019s winningest sports car manufacturer claims a new production car record-setting time on Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin\u2019s ultra-challenging Road America track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The GT2 RS, shown here on Road America, boosts the 911 into supercar territory. (Photo: Porsche)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 14-turn, 6.5-km racetrack combines long high-speed straight-ways, tight turns and a bevy of undulations, making it easy taking for most any Porsche 911, although when that 911 is a 2019 GT2 RS it\u2019s game over for any competitors. As it is, Road America has yet to become popular for attempting track records, with the current title-holder being a GT2 RS privateer that managed an ultra-quick 2:17.04 lap time last year, so Porsche was really trying to beat itself, but when competition seems so scarce what\u2019s there left to do? How about carving 1.87 seconds off the just noted lap time for a new record of 2:15.17 minutes? Not too shabby, and it only took 24 Hours of Daytona and Le Mans class winner David Donohue two laps to do it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The GT3 RS can rev to 9,000 rpm, therefore delivering an entirely different kind of sports car experience than the GT2 RS. (Photo: Porsche)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As if that wasn\u2019t good enough, Porsche doubled down on its RS track time with another outing, but this time with the less formidable 911 GT3 RS. Even though engine output is 200 horsepower less convincing, Donohue managed a surprisingly quick best-of-three 2:18.57-minute charge, the high-revving flat-six engine often passing right by its lofty 8,800-rpm redline during the process. The fact that the 911 GT3 RS\u2019 track time remained so close to the GT2 RS record is a testament to its impressive handling, especially when factoring in Road America\u2019s long high-speed straights and plentiful sharp corners.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The 911 GT2 RS pushing hard on the even more curvaceous Road Atlanta race course. (Photo: Porsche)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Both GT2 and GT3 RS models wore road-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R N0 production rubber, these optional for Canadian RS owners, while it should also be noted that the Road Atlanta event\u2019s lap times and vehicle telemetry were recorded and validated by Racelogic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not to be satisfied with just two racetrack lap records, Porsche took this 911 GT2 RS to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia only last month, and with Randy Pobst in the driver\u2019s seat managed another record-setting time of just 1:24.88 minutes, which incidentally trumped the outgoing record-holding Corvette ZR1 by nearly two seconds, not to mention the previously mentioned Porsche 911 GT3 RS by 1.36 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So why is Porsche taking its RS models to all of these tracks to break records? Possibly it\u2019s due to a new 2020 911 arriving later this year, and the need to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak. This said it\u2019s not like a redesigned GT2 RS will be available immediately upon the new 911\u2019s arrival, which means we\u2019ll likely see plenty of additional racetrack records smashed soon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Until that happens, enjoy some record-breaking videos below:
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\nPorsche 911 GT2 RS sets production car lap record at Road America \u2013 David Donohue onboard camera (2:25):
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