There are real perks to being a minor YouTube celebrity. Jeffrey Cook’s thrilling driving, often done in Porsches but also in a variety of Corvettes, McLarens, and Camaros, has endeared him to a sizable following. He’s even had one horrifying clip featured on daytime TV. Being well-known means he’s often recognized, and after a fellow racer offered him the keys to a 991 Cup, Cook had to pinch himself. To further sweeten the deal, he had his shot with this 8,700-rpm screamer at one of the best circuits in the world—and a McLaren P1 to play with. It’s hard to complain when your stars align like that.
“The GT3 Cup Car feels nothing like the GT3 or GT3 RS. The Cup Car is completely immersive and brought me back to the old racing days. It instantly felt alive and alert with the sound of the incredible motor and ridiculous transmission, which sounds straight out of a video game,” Cook enthuses.
The sound, response, and obvious power (check the slides out of Turn 2 for evidence of that) of the 4.0 flat-six is something which gives YouTubers watching at their desk a mild buzz. With 485 horsepower propelling just 2,700 pounds, the GT3 Cup clocks 147 miles an hour at the end of Laguna’s front straightaway. As impressive as that sounds, it’s downright sluggish in comparison to the black beast from Woking.
Despite wearing worn tires, the 911’s inherent traction gives it the edge in corner exits. Photo credit: Got Blue Milk
However, can a racing car run with the best of the latest hypercars at a track known to reward prodigious power outputs? Once McLaren’s turbo power takes over and the active wing drops, there’s simply no contest. Just witness the way this GT3 Cup is made to look like a Miata when the P1 gets the chance to stretch its legs (1:36).
Where the racing car comes back is in minimum speeds and corner exits. The weight and inherent traction of the 911 helps it fire out of corners just a bit quicker than the torque monster ahead, despite having that electric response. It’s visible through Cook’s inputs that, after a few laps with the Cup Car, he can generate real speed out of the corners while the rears spin and the revs spike.
These thrilling few laps, almost like something from Gran Turismo, make you want to sell an organ. Once again, Mr. Cook, we salute you.