Whats the skinny on Drivers Skills day offered by the PCA? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

BeachBum · 11-24-2009, 01:04 PM

I am in the Pacific Northwest region and am looking for some instruction and experience on how to better drive the Boxster. I have no formal driving training aside from passing a drivers license test but would like to learn how to drive on the track for future track days. Would the Drivers Skills day(offered by the Pacific NW region of PCA) be a good first step or would I be in over my head? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Greg

JFP in PA · 11-24-2009, 01:16 PM

Simple: Most Porsche owners haven’t got a clue about how to utilize the car’s full potential safely. Driver’s Education (or DE days) at the track are designed to help you develop your skills to match those of your car. It is one of the best things you can do to understand and enjoy your car to its fullest.

der Geist · 11-24-2009, 02:05 PM

+1 from me.

Bob O · 11-24-2009, 02:46 PM

+2. I'm not sure what the "Driver's Skills" event consists of, but all the PCA sponsored events I've been to have been excellent. Call them and ask what will be included. If it's for advanced drivers (doubtful) I'm sure they'll tell you. For probably the vast huge majority of us the car will always be better and more capable than we are, so any education you can get on how to drive it better will be money well spent. And it will be the most fun learning you can think of. You'll have a blast!

Bob

944boy · 11-24-2009, 08:22 PM

I gave my GF the keys to the Boxster for one of the PNWR skills day. They are entry level training days. She was nervous about hurting the car and had no experience or idea if she would like it. Now she has been to a number of big-track drivers ed events and loves it.

As an instructor I would highly recommend the skills day for novices.

You get to thrash your Box while only worrying about hitting cones. Its great!

-Greg

ehanauer · 11-25-2009, 06:48 AM

Driver's Ed is aimed at experienced autocross drivers. There is also a 2 1/2 day program called Performance Driving School, which is aimed at your (and my) level. I did it a couple of months ago and it was a blast. I'd been driving Porsches for 30 years, but had explored around 10% of the car's capabilities.

At the performance driving school I pushed it to around 50%. Then an instructor took over and showed me around 90%.

The only downside is that you can use very little of that skill on the road, like when trailing a slow SUV with the driver talking on a cell phone.

BeachBum · 11-25-2009, 10:10 AM

Thanks for the advise everybody,

I think I will give it a go. Now I just need to find myself a helmet I suppose although I think the PNWR rents them for these events.

944boy · 11-25-2009, 06:14 PM

There are helets you can borrow/rent just let them know when you sign up.

Just to remove some confusion. In San Diego, the Drivers Ed events are more hard core than anywhere else in the country. The PCASDR high performance driving school is awesome and the longer version of the skills day here in the PacNW. The skills days however run every month or two, the PDS is once or twice a year. The DE is the next step and there are no TT's or equivalent competitive events.

Either way, they all are a lot of fun

Adam · 11-25-2009, 06:57 PM

Autocross is also a good and cheap way to learn some skills and have some fun in a low risk setting. One thing I like about autocross is that you are competing against other drivers and cars in a timed event, where as at most DE events you are simply driving around on the track with other cars. Both are fun in there own way and have certain elements the other does not. Hop on the SCCA homepage or just google autocrosses in your region and see what's out there around you. The SCCA is a great organization for enthusiasts.