Chio/Yeung's Cayman WERC Debut Proves the Platform's Potential

Moving into a new WERC season with a new car posed a few problems for Patrick Chio and Gary Yeung. Their trusty 350Z was no longer enough. Although they found it reliable, fairly affordable, and forgiving, they couldn’t ignore its weight and its lack of power any longer.

So they found a replacement. One with better traction, a better weight distribution, and the potential for a championship.

On the other side of the country, a modified 987 Cayman S was looking for a new owner. The car had a few things going for it: the engine in the right place, JRZ dampers, and a PDK gearbox. True, it hadn’t really been race-tested and the platform was basically unknown to them, but this track-prepped Porsche was on sale at the right price, so they decided to take the leap.

The first month with the new car would best be described as fumbling in the dark. Not many teams on the West Coast had run a Cayman successfully, and so the search for finding trustworthy sources for setups and tuning information was challenging. Nevertheless, their first test at Sonoma confirmed it had everything the smaller, mid-engined platform promised.

Not Quite Ready

Some of the parts had been through the ringer already, so they spent some time replacing things—including those pricey JRZs. A set of MCS coilovers in their place, a set of GT3 control arms, GT3 Cup brake ducts, taller wing supports, another TPMS, AIM MXS, and several sets of springs.

“The German engineering is surprising—all the arms are the same. You don’t need as many spares, I guess,” Patrick reported.

Fewer spares is a good thing, because the parts for this car are much pricier than the Nissan stuff they could sometimes grab at a junkyard. While a used VQ35 can be found for $1,500, another 9A1 requires you move the decimal point one digit to the right. At least they won’t have to worry about overevving this motor, since the gearbox won’t let him.

Adjusting to Paddles

A Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe has its perks: shorter shifts, freeing the left foot for braking, and no confusion about being in between gears in the middle of a corner. However, the PDK, in addition to being 100 pounds heavier than the standard six-speed, incurs one of two penalties to fit within the WERC BOP: either 300 additional pounds or 30 fewer horsepower.

Those setbacks weren’t much of a concern since the PDK’s gearing and shift times more than make up for them, but the gearbox proved more troublesome than they’d anticipated.

During their first race with the Porsche, they got a graphic demonstration of its strengths and weaknesses. The straightline speed and stability—two things which count for a lot at Auto Club Speedway—were enough to carry them through Turn 1 at 150 miles an hour without a single surprise shimmy. Those qualities also invited the Porsche to the party at the sharp end of the six-car pack for the first two hours.

Thirty minutes before the checkered flag was set to fly, they were fighting for a class win—when the gearbox suddenly shit the bed. Too much heat had put the PDK into a limp mode; confining them to use of fourth gear until the transmission cooled several laps later.

Thankfully, their luck continued, despite the gearbox gremlins. An injury in the pits took the only available ambulance; thus forcing an early checker. They still managed to finish second—an auspicious result for a glorified shakedown.

If they want to win the WERC Championship this year, they’ll have to sort cooling out—not only for the gearbox, but for the engine, power steering, and the brakes as well. Limited real estate and a lack of information will force them to try some innovative approaches to invite the right amount of chilly air through the car. A better set of springs to help direction change are on the to-do list, too—as is a diet plan.

Surprisingly, the little Porsche weighs in at 3,000 pounds with the driver, while the main rivals—BMW E36s and E46s—are nearly 200 pounds lighter. That difference in heft translated to less time in the pits: the BMWs changed their tires once in the 2.5 hour race, while the Cayman needed to stop twice for reshodding.

Assuming they can solve those issues, they stand a chance at taking the title. Better traction, a sharper front end, the ability to rotate with a brief lift, and unbelievable braking performance will put the car into a more competitive position than the Z ever enjoyed—and that car finished second in the standings last year.