MJones

Just completed the PDE Masters...another GREAT 2 days that end all too quickly.

A couple of other multiple attendees, Colm & Richard and I were placed in the same run group that made for good fun and camaraderie. We won the Autocross challange and I got TTD with a 29.08.

It was HOT around 100° in Birmingham which make for interesting driving conditions when your tires get greasy and loose some grip, the differance was made very noticeable durring the last run session as a thunderstoem was moving in, the temp dropped by 15° and it was if I had a new car.

It is interesting to drive the Carrera with 18's and the Carrera S with 19's. I actually like the way the way the car feels a bit better with the 18's. Also interesting to go fron the Carrera with steel brakes to the "S" equiped with PCCB, yikes, a lap or two is required to make a braking adjustment with the increased phenominal stopping power.

Instruction is now more focused on finer tips of driving...smooth brake release, transition between brake and throtle...becoming more intune to the movements of the car, listening to the tires.

Rembering how exciting it was when I started and now when I drive it is calm almost to the point of being relaxing..light hands and no drama.

Below are a couple pics showing oil temp and blue rotors...

Consider doing PDE ( http://www.porschedriving.com/ ) and experience how really GREAT the marque that you drive is, as well, what it is capable of. You can't come close on a public road.
You will NOT be disapointed!!!

Can't wait till I do it again in Sept

gota911

MJones - It would probably be a lot cheaper if you just moved to Birmingham! Think of all the money you would save on gas, meals, and lodging!

Deanski

Oh you lucky bastard! It MUST have been a real blast to finally run the car the way it should and to learn how to drive it that way!

I see you liked the PCCB's. These things are so intense!

I'd love to do this for a week straight!

Maybe one day the wife would be nice enough to offer it and if not....well, I'll have to find a way to go as well.

Glad to hear you enjoyd it! Post more pics if you get a chance!

Regards,
Deanski

puako

MJones-Just completed the 2 day high performance driving class 6/13-6/14. Can't wait to do it again to reinforce all that I learned in those two days(lots of information to assimilate)! Did you go and do the masters right after the hpd, or did you do the hpd again? How does the format differ from hpd to the masters?
I found the instructions coming across the radio very distracting and made it hard to concentrate on driving. The overall experience was fantastic! Everything was first class! Just getting to drive all the different cars really made me realize how great all Porsche automobiles are!
I had such a great time. Even my wife is talking about coming back!


Aloha, Rayton

MJones

I've been doing PDE for a while now, my first was at Sebring in 2002, then I did a back to back HPD, Masters back to back in 2003 at Barber.

The Masters is more in depth with lead and follow on day one and on the second day you are on the track for a couple lead follows and on your own for 3 - 30min sessions... for a cumulative total of 200+ miles on track.

Sign-up and do it, you will learn

There are quite a few people who attend PDE multiple times, and you learn each and every time. Theres a whole lot to learn about driving fast.

Colm, Richard and myself combined have attended 28+ times and each of us will attend again.

Coochas

Talk about the hot oil treatment - Wow.
I'm going to have to get down there one day to see what all the hub bub is about.

tstafford

Do it - totally worth it. I have done one PDE and am about to attend a Chin Motorsports 1 day at Barber in July. Fun stuff.

ECS

MJones - As a fellow Masters class grad, it was great to hear your report. It reminded me how great a time I had there during the 996 era. I am very interested to hear a bit more about your thoughts regarding the "S" vs the base car. I just sold my GT3 and will now need some back seats (new family) so I am looking at a Carrera or "S".

Did you find the base car's standard suspension adequate on the track vs. the S's in sport mode? Or was there a significant difference? Did you find that the sport mode on the Chrono gives you noticeably more freedom to get the tail out a bit? I am thinking of going really light, thus the base Carrera with PCCBs and standard suspension. I would love your thoughts if you think the PASM and the extra horses are worth it.
Thanks,
ECS

tstafford

ECS - PASM and the horses are worth it IMHO.

puako

Mjones, Thank you for the great response. As you said there is a lot to know about going fast. There is a lot to unlearn from normal driving procedures that don't apply to high performance driving.
I did totally enjoy the class. The instructors were all great!

The PCCB brakes were amazing too!

Hope you have fun in Sept!

Aloha, Rayton

Bob in NY

Can you expand on your comments regarding 18" vs. 19" wheels?

MJones

In a word yes, the std suspension is fine, around Barber.

The Sport / PASM buttons are disabled on the "S" cars at PDE for a couple of reasons:
The PSM envelope on the 997 is wider than the 996...Sport mode widens it further and there is no need for a wider parameter to let students get into trouble. If your inputs are good there is no PSM intervention at speed.
Std suspension settings are fine at Barber, no need for "Sport".
PASM is an adaptive suspension that provides for automatic damper changes between normal /sport and vice versa depending upon conditions.

Getting the "tail out" is more of a low speed showboat maneuver and not applicable at Barber. There are only two low speed corners (Turns 5 & 8) and they are 40+ mph. There is plenty of room to "Rotate" the car. The idea is to get around the track as fast as possible, and getting the "tail out" is not one of them.
The "skid pad" exercises will prove that to you.
The rest are momentum corners where, when you get going, are in the
70+mph range. It's an interesting sensation to experience the car moving sideways (laterally) up to a foot. Not somthing you will likely experience on any public road.

There is some documentation that the wider "Sport PSM perameters" are for lower speeds :
"more individual freedom than before thanks to the further development
of its function logic. PSM deliberately waits until the last moment to
intervene, particularly at low speeds of up to around 70 km/h / 45 mph,
enabling more agile driving behaviour in tight corners."

Is the extra HP/Torque, PASM worth it?
More Power is always good, PASM works great. I own an "S", I like it!
Fact is that for every day driving you may not see the differance.
Performance stats show that the two cars in reality are within a few tenths of each other.

Sign-up for PDE and what I've said will become very clear.

MJones

It is really subjective, since the combo of 19's "stiff sidewalls" and PASM make for a tauter ride.

No aparent "grip" differences driving around...the 18's will last you longer and not carve off the outer edge as the 19's will....(I'am on my fourth set of fronts).

For me the 18's performed just fine tho the 19's may have been a bit crisper on turn-in at 70+mph.

FACT: There are no pro level cars that run 19" tires today.

Hope this helps...

996toomey

MJones:

Thanks for the excellent info as always.

E55AMG

MJones, I know your penchant for road trips. You don't drive to Barber do you? Wondering if I should make a road trip out of it when I go. It's about 1,000 miles; might be fun.

Always enjoy your posts on PDE and actually visited their webpage the other day. Will most likely go in the fall as I don't think AL will be all that pleasant in july/august LOL!

Still not convinced that lead/follow is the best way to learn as I've done both, and thought I learned a lot more with the instructor riding shotgun as opposed to following his line, but I'm still anxious to go.

Curious since you've been there SO many times why you don't (maybe you have, don't know) step up to Skip Barber or Bondurant (certainly closer to home) 4 day racing schools and then get into the racing series or arrive/drive type programs that they offer?