Today I went to The Collection Motorsport because i wanted to thank the guys at Evoms for their role in making my turbo the best car I ever owned . I got to see their 1200 car , and the PDK turbo Evoms car and it was a great time. Even though i arrived late there were also a lot of local drivers .

I must say that I was blown away by the Evoms cars . Awesome !!! As we chatted aboit 1 mile runs and drag strip events I think i realized that this was the area of driving that i find most exciting. I guess I am a Turbo guy at heart .. but i still haven't given up on the Gt3 either .

After meeting Todd I sat with a few local guys and discussed my recent ideas of the track . Both of them are accomplished drivers and have multiple cars. After i shared some of the points made on the forum I pointed to my pdK car.

One guy looked at it and said (paraphrasing)

"Larry if you want to get on the track , take the class with THEIR cars , buy a cheap track car and have fun . One day you can upgrade and even buy a used older cup car but to take this beautiful street car to the track makes no sense . As much as porsche promotes the track events these cars really are made for the street and you will find it out within a few laps after the brakes go , or the car gets scuffed with rubber debris , or some warning light comes on . If you really want to drive the car the way it ought to be enjoyed there are streets in europe where one can drive through twisty mountains with higher speed limits and experience a lot more of a driving adventure with what really is a street car. We were thinking about shipping our cars and doing this as a vacation as a group thing."

He went on to say
"I have several cars and some of them are track purpose built, call me and I can take two of my cars and you can use one. "

He also added --
"A 1 mile run in that Turbo puts a lot less wear than a day running laps on the track with that PDK car."

 

Larry

I agree..........If u had a track car , I think u would be less tentative withit.A rub against armco or whatever wouldnt effect u as much as a rub with the 997. I remember reading a post from u once that a bug landed on your car and u washed it at 3 AM. LOL I thought if this bothered u , u would have a small baby if somethin happened to the 997
I think that was a great gesture on his part 2 offer u his ride. Thumbs up

Jim

 

Ok, I can't help myself! I'm going to jump in!

Our cars are designed with street driving in mind with a great performance for both situations on track and street. While they are not cup cars designed solely for the track, they are very reliable and don't break down easily.

It is absolutely certain that tracking your car causes some wear, but there won't be any engine lights coming on. There will be certain wear on the brakes (both rotors and pads), tires. Depending on how much you push your car the wear will be more.

For the rubber scuff marks, any car wash can take them off. For that purpose I have advised clear bra on the car. Doing a DE event here and there will certainly not do any harm to the car.

I'm sorry but what the guy said doesn't make any sense to me since a beginner can not push the car to the limits to wear it out so much. Doing a mistake and possibility of an accident is a different scenario...

 

He didn't say not to track the car . He said not to track a NEW Porsche . Instead he felt that taking a new Porsche to Europe on a vacation to drive through the mountains and on roads with higher speed limits was the better route.

Fluids . pads. smudges, and service costs are the cars way of aging accelerated . I am even factoring out accidents because those can happen anywhere .

 

So does your car fall into the "New" category? I think from it falls into it, resulting in not tracking your car.

If you upgrade the fluid to something with a high boiling point (Motul RBF 660 suggested), it will last about 5-6 DE events. The rest of the parts are replaceable. If you don't really push it to the limit, the car will not age.

 

I've wrestled with "to track or not to track" . Part of me thinks it wold be fun to learn the skills and take my car but I think i would have more fun spending thar same money driving on European roads where they are built for these cars to go faster.

To go to the track I have to take the courses , learn the skills , wear out my car, and i probably will never compete . I am just too old .

On the other hand there isn't too much skill to a 1 mile event and it doesn't wear on the car .. and my car might even do well.

Having thse cars is simply about balancing the fun .
I still haven't ruled out the track though --but i am considering the other choices too.

 

Come on, quit posting about it and just get the car on the track. It's a lot of fun and it's the whole advantage of owning these cars. Remember "racing not posing" ? You won't believe how great it is until you do it. Running on the track at a PCA DE at level 1 is not hard on the car. The cars are meant to be driven!!

 

You can take the course on the track, hence called High Performance Drivers Education. My first time was a DE event with PCA. They provide class sessions and instructors.

To go to a DE event you need:

-Tech inspection
-Helmet ($400 approx.)
-Brake flush ($300-400)
-Fee for DE event ($300 approx.)

For the 1 mile event, you go to bed at like 3-4 AM. Get on the highway at the middle of the night, and have a blast (just being sarcastic). You can pretty much do it anytime.

The track is much more fun. Just try it for once!

 

I won't do this . Even on the track a 1 mile run can spin out. That car is incredible though and there are other clips of it breaking records. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPWPm4wJG0k



I liked this one --wow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk9vM...eature=related

 

One of the ways I decide to do something is:

Will I learn something?
Will it make a good story?
Will it be a burden financially?

I strongly feel you are shortchanging yourself by not going to the track, especially based on your love of automobiles and all things Porsche. If you do not want to take your car, then participate in a driving course with provided cars.

Tony Robbins has a funny story where a woman came up to him after a seminar. She was so motivated to exercise after the speech that she told him how she was going to get home, find the best trainers, set up the ideal exercise plan, figure out the best diet, and get all the proper equipment to implement the perfect exercise plan. Tony said to her, "With all due respect, ma'am, all you need right now is to get out on the sidewalk with someone behind you yelling 'RUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN!!!!!!'!

You obviously can afford this. JUST. DO. IT. You can read all you want about how to drive a car, but you never really understand it unless you do it. Same goes for the track and a million other activities. If you don't go, the story ends here.

 

With all respect...

Just do it once, you feel fun and like it, do more.

If not your cup of tea, forget it. This way, you will get your own peace of mind at least.

 

Larry,
Take him up on his offer.....If he didnt mean it , he wouldnt of said it. Then see if you want to go on, and possibly go 2 the next level. JUST DO IT!

Hell, i will offer Ed's car to u to drive,and pay for your plane ticket to get u to Vancouver! LOL

 

"1 mile runs and drag strip events I think i realized that this was the area of driving that i find most exciting"

Do both? Like mentioned, rent a car (or borrow) and do a track day...

Regards to your note above. You are not assured your car won't brake nor crash at a dreagstrip in a straight line. I have seen many of blown up tranny's and wall drags at the 1/4 mile track. You will also put some wear on the car. I am just stating that this use (I love the dragstrip....) in no ways negates many of the fears/concerns you posted about a track day.

Do both and report back..... drag is fun, its like a nice appitizier....a track day is a full blown 4 course meal

have fun......

 

The more I read about this, the more I think that the Porsche School in Birmingham is the best option. Sign up and go. You'll drive cars similar to yours, get some track experience, get some great instruction, and you won't need to worry about messing up your car.
Register for a class in Sept or Oct when weather is cooler. You have the coin, so you have no excuse.

 

Just a random thought...There's a reason why "never been tracked" is used as a selling point in the description for a used Porsche.

J