Real-World Test: 718 GT4 RS LabRat Performance Package Delivers 5-Second Gain at COTA
Every track day driver dreams of chasing that perfect lap — the one where everything clicks, the car feels like an extension of your body, and you cross the line knowing you couldn’t have gone a tenth faster. For Barry Minor, a passionate Porsche 718 GT4 RS owner, fueled by one goal: match or beat Pro Driver Randy Pobst’s lap time at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
With his stock GT4 RS, a data logger, and a burning desire to improve, Barry quickly discovered the car’s limitations. Curbs unsettled it. High-speed corners felt sketchy. And tire wear exposed flaws in the factory setup. The potential was there — but unlocking it would take a complete transformation, both for the car and the driver.
That’s where Dundon Motorsports’ 718 GT4 RS Lab Rat Performance Package came in. Over the next 8 months, Barry installed Dundon’s track-proven suspension, aero, and exhaust upgrades, while reprogramming his driving technique to exploit his new setup fully. The result? A personal-best lap time faster than Randy’s, and a GT4 RS transformed from nervous to planted — a car that could attack COTA’s infamous S’s and Carousel with total confidence.
This is more than a modification story. It’s a real-world case study in what happens when cutting-edge engineering meets relentless driver commitment. If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible with your GT4 RS — this is the story you need to read.
He told his story in a video on his channel — @ItsTrackTime and we decided to share this story on our blog.
The Starting Point: Stock GT4 RS vs. COTA
On paper, the Porsche 718 GT4 RS is a track monster right out of the box. With a screaming 4.0-liter flat-six, lightweight chassis, and Nürburgring pedigree, it’s easy to think this car doesn’t need a thing to dominate. But as Barry Minor quickly discovered, driving at the limit on a world-class circuit like COTA exposes every weakness the stock car brings to the table.
Curbs That Launch You — Not Confidence-Inspiring
At COTA, fast laps demand aggressive use of curbs — especially through the Esses and technical sections like Turns 3 through 9. With the stock suspension, every curb strike unsettled the car, sending Barry into a fight to regain control instead of powering through. The suspension was too stiff for curbs, yet too soft for precision cornering, leaving him stuck in a frustrating middle ground.
Aero That Can’t Keep Up
High-speed sections like the back straight and the Carousel (Turns 16-18) revealed another issue — the stock aero simply didn’t generate enough downforce to make the car feel stable at speed. At 140+ mph, Barry wasn’t sure if the rear end would stick or step out — not exactly the confidence you need to chase lap records.
Alignment & Tire Wear Problems
Even with a basic track alignment, Barry’s tires were getting chewed up — especially on the outer edges. The factory suspension geometry just wasn’t aggressive enough for proper tire management at track speeds. That meant slower lap times, inconsistent handling, and tires that were toast far too quickly.
When Passion Meets Limitations
Despite Barry’s driving ability and growing familiarity with COTA, the stock car’s inconsistency held him back. One lap might feel decent — the next, a curb strike or a moment of high-speed instability would wreck the lap entirely. And after every weekend, his tires told the same story: uneven wear, wasted rubber, lost potential.
That’s when Barry knew — if he wanted to match Randy’s blistering 2:18.94 lap, the car needed serious help. Stock wasn’t going to cut it.
Enter the LabRat Package: A Complete System, Engineered for the Track
When Barry set his sights on beating Randy Pobst’s lap time at COTA, he didn’t want random bolt-ons or a “piecemeal” build. He needed a fully integrated system, designed to work together, engineered for real track performance, and backed by data from serious on-track development. That’s exactly what he found with Dundon Motorsports’ LabRat Performance Package — a turnkey upgrade suite built specifically for the Porsche 718 GT4 RS.
What’s Inside the LabRat Package?
This isn’t just an exhaust or just a suspension kit — it’s everything the GT4 RS needs to thrive at the limit:
🔧 GT4RS Street Header and V11 Muffler Package
A full exhaust upgrade — from headers to tips — tuned to optimize pressure and scavenging, unlocking horsepower and throttle response without introducing CEL’s or compromises. Track-ready and street-drivable.
🔧 Dundon by MCS 3-Way Suspension
Big downforce, balanced perfectly. The package includes:
— Large rear wing for high-speed grip.
— Full-width front splitter to match the rear and keep the car balanced.
— Dive planes for added front-end authority through high-speed sections like the Carousel.
🔧 Dundon Track Day Setup Package + Alignment Guidance
Dundon doesn’t just sell parts — they deliver complete setup guidance, based on real-world track testing. Camber, caster, toe, ride height — it’s all part of the formula. Barry’s final setup was a direct collaboration between Dundon and his installer, Blacksheep, blending Dundon’s data-driven recommendations with his personal driving style and track surface demands.
Why a Full-System Approach Matters — Expert Insight from Ted, Dundon Motorsports Test Driver
“Most people think you can just bolt on a few parts and go faster. That’s not how it works — not if you want a car that’s actually faster and easier to drive at the limit.
