CAR CONTROL SCHOOL

WRITTEN BY: SEBASTIAN DENISON & PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY LSRPCA FB PAGE

I have read many stories about what made us want a Porsche and the first experience of seeing, driving and owning our dream car. My father's colleague had a Guards Red 911 in the early '80s that made me really understand the magic, but I have yearned for the Boxster-mainly due to the idea of cruising up the Sea to Sky highway (Vancouver to Whistler), but that's another story. So instead, I wanted to share what was my first PCA event experience. When I was a younger driver, whenever I got the chance, I would have fun and push the car I had to its limit on back roads and snow-covered parking lots, doing my best to emulate TV show driving slides and spins (Fall Guy, Rockford Files, etc.), definitely not as well executed, but boy was it fun! What was different this time was I had a car that could be pushed much harder, with the intent to find the limit (safely) with a large group of equally enthusiastic PCA members. The Houston weather forecast indicated it was going to be hot, very hot, and very sunny. Not ideal conditions for a long day driving in a 2007 Boxster convertible, but I was more than excited to get out the door early. I had signed up for the PCA skid control day course held at the Houston Police Department training facility, along with my friend AJ, and I fully expected it to be a great day.

The collection of cars would have made the cut at any Coffee and Cars Saturday Porsche event; 911- GTs, daily drivers, pure track Turbos, Panameras, Caymans, Macans, Cayenne and more. If you have never felt car envy, this type of event might change that.

One of the instructors asked if we were nervous, and I figured this was as good a time to be honest, indicated I was because when you take your car to the limit, things can go wrong. The instructors chuckled and mentioned it was good to see one honest answer and then divided us into groups for our training stations. I should mention the track cars were the instructors' cars, so I knew the experience would be intense, but what I was not expecting was to have every instructor make you feel safe, welcome and very quickly relaxed while learning to push your car. I was also blown away that the same instructors were fully inclusive of all the different rides there. Every car they seemed to know how to get the most out of it, from a brand new Ford Bronco Sport to my Boxster, to a Corvette and then back to a pure track car; they made every driver proud of their machine. There were different track stations that we moved through, practicing shuffle steering and proper visual cues, a soap and water skid pad (that does not get boring ever), braking and steering and a short lap course to put it all together. I don't think I got over 50 miles per hour for the entire day, but it felt as though I was pushing the envelope of what the car could do very quickly. But what I also found out was just how much performance is in Porsche. These cars are designed with this intent, to be driven, to be enjoyed, and with a pure grin of excitement, all the while performing flawlessly what you ask of them. That moment you first remember your reason for wanting a Porsche comes to life, not just owning, but being able to fully enjoy and drive the hell out of your car! This is an event for every driver to learn and have so much fun and also to discover what Porsche intended for these machines. This was a great day, and I can't wait for the next PCA event. JCCS I DON'T THINK I GOT OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, BUT IT FELT AS THOUGH I WAS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE OF WHAT THE CAR COULD DO VERY QUICKLY.