Video - First, but Not Last Porsche Sport Driving School

2009-06-10

by Jack Merrell and Steve Farnham It was cool, rainy (moderate to heavy) and windy. Those were the weather conditions that welcomed us to the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL for the Porsche Sport Driving School. We arrived the day before with our wives, Sherry and Sandy, who were also to be our official photographers, observers and cheerleaders. We met up with Jack’s longtime friends, Bill and Eileen, from Northern Virginia and prepared for two wonderful days of exploiting the reasonable limits of Porsches and our driving skills. Short and very informative classroom sessions started each day. The instruction in class and on the track was provided by skilled professionals with impressive racing backgrounds. As mentioned, the first day was wet and windy which proved to be a plus as we focused on driving quickly in poor conditions. Track time, maneuvering exercises, wet (no joke) skid pad training and an autocross challenge made for a busy day. We were all safe on the track and learned some important wet driving techniques that allowed us to go quickly when not in full touch with the pavement. It is important to note that in the basic course all the track time uses the “follow the leader” technique with an instructor in the lead car and speeds increasing as skill level does. There were also laps with the instructor riding with us and us with them. The instruction was outstanding and we all quickly climbed the learning curve. On the skid pad we immediately learned the limits of the Carrera and our skills as we negotiated the course and of course inadvertently practiced spinning the car. By the way, PSM is great when they let us use it and it stands for “Please save me.” On the very wet autocross course, Jack produced the fastest time of the day for the entire class (but wait, the best from the autocross is yet to come). A continental breakfast and fantastic hot lunches were provided each day at the track as well as an excellent dinner party the first night. We had our own celebration dinner party the last night. The second day started wet but the track quickly dried, the temperature was warmer and the sun even appeared from time to time. Again, a short classroom session after breakfast explained the day’s activities and included more “tidbits for success.” A dry track meant we could run faster and we did. Since there was no rain, sprinklers were activated to make sure the skid pad was just that, very slippery. The difference was that we were timed through a course. None of our team earned the fastest time, but we learned and had a great time laughing at each other’s sliding mistakes. I need to digress and mention the team thing. Upon arrival the first morning we were split into teams (or groups) and we went through every exercise and track session with our group. Our group was Steve, Jack and his friend Bill. A very nice lady, Kathleen joined us. We were also told to select a team name for the second afternoon autocross challenge. Well, with a good looking lady, semi-handsome Steve and then two members of the “Medicare crowd,” Bill and Jack, what else could we call ourselves but Kathleen and the old farts. Don’t laugh yet you young folks. In the afternoon they explained the autocross challenge. It included three continuous timed laps for each team member that would be added together to get a team time; sounds simple. Oh, an added item. The first team member started in the car and ran their laps to a stop box at the end of their third lap. Then, they would quickly get out, walk (they would not let us run) over and tag the next team member who had to walk back to the car, get in, strap in and go. After three laps they would stop in the box and the driver change would be repeated for the next team member. These pit stop, driver changes were also timed and added to the overall team time. There were six teams in the class and the results were kept secret until the closing class session. Our team completed the challenge with no penalty cones for any of our combined twelve runs and none of us fell during the driver changes. WOW. After the autocross it was back to the track for more laps, ever faster. By the way, by now our grins were clearly “ear to ear” and permanent. To close out the track time we each got a hot lap with an instructor driving a 911 Turbo. After only one turn we all knew we had to come back to get faster. They literally flew around the course. A hot lap in a Cayenne turbo demonstrated what a great performer that vehicle is and made clear if a Cayenne shows up at your next autocross, don’t laugh, it may beat you. “It’s not your Daddy’s SUV.” While on the Cayenne, we each were taken to the woods to drive a Cayenne off road . . . more exactly, off the world, as we know it. Up and down muddy 60-degree inclines and of course fjording a 30” deep stream, don’t open the door. The car is flat amazing. Back to the closing classroom session where they announced the autocross winners. After much harassment the final results were posted and Kathleen and the old farts were presented the winner’s prizes. Additionally, Steve won fastest time of the day and Jack was a half second back for second and third as two of his laps had identical times. The bottom line is that this is a fun course and a great learning opportunity that is safely and professionally run. Each and every instructor is “top notch” and the logistics are Porsche quality. Steve, Bill and Jack all came away with improved driving skills, an even clearer understanding of what fantastic vehicles Porsche makes and the sincere appreciation to our wives for letting us play with expensive toys. Two final thoughts, I asked about maintenance as these cars are exercised to their limits about 150 days a year. I was told that they rarely have a mechanical issue but brake pads are regularly changed and Michelin PS2 tires last about 1000 miles. The other thought is it is no surprise that the last night all three of us were already planning when we would be back for the Masters course THIS YEAR and the wives all said yes.