f4 plt

For those that havn't been to one of the courses let me tickle your interest. For those that have been to the initial two day course, "you ain't seen nothing yet" until you attend the Masters course.

If you enjoy your Porsche (if you don't you would not be reading this) you need to take the time and go. It is a DE, autocross etc all on steroids with absolutely fantastic instruction. The first course is the two day Performance driving course. You are constantly doing something from 8 in the morning of the first day until 4:30 the second when you realize that two days have gone by all too quickly. Plenty of track time in a follow the leader fashion with an instructor leading and speeds increasing as you learn. The autocross is fun and a chance to practice you skills. The skid pad is nothing short of a "hoot" and you quickly learn to be smooth. The second day you have a session off road in a Cayenne that quickly demon strates that this is no normal SUV..... and that is just the initial course.

The Masters course (which you can only take after successfully completing the Performance driving two day course). Another autocross challenge, more skid pad training and LOTS OF TRACK TIME including several sessions of solo tracking with passing. Of course during these sessions the instructors are stationed around the track as corner workers and evaluators.. and they do take notes for critiquing you later. Sometime during a session an instructor will hop in with you to provide helpful hints and or corrections for errors you may be making. Hopping in my right seat was no less than Hurley Haywood, a true master of endurance sports car racing. During the Masters two day you also get to drive a turbo, even though it is heavier and does tend to be not as nimble in the corners its explosive power is fantastic. As you might imagine I did like the school and I'm now planning a trip back for the three day race drivers course which successful completion earns you a SCCA race license. there is also a one day turbo course and a womens only two day course but the above are the big three.

Hope this kindled some interest and those that have been know how great it is. After all where else can you drive brand new Porsches, at speed and they belong to someone else. Sorry for the length.

The only down side was the crack that is now in my helmet from the very large grin that was constantly on my face .... nice to outrun other drivers half your age. Yes I was the senior citizen that did not act my age

CMOS

Sounds awesome. But $6500 for four days at the track is out of my tax bracket. Even if the instruction is really awesome.

brendo

great to hear. i had the same emotions and attended with a few other folks on this board. just the best thing you can do to improve the experience with your car

MJones

PSDS is Great
Always good to hear of another amazing PSDS experience.

If you have never attended, make the time and do so!
You will have two days of Porsche bliss.

2010 PSDS Schedule

red89

prolly a hundred grand to line your mantle with those little trophies they give you.

buckwheat987

f4,

thanks for the updte.

I agree its a terrific experience. However I recommend for those who ask me that if possible do a DE or 2 first before attending the performance course at the PSDS. I think a little track experience before you go you goes long way in getting alot more out of the basic course.

Carrera GT

I think if you gather up the receipts for a year of taking a Carrera or a GT3 to the track, you'll see an average of $1000/day plus or minus. For sure, the PSDS is not the cheap seats and you have to factor in the cost of time, travel and accommodation. I put it in the category of living life. By Porsche standards, the PSDS is remarkably good value.

The most important thing to consider is spending time on a private, immaculate race track being trained by a team of world class champions with decades of 911 driving experience and the ability to impart their skills to others. They'll be watching your every turn and every lap with video and data acquisition, debriefs and ample, exhausting, exhilarating track time.

Invest those two or three days and you gain access to performance in the 911 that was previously off limits.

Even if you have a built up GT3 and you're circulating Laguna within a second of the lap record for your time trial classification, the opportunity to learn fundamentals from professionals in a controlled environment is extraordinary and will yield results that let you got out and enjoy your 911 with new found confidence and quiver of new skills to practice and refine.

For anyone with decent lap times, doing the Masters and Race License courses is a real eye opener.

I'm reminded of Ben Hogan commenting on a seeing the usual line of golfers at the practice range "hitting a bucket of *****." He observes that rarely is an amateur golfer really practicing in the sense of coaching themselves to specifically focus in on a technique to learn the correct element of the swing and practice through repetition the exactly correct execution of that swing until it is unbreakable under even the worst of conditions or the greatest mental pressure.

Amateur track drivers should first discover the fundamentals of driving, then learn those elemental techniques and then learn how to practice. Driving laps is fun, no doubt about it, but there's more to driving. Once each lap is a challenge to methodically improve and build upon skills, driving laps becomes a trivial pursuit and the real reward comes from developing skills. Each lap becomes much more important and much more exciting.