What makes the LabRat Package different is that every part is developed and tested as part of a system. The suspension, aero, exhaust — they all work together. The suspension handles the curbs, the aero keeps the car planted at speed, and the alignment ties it all together so the tires work correctly.
When you do it this way, the car doesn’t just get faster — it gets easier to drive fast. Confidence goes up, and lap times come down. That’s what we design for, and that’s exactly what Barry felt when he put the package to work at COTA.”
— Ted, Development Driver at Dundon Motorsports
First Impressions — Confidence from the First Lap
After the install, Barry’s first track session told the story:
— Curbs that once launched the car into chaos? Now absorbed with ease.
— High-speed sections where the rear felt light? Now planted and stable.
— Corners where he had to leave speed on the table? Now full-send confidence.
With the LabRat Package installed and dialed in, the car felt like it was built for COTA, not just capable of surviving it. Every part worked in harmony, giving Barry the confidence to drive like a pro — even if he still considered himself a passionate amateur.
The Process: Setup, Adaptation & Learning to Trust the Car
Installing the LabRat Performance Package was just the first step for Barry. To fully unlock its potential, the car had to be set up correctly — and Barry had to reprogram his driving to match the new capabilities.
Setup Drama: The Alignment Story
After the install, Barry’s first alignment session revealed a harsh truth — even small mistakes in setup could completely undo the package’s benefits. A poorly-calibrated alignment rack left the car out of spec, costing him grip and confidence at his next track weekend. It was a painful but valuable lesson — hardware only works if the setup matches the engineering.
Adapting Behind the Wheel
With proper alignment restored, Barry faced a new challenge — learning to trust the car. The suspension could take curbs flat out, but his instincts still said “lift.” The aero could hold through fast sweepers, but his muscle memory wasn’t there yet. It took dedicated seat time to recalibrate his driving style — but with each lap, his trust grew, and the lap timer told the story.
What started as frustration turned into confidence — and ultimately, faster laps than he ever thought possible.
Real-World Results: Data Don’t Lie
Lap times don’t care about opinions. They don’t lie, they don’t exaggerate — they simply reveal the truth. For Barry Minor, the truth was written in the stopwatch.
Before: The Stock
In stock form with only a mild track alignment and upgraded tires, Barry’s best lap at COTA was a 2:23.36. Not bad — but over 4 seconds off Randy Pobst’s 2:18.94 benchmark in the same car. Worse yet, the car felt inconsistent — fast laps felt like luck, not something repeatable.
After: LabRat Package Installed & Dialed
With the full LabRat Performance Package installed, professionally aligned, and paired with Barry’s refined driving technique, everything changed. By the end of his next series of track weekends, Barry laid down a 2:18.59 — faster than Randy’s time, and a full 4.7 seconds quicker than his own personal best in stock form. On the exact same tires!
Daily Driving with the LabRat Package
While the LabRat Performance Package was built to dominate the track, Barry also got the chance to experience how it felt off track — on the street, during transport, and in between events. And the verdict? Surprisingly livable, especially considering how much more capable the car became.
The MCS suspension, despite its track focus, didn’t turn the GT4 RS into an unbearable street car. It added the compliance needed for curbs, which translated into a more settled, confident feel over rougher pavement. Even on public roads, Barry could tell the car had more grip and better composure, without the overly stiff, nervous ride that some aftermarket coilovers deliver.
The aero upgrades, while aggressive, also didn’t compromise everyday usability. There’s no mention of clearance issues, scraping, or unbearable noise in Barry’s feedback. What stood out most, though, was how the confidence he gained on track carried over. Even simple drives between sessions felt more connected, with the car finally behaving like it was fully dialed into his inputs.
Final Verdict: What This Journey Really Shows
Barry’s story isn’t just about buying parts and going faster. It’s about understanding how deeply car setup, driving technique, and engineering all connect — and how unlocking a car’s true potential takes more than just adding horsepower or grip.
The LabRat Performance Package gave Barry the tools to transform his GT4 RS, but the real story is in how he learned to trust the car, trust the data, and trust himself.
• It started with frustration — a car that fought him on curbs, felt nervous at speed, and destroyed tires prematurely.
• It evolved through data analysis, simulator work, and honest self-assessment.
• It came together with a balanced package of hardware and setup — suspension, aero, alignment, and driving all working in harmony.
• And it ended, not with a “perfect” lap, but with a deep understanding of what the car could do — and how to work with it, not against it.
What Barry’s journey proves is something every track enthusiast can learn from: no part, no package, no power upgrade can replace the process of learning your car, adapting your technique, and building trust in the complete system — car, driver, and track.
This story isn’t about selling parts — it’s about showing that when engineering meets driver commitment, that’s when lap times fall and confidence grows.
For any GT4 RS owner pushing their car on track, this is the real takeaway: the faster you want to go, the deeper you need to understand not just what parts do, but how the car, driver, and setup all work together.