Jason that photo is absolutely hillarious...

 

Great post Can!

This also confirms that our cars are way more capable than most of us can handle.

The first mod for anyone taking their cars to the track is themselves, not the cars.

 

You're right; Cass knows how to drive. When I was at PSDS a couple years ago w/ him at Barber Motorsport. My personal instructor was Doc Bundy. He can drive, too.

 

When I was at my first PSDS (High performance), Cass took me for a ride in the Cayenne Turbo S and man, he had that thing slipping and sliding around the corners and we almost kept up with another instructor giving a ride to some poor sap in a C2S! My eyes were like this the whole time!

You're right, cannga, they really do a good job with transitioning from going to stopping while keeping the momentum going! I've gotten MUCH better myself at doing that because of all the driving schools I've been going to and of course lots of practice myself too. There's nothing better than practice, lots of it!

 

I have to say that was one crazy ride! And I've had some crazy rides, Bill Auberlin at the BMW M school, Cass Whitehead and Daniel Eastman at PSDS, a lap of Nurburgring in the BMW Ring Taxi and another ride on the ring in a BMW M3 CSL.

With Hurley Haywood in the BRAND NEW! GT-3 I stopped looking at the speedo on the straight when we hit 123 mph and he still hadn't started to brake for the corner. I swear my feet were sticking out of the grille I was stomping on "my brake pedal" so hard. "Terrified" doesn't begin to describe how I felt going into that corner.

Can, you're right we'd be lucky to be able to drive at .5 tenths. I'm more like .2 tenths on my best day. I've said it before and I'll say it again the turbo is way to much car for the average weekend warrior, but it's a fun challenge. If I had it to do over I'd have bought a Carrera 2S.

 

It was a fun event!!
The drivers there:
Cass Whitehead
John Lewis
Owen Trinkler
Peter Litzenberger

Rode and drove with all of them throughout the day. Peter was funning with me pulling the e-brake momentarily through some of the turns getting the car to step out on me.

I'll see Cass & Owen at the PSDS 3 day class next week.

If you have never attended a PSDS course at Barber Motorsports Park, don't think about it just sign-up!!!!

 

was this at AAA Speedway in Fontana?

I'm going to the one sponsored by Rusnak this weekend.

 

sounds like you had fun. I need to attend one of these events

 

It was a dealer invite event at Hollywood Park near LAX

 

Yes I very highly recommend it. Initially I came solely for testing the Cayman's mid-engine layout and PDK. As it turned out, the highlight by far was the drive by the instructor. It was at once humbling, instructional, and eye-opening.
I used to think these guys are just crazy. Now I know they are crazy *and* have exceptional skills I can't hope to even approach.

When I think about it, it's so obvious why the skill discrepancy is so high. Even though we drive our cars daily, or even take them to the track, we could never test and experiment the way these professionals do. I mean, anyone of us could ill afford the consequences (financial or otherwise) of even ONE experiment going wrong. So inherent talent + repetition + experience + free tires & track + varying degree of craziness = out of this world skill level.

 

Does anyone know if the same event is going on this weekend in Fontana?

 

Ok this might have just answered my question. I got invited by Porsche Downtown LA but I lost the letter. So I was trying to make sure it was at AAA speedway. Know which gate to enter?

 

I had this same experience today at the Festival of speed in Fontana also going on tomorrow ,well worth the price of admission of only $10.00 .Those drivers really tear it up ,i was hanging on to the edge of my seat for both laps.That PDK is promising i think once you get used to it ,i put it in auto on my 2nd lap so i could concentrate on the turns.

 

Agreed, upgrading the driver is the most benificial mod that you can do. PDE is an excellent driving school. I just have returned from a 3 day racing school by BERTIL ROOS, at VIR. The cars are scania formula 2000 open wheel. Awesome fun, great insturction, highly reccomended. This school would be aq great progresion after PDE, or for anyone looking for a very intensive driver / racing training program. Video to follow when I get a chance to post it.

 

After yesterdays experience with PDE i am convinced i need some training ,& going to look into an actual course somewhere,any suggestions in CA anyone.