The Porsche Driving school was an amazing experience. Anyone who hasn't taken a true driving class should really do it if they really want to understand the beauty of this car when it comes to performance. I learned quite a bit and I've owned 3 carreras! Loved it and enjoyed being in Alabama!

I took the 2 day Performance Course (first level) last month. It was two days. 1 hour of instruction per day, 7-8 hours of track per day. This is divided into actual track time on the gorgeous Skip Barber track (2.3 miles, 16 turns), autocross (where they set up a slalom like course and teach you how to drive it as fast as possible without hitting cones and a skid pad (think asphalt football field with sprinklers). We left the resort at 7am and arrived at the track at 7:30. The bus ride comfortable and a lou of chatting along the way. Ate breakfast at the track, class and then drove til 5pm. We drove Boxter S and Spyder models in the autocross. Cayman S and, primarily, Carrera S models on the track. It was a follow the leader format except on the autocross where you drove ***** out! They grouped you in groups of 4s based on skill level after driving with you on the track. The instructors drove Turbos. The highest speed I could get to on the straightaways was ~115. At the end of the course the drivers took you for some hot laps in the Turbos driving to their maximum abilities. Oh my gosh! It was like a carnival ride!! I had no idea the car was meant to be driven so hard and braked in such a manner!! It was a major highlight of the class!

I drove a PDK throughout. If you wanted a manual, you got one.

Simply a blast. Well organized and much learned form the Porsche drivers. All the Porsche drivers I met thought the manual was great but the PDK was the only way to buy a Porsche these days if you wanted to shift and drive fast. But again, their frame of reference was performance. They did teach heal and toe, however. Not as easy as it looks.

THe meals were first class and the one big dinner featured great wines, filet, halibut and a venue that made for a perfect 2 days. Every angle was covered. The instructors and drivers were professional, knowledgeable and could drive like I have never seen. The track reminded me of Augusta National. Perfectly manicured, clean and a wild ride with great elevations changes and turns.

I left learning how to turn, brake, when to accelerate out of a turn and how to better manage wet pavement. Basically, we all left learning to drive not only better but faster!

Each time you went to the track, the goal was to drive faster, turn faster, brake harder and push yourself and your car to its limits.

They weaved in driving competitions, timed events and prizes for the best drivers and groups. This made it a bit competitive which added to the fun experience. Everyone I met there was so excited to be there. In fact, only 3/4 of the class even owned Porsches. All were Porsche enthusiasts through and through. We drank a lot of beer and wine the 3 nights we stayed and had some late evenings. All a great time. I don't think I've had so much fun since I was a kid!@

Our team won the skid pad competition, win a prize, and there was a great amount of camaraderie. A fun and diverse group.

In the end, they gave you a video of your laps around the track with a camera view out the front, internally on the driver showing the tach and speedometer.

I thought I knew how to drive having owned 3 Porsches. But I learned that I knew very little. A fantastic experience.
Highly recommended!!

(I'll be back for the masters course next summer).

 

sounded like a great time!

 

WOW awesome story, seems that you have a great time .

 

It reminds me of my experience when my wife gave me a birthday gift to the Richard Petty race track. It was a great experience to drive the cars ourselves and to drive it with the instructors. At the end of the experience there was two of us that had gotten the Kings package, which meant we could go for 4-5 more laps. You should have seen the face of disappointment of the rest of the group. Some people started complaining to the instructors, but they were told that we had purchased a different package.

I never forget the grin I had that day. I felt like a kid all over again. It was the best experience in a long time.

Do you guys have the information of the Porsche's driving experience. I would love to try it one of these days.

 

Just go to the porscheusa.com website and click on events.

I went with a couple of other 6speeders in feb 11' and we loved it. We are planning on doing the masters in Sept.

The heel/toe was a motherf'er, I dont own a manual to practice with, I have PDK. But I used the manual cars the whole time I was there. And after they TRIED to teach us (Haywood seemed really annoyed with us because no one learned it well) I kept trying it on the track and I never got it right and it just f'ed up my braking time and hitting my apexes in the turns. I wont give up until I get it, stupid me never realized why the car got so squirrley when I down shifted when braking really hard. The school made me realize what it seems everyone else already knew, you have to rev match the engine to the lower gears rpm or the tires will buck!!!

 

did you meet daniel? he was my favorite when i went

 

Best school out there IMO. I have done the entire program up thru the racing license course, well worth it. Next the Cup car school....

 

I had precision and performance at one go the best modd I ever did to my car.

G force will be my next

 

Definitley my favorite. I think he was everyone's favorite.

 

My guess is mancrush b/c of his Brazilian accent

 

 

Awesome experience....I think It could help you hard in the everyday's drive!

 

Awesome.

I would love to do this sometime.

 

Thanks for the write up! Sounds like a blast.

 

I'm going end of Aug cant wait..................