After well over a decade of taking various 911's to the local Laguna, Sears, Thunderhill, Buttonwillow, and Willow Springs, I'd grown tired of the work required to have a day at the track and I was finding myself bored driving much the same laps. By chance, I took the initiative to do the Masters and Race License classes with PSDS (it was their first ever Race event) and the experience has regenerated my enjoyment in driving, even on the road, just taking a fun, safe run through the canyons and mountain roads becomes much more interesting and exciting once you're driving the car purposefully, focusing on technique and the skill required to control the car.

It's hard to put into words, but it is by no means a subtle difference. It is a remarkable change to go back to fundamentals and learn from first principles how to really drive a 911.

buckwheat987

MJones,

thanks for the video's I remember searching youtube and the like before I went and it got me so pysched this old dog couldn't sleep.

C-GT,
You make excellent points. You go there to learn from the best drivers and coaches and you use the best equipment. (cars, track, learning tools)

Bottom line is if you can get there: JUST DO IT

George from MD

I did it years ago when it was first starting. HH was my instructor along with Doc Bundy- there were two other instructors from Panoz. Back then I think it was $2,500 for the two day and $1,500 for the Masters.

Nothing wrong with their course at all, great instruction, their car- the only lament was that much of the two day course was lead/follow, you only went as fast as the slowest driver in your group. Even so I would highly recommend it. I regularly apply what I learned there.

But for $6,500? If you've advanced in DEs the course is not going to be a good value. And if you're a green student, you could do a lot of DEs and the instruction at your local PCA club should be just as good (if not better in some cases) at that level.

Of course you don't get hot laps with HH and DB or the like driving you around...so if you have the bucks consider it a vacation and not a value and cherish the memories.

russo

$6500 is a lot of DE's, and I think you will learn a great deal more. The PSDS is a good course for someone who hasn't had a few or no DE's.

Coochas

I've done 7 days at PSDS. Fantastic.
I think that there is quite a bit to be gained by just about any level of driver.
Yeah it's expensive, but that good. Keep in mind that at a DE you're typically on the track for 1.5 hours and have little to no classroom or off-track teaching. At PSDS, it is a whole day of activities. If you're not on the track, you're doing AutoX or sitting at a corner with an instructor etc etc. I have tremendous respect for PCA instructors but these guys at PSDS are all professional racers as well as personable instructors. Yeah,...I like it.

Carrera GT

I guess you don't agree with my Ben Hogan analogy of going to the practice range with nothing to actually practice.

PogueMoHone

Cheaper than lining the barriers because ego (or cheapness?) got in the way!

You have to pay to play, and it all about basics, good habits, knowledge and seat time.

What you learn, about driving a Porsche, at PSDS might just keep you on track!

Of course, for those rare "naturals" who know the price of everything and the value of nothing they are on their own.

f4 plt

Cost of one Porsche can buy a lot of Fords also. Nothing against the good people thst give of their time as PCA instructors at DE's but their expertise is limited when measured against the quality of instruction at the PSDS. Example. Shortly after I got back from the Sport driving course last Spring I drove a track day at a nearby track. The instructor prior to hitting the track explained the proper line etc. He then led us on several laps. Interestingly one of the PSDS instructors had come down to watch me and spend a nice afternoon. I told him I was uncomfortable with the "approved" line and I felt was was fighting the car. He jumped in and we did several laps. Before we started he suggested I drive a line that was comfortable. I did and it was different in many corners than the "approved" line. The few suggestions from the PSDS instructor resulted in me driving the circuit quicker with far less effort and the car was happy. This again is not to say that the PCA instructors are not talented drivers but they are not consistantly in the same class as those at the PSDS . As with all things in life you get what you pay for. One of the key things taught at the Porsche school is to drive within yourself, one reason if you exceed your talent or the car you will not be the one to see the checkered flag. Lastly $6500 for four intense days of track time and instruction is far less than a large bill from your local repair shop to repair your "ops" As in the fighter world "fangs" are good things but they must be properly controlled and that is repeatedly stressed at PSDS. Enjoy whenever or however you get to explore you car.

russo

Let me get this straight, one PSDS course equals 20-30 DE's? I don't believe that for a second. The PSDS instructors themselves will tell you seat time is the most important factor in becoming a faster driver. Now if you tell me that you can spend one entire day with a driving coach I may somewhat agree to a point.