Porsche Driving Experience
01-16-2006, 07:58 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by C4 Guy
My wife bought a weekend for me at PDE. At first I thought it was going to be something of a waste of money. After all - for what that weekend costs, you can afford a whole season of PCA Driver Ed!
Boy was I wrong! I learned a lot from Joe Fox and David Murray (what a great guy!)
I had a realy breakthrough with my heel-n-toe courtesy of Pierre! That alone was worth the price of admission.
Boy was I wrong! I learned a lot from Joe Fox and David Murray (what a great guy!)
I had a realy breakthrough with my heel-n-toe courtesy of Pierre! That alone was worth the price of admission.
01-16-2006, 08:45 PM
#17
Driver Carries No Cash
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....so bottom line, if you get a chance to do PDE - go for it! U will not regret, even if you have plenty of DE time. You'll get tons of individual coaching! In fact, I think you'll get more out of it if you come in with a little experience!
03-06-2006, 02:21 PM
#18
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just came back from the PDE. The instruction was good, but with a bunch of DE days, I ended up coasting down the straights and through many turns. I think that I drove faster on the highway to get to the track.
When I mentioned this to the instructors, the "company line" is that I need to sign up for the masters program, which I probably should have been in anyway. They won't let you into the masters unless you have completed the 2-day PDE. The others in my group didn't have a clue and the instructors seemed board in the follow the leader drills.
The track itself is immaculate and probably the best track conditions that I will ever drive on.
Steve
2003 996
When I mentioned this to the instructors, the "company line" is that I need to sign up for the masters program, which I probably should have been in anyway. They won't let you into the masters unless you have completed the 2-day PDE. The others in my group didn't have a clue and the instructors seemed board in the follow the leader drills.
The track itself is immaculate and probably the best track conditions that I will ever drive on.
Steve
2003 996
03-06-2006, 02:52 PM
#19
Juct curious- who were your instructors? Do they still use the lead/follow format with radios?? Was this at Berber?
03-06-2006, 04:36 PM
#20
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The course was at Barber and the track is immaculate.
the instructor on the track were Dan Eastman on day 1; on day 2 the instructors were Eric Foss and Brian Cunningham. They did the lead/follow but didn't say much on the radios. During these exercises, if I was the lead car, I'd have to coast and brake during the entire front straight and still was at the turn in before the cars passed me. I would also coast throughout most of the turns.
They follow the trail braking theory throughout most of the track. It's tough to more on this when you don't have to really brake very hard entering the turns.
I emailed the director today to voice my opinions about the 2 days.
It's a program that I wouldn't recommend if you have several DE's under your belt. It was somewhat remedial and although the instructors are quite knowledgeable, they really don't readily offer much pertinent critique on your driving unless continually asked. Even then, the responses aren't too indepth.
Steve
2003 996
the instructor on the track were Dan Eastman on day 1; on day 2 the instructors were Eric Foss and Brian Cunningham. They did the lead/follow but didn't say much on the radios. During these exercises, if I was the lead car, I'd have to coast and brake during the entire front straight and still was at the turn in before the cars passed me. I would also coast throughout most of the turns.
They follow the trail braking theory throughout most of the track. It's tough to more on this when you don't have to really brake very hard entering the turns.
I emailed the director today to voice my opinions about the 2 days.
It's a program that I wouldn't recommend if you have several DE's under your belt. It was somewhat remedial and although the instructors are quite knowledgeable, they really don't readily offer much pertinent critique on your driving unless continually asked. Even then, the responses aren't too indepth.
Steve
2003 996
03-07-2006, 08:38 AM
#21
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I'm certain the instructors were more bored than you. For the first timers, it can be fun and safe. For anyone who has even one DE under his belt, it is a waste of money.
I did the Richard Petty experience recently and it is the same. I spoke to my instructor during a break and mentioned I was a PCA instructor and he told me he has a very strict program to run and is being observed constantly so no matter how competent I was, he couldn't deviate from the "program". It was still fun since I never drove NASCAR style and he did let me lay back on the straights and dive into the turns.
I did the Richard Petty experience recently and it is the same. I spoke to my instructor during a break and mentioned I was a PCA instructor and he told me he has a very strict program to run and is being observed constantly so no matter how competent I was, he couldn't deviate from the "program". It was still fun since I never drove NASCAR style and he did let me lay back on the straights and dive into the turns.
03-07-2006, 11:19 PM
#23
Originally Posted by smankow
. . . the "company line" is that I need to sign up for the masters program, which I probably should have been in anyway. They won't let you into the masters unless you have completed the 2-day PDE.
03-08-2006, 02:51 PM
#24
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exxcept when you read the description for the masters program and the course itinerary. It is geared to those with track experience. The instructors told me that the cars "really move". So, after seeing the quality of those in my experience, they'd be absolutely run off of the road, whether in the masters program or green run group in DE.
I could have driven almost as well in my chevy cobalt rental car and it would have handled the speed or lack there of.
Steve
2003 996
I could have driven almost as well in my chevy cobalt rental car and it would have handled the speed or lack there of.
Steve
2003 996
03-08-2006, 03:18 PM
#26
I was curious because when I took the course we moved along fairly well in the lead/follow stuff- maybe equivalent to a slow blue group at a Potomac DE event. It sounds slower now.
What was more fun and more helpful (to me at least) were the exercises. We got excellent one on one instruction from the likes of Hurley Haywood and Doc Bundy who were our principal instructors- and would go from car to car or instruct one on the radio while standing and watching. Doesn't sound like that may be happening now either.
What was more fun and more helpful (to me at least) were the exercises. We got excellent one on one instruction from the likes of Hurley Haywood and Doc Bundy who were our principal instructors- and would go from car to car or instruct one on the radio while standing and watching. Doesn't sound like that may be happening now either.
