FTL

Overall, a pretty cool day. I was a bit worried that the Porsche Club would live up to the past rumors of not being fond of outsiders... but it seems that's ancient history. They were very cool and inviting.

Opposite numbers compared to the Alfa days: Instead of 5 Alfa's and 70 other cars, this day had like 75 Porsches and maybe 10 cars of other marques. There were a couple STi's, a Miata (mine), an S2k or two, an NSX, a WRX, an Acura of some sort, a couple Vettes, including a Z06... and a butt load of Porsches.

I had to convince Jana, the organizer, to allow me to run in the Advanced group. She thought I needed a 300hp+ car to play with the big boys. She was fine when the STi was going, but since it didn't pass my tech (cracked windshield), I took the Miata. But she let me stay in the advanced group.

They are doing some sort of world record motorcycle jump at PR soon, so they built a landing hill out of dirt right on the first portion of the straightaway, before the kink. So we got a re-arranged track that took us from turn 9 right onto the drag strip... and wet VHT! They set up the bus stop to keep speeds down heading onto the straight.

Well, the first session was damp, but I tossed the V710s on anyway, since there wasn't any standing water. They worked fine on the damp track. I was pretty careful initially and gave lots of point bys.

The 2nd session was dry, so I opened the car up more. Ran about mid pack, passing many and getting passed as well. But the little turbo Miata ran well with the big boys.

The 3rd session started with light drizzle that became slowly heavier, so the track was damp again. I pushed harder than in the 1st session and was closer to the top of the pack since the stronger cars couldn't utilize their higher power. I played with the Z06 for a while and finally pointed him by in case I was slowing him down. I kept with him until he used a bit too much power heading onto the wet VHT. His rear end wagged a bunch and he backed off. (should have it on film) He let me by and I opened up a nice gap. Later, I talked to him. He said he just couldn't put the power down to catch the little turbo Miata!

It was pretty cool having a number of Porsche guys come by our spot in the pits and ask what the Miata had in it. Folks were pretty impressed with her. On the 3rd session's cool down lap, she got a number of very excited waves from the corner workers who were surprised to see this little girly car take on the big dogs. Make no mistake, the heavy duty Porsches (GT3's, late model 911 Turbos, etc.), walked away in the dry... but the older 911's, the 944's, etc. were not that competitive. And when it got damp, even the big boys were fair game.

After the third session, the rain got heavier, so we decided to call it a day. Beth was a great pit crew. What a gal! We noticed a wounded S2k in the pits near us. His immense torque was able to break the car loose on the VHT and put him into a wall... left rear end first. Photo below.

The night before, I added a 2nd fan (SPAL) to help with cooling. The Miata was able to keep temps in check with the extra fan, so no fuel cut this time. We'll see how she does on a warm day, but by then, I'll probably replace the remaining stock fan with another SPAL.

Coupla details about the Porsche Club logistics:
+ Nice lunch
+ Well run and on time event
+ Cool people
+ No requirement to wear gloves
+ 25 to 30 minute sessions
+ 4 run groups, so the less agile drivers are not an issue
+ Inexpensive ($150)
+ On a weekend!
+ Some might consider it a minus, but the semi involved registration process keeps the less serious track day junkies away.
- No passengers
- Need a tech inspection (good for the calendar year, we used FTL )
- No timing equipment allowed (in-car video OK)
- Need to be a PCA, BMWCCA, Viper Club or Corvette club member

Overall, a great day. I'll be all over next year's Porsche days!

Russ

waltk88

I had a similar experience with big hp cars on the Oct 12 ProFormance day. In the wet afternoon I passed a supercharged 350Z and one C6 Vette that had earlier passed me in the dry. These guys just had a real tough job putting down power. It was only raining lightly, but the surface was pretty slick.

RT

... sounds like you had a blast!

shaggy

Heh... the first time I put a car "into the wall", I want it to look like that. That's getting away pretty easy, IMO. Whoever you are, I wouldn't buy a lotto ticket anytime soon... you're luck is all used up.

Andy

MSRS2K

Thanks for the write up, Russ. I had a very different experience with the Porsche club. But then i wasn't in the advanced group either. Do they know you and that was how you were allowed in the advanced group? I was told you had to run with them in the past to be allowed out of the beginner group.

The beginner group was huge, slow, and very skimmpy with the point-bys.

- Michael

WRS2K

Cool man.

Russ, I hope you get behind the wheels of a GT3 or 996 Turbo and let us know if it's that much of a more fun, better, faster ride.

FTL

Nope... I didn't know them at all. Decided a couple weeks ago I wanted to attend after scouring the Pacific Raceways schedule for remaining track days this year.

Sent them an email asking if there was room. Jana was very careful and asked for my experience and a mini driving resume. I also gave her names of folks who know me (Jim Hill, Rick Delamare, Scott Adare). She just asked that I take an instructor for my first session to get checked off. He was very cool and happy to give me the Advanced Group sign off.

The advanced group was awesome. A moderate number of cars, but they were pretty responsive to giving Point By's. Good pre day driver's meeting. Not too long.

Very happy that this event was free of ric... err... people with cars made of bling bling who are not courteous, profession or skilled.

:-)

Russ

standard63

Man, no kidding! When I first ran PR, or SIR as it was called back then, I ran over wet VHT and hit the wall and my poor RX7 didn't come out that nice at all! That S2K is barely even scratched -- get back out there!!