Racing Weekend..... My Turn

WOO HOO!!!!!  I cannot wipe this smile off my face!  Boy that sure was fun!!!!

Joe and I took the porsche to the track this weekend for a "Drivers Education Event", which really means you are learning to drive your car on the racetrack, without speed limits, but under very controlled supervision, safety is the first rule, and regulation helmets are required for both students and Instructors.  And it really is racing!  WOO HOO!!!!

There are 5 Class levels.....

Instructor level - gets to drive on the track all day Friday (all other classes only drive on Sat and Sun), and other than when he/she is driving with their student, they can drive in any session.

Class A - do not have Instructors riding with them or assigned to them, but only can drive in the Class A sessions.

Class B -  has an Instructor assigned to them, but can be signed off to drive solo and can only run in Class B sessions.

Class C - has an Instructor assigned to them, can only drive in Class C sessions, but can be signed off to drive solo on Sunday runs.

Class D - has an Instructor assigned to them for the entire event, this is the novice class

Class levels B, C and D have two 1-hour actual in the classroom sessions with another Instructor both on Sat and on Sun.  There are LOTS of rules, all common sense and safety rules.... and like in golf, there are also rules of respect.  So while it is 'racing' your car, it is also very hands on teaching you how to handle your particular car and drive it to it's absolute peak.  And what you learn in these classes and events carry with you on everyday street driving.  Plus..... it is just SCREAMING fun, both as a spectator and as a participant.

This was my first 'participant' experience, but I have been a spectator at many events.  LOVED it!!!!  My only expectation was to go out and learn how to really drive Joe's porsche..... did not expect to pass anyone, expected everyone to pass me..... didn't expect to drive solo, and I didn't expect to feel so calm when I was driving.  But I DID pass several people, and I DID drive solo on the last session on Sunday, at my Instructor's request, and I WAS sooooo calm the whole time.  I did very well, surprising even myself.  It was soooo much fun too!!!  Even solo I was calm and having fun.  The highest speed I got up to on the back straight was 100 MPH, Joe gets up to 140 MPH.  I am sooo ready to go do this again!!!!

Each driving session is 20 minutes long, but it feels like only 5 minutes before the checkered flag comes out.  Everyone is disappointed when their driving session is over, and all can't wait for their next driving session to begin.  For safety reasons, you have to drive with both the drivers window and the passenger window wide open, rain or not!  Thank goodness for hinnie heaters!!!!  However..... being as cold and windy as it was, you are concentrating and focusing soooo hard on driving the right line, you don't notice either the rain, wind or cold..... amazingly!

It was sooooo BRRRRR cold this weekend too..... 47 degrees being our highest temp.... it rained all day Saturday, making the track slick and wet, causing 17 spinouts, which I think was a record, but no one was hurt and no cars were hurt.... they have the track well padded and lots of sand traps to prevent injury or car repairs, but it has happened before that cars got damaged.  I drove it exactly as my Instructor said and I did just fine, but that experience taught me how to drive on wet and/or slick roads in everyday driving.  I am completey stunned that I actually passed a few people and that my Instructor wanted me to drive solo on my last session.  Having an Instructor is priceless, but once you have learned the track and the line to drive (there is a different line for driving when conditions are wet and for when the track is dry) driving solo is really super fun!

There is just nothing like feeling the car slide around a curve or the sound of the screetching tires as the car takes sharp curves and KNOWING you are in full control of the vehicle.  WOO HOO...... that about sums it up....... WOO HOO!!!!

During the 2 hour breaks in between driving sessions and when I wasn't in the classroom, I was reading the biography of Julia Child "Appetite for Life" which is finally a book about who she was from birth to her late 80's..... the book was written prior to her death.  Wonderful book..... exactly what I was looking for.  Her and Paul's story is truly an amazing tale and one that includes many, many, many well known people, from dignitaries, to celebrities, and to other Chef legends.  Fascinating!

Au Revoir