First HPDE @ Roebling Road

[murphsea]

I finally did it.

After years of thinking about doing a HPDE event and I finally did my first @ Roebling Road this past weekend with Coastal Empire PCA. Honestly, I found the idea of driving on track a little intimidating at first.

Coastal Empire PCA did an awesome job on the event and my instructor Rich Armstrong was amazing.

Brought my '22 911 Carrera Base to the track with race brake fluid but everything else as it came off the showroom floor.
Such a great car. It's so fast. I think my fastest speed at the end of the straight was 150mph which was plenty (that's what my instructor told me; I was too busy to look). The first time braking from that kind of speed to turn in to an apex was really something.

Definitely my 3 years of sim racing with the PCA helped a lot.
Vision, threshold braking, understanding lines, corner types, flags, etc were all much further ahead than if I hadn't sim raced before.
I was also able to familiarize myself with the track before the weekend by running some laps in sim using Assetto Corsa.

My advice for anyone considering it is to just do it.

Going back October 7th and 8th. Can't wait.

[blueline]

I finally did it.

After years of thinking about doing a HPDE event and I finally did my first @ Roebling Road this past weekend with Coastal Empire PCA. Honestly, I found the idea of driving on track a little intimidating at first.

Coastal Empire PCA did an awesome job on the event and my instructor Rich Armstrong was amazing.

Brought my '22 911 Carrera Base to the track with race brake fluid but everything else as it came off the showroom floor.
Such a great car. It's so fast. I think my fastest speed at the end of the straight was 150mph which was plenty (that's what my instructor told me; I was too busy to look). The first time braking from that kind of speed to turn in to an apex was really something.

Definitely my 3 years of sim racing with the PCA helped a lot.
Vision, threshold braking, understanding lines, corner types, flags, etc were all much further ahead than if I hadn't sim raced before.
I was also able to familiarize myself with the track before the weekend by running some laps in sim using Assetto Corsa.

My advice for anyone considering it is to just do it.

Going back October 7th and 8th. Can't wait.

Yes, yes, yes! So glad you went and that you want to do more!

Just awesome - your new Carrera was perfect for that first day.

Thank you so much for posting this Murph!

Here's a thread for track day pics, so go for it if you have any:
viewtopic.php?t=1985

Track day videos here too:
viewtopic.php?t=1986


PS - how's the 992 GT3-RS these days? Such a beautiful and awesome car!

[murphsea]

Yes, yes, yes! So glad you went and that you want to do more!

Just awesome - your new Carrera was perfect for that first day.

Thank you so much for posting this Murph!

Here's a thread for track day pics, so go for it if you have any:
viewtopic.php?t=1985

Track day videos here too:
viewtopic.php?t=1986


PS - how's the 992 GT3-RS these days? Such a beautiful and awesome car!

The 992 GT3-RS is still awesome. Didn't want to turn up in the Green group with an RS .
Wanted people to think whatever driving skill I had was a little bit down to me and not it be like "well, he's driving a 3RS, of course he's faster than everyone".

I think there was someone at the track taking pictures. I didn't know anyone there this weekend so I don't know of anyone personally who has any but I'm sure the PCA will post some at some point.

[blueline]

Yes, yes, yes! So glad you went and that you want to do more!

Just awesome - your new Carrera was perfect for that first day.

Thank you so much for posting this Murph!

Here's a thread for track day pics, so go for it if you have any:
viewtopic.php?t=1985

Track day videos here too:
viewtopic.php?t=1986


PS - how's the 992 GT3-RS these days? Such a beautiful and awesome car!

The 992 GT3-RS is still awesome. Didn't want to turn up in the Green group with an RS .
Wanted people to think whatever driving skill I had was a little bit down to me and not it be like "well, he's driving a 3RS, of course he's faster than everyone".

I think there was someone at the track taking pictures. I didn't know anyone there this weekend so I don't know of anyone personally who has any but I'm sure the PCA will post some at some point.

Probably smart to hold off on the RS for several reasons I think. That's a gorgeous car - quite the machine (understatement) and you configured it well from what I could see in your pics when you took delivery. I recall the video of it being fired up with the sales associate there and your son in the driver's seat doing the honors. (That is if my memory has not totally failed me!)

PCA (and all groups actually) usually have a track photographer at events. If so, they will let you know who and where and you'll be able to look at thumbnails to see what they have and order same if desired.

[WillyDaP]

Sounds like you were rocking around Roebling Road and I have to agree with blueline, as you would have been doing Warp 9 in your RS if you hit 150 in the Carrera. Sounds like a wise choice for your first HPDE, but it does appear you are already starting to exhibit the symptoms of Trackratitis. Do drop in often so we can tell you how to live with the illness as there is no real cure, but frankly none of us want a remedy, ha.

[Stormy_Monday]

I started track days a bazillion years ago with the BMW club at Road Atlanta. Kind of cured me of autocross. Enjoy the crap out of these times. Just remember that you have to drive that car home at the end of the sessions.

[WillyDaP]

I started autocrossing 42 years ago and have been lucky my entire life to be near the SCCA Solo Nationals sites ( Salina, Ks, Topeka, Ks. and Lincoln, Ne. ) all of which were held on sticky concrete airport surfaces. I will agree with Stormy Monday that I enjoy track time more, but I also feel autocrossing is a valuable tool to help one learn technique and to learn to look ahead ( very quickly ). These things coupled with the concentration needed to make critical choices and to stay focused on an autocross course, translate great when one starts doing track events -- from HPDEs, to Time Trials , all the way to W2W racing. I still autocross with my son, though my main focus over the past two decades has been W2W or Time Trials, and those skills honed from autocrossing translates to making a track even feel like driving in slow motion, even though the speeds are higher. I love Instructing Autocrossers when they decide to do a road course as they completely understand hitting their apexes and exit points. There are so many autocrossers who transitioned to Pro Racing ( Randy Pobst and Tom O'Gorman are two examples ) so I often counsel folks to consider doing both. Often, due to work constraints, some folks can get to a Sunday autocross where they can not make a weekend track day, though more and more SCCA , NASA and others are having more flexible track days.

So, I am not disagreeing with Stormy, as I prefer a weekend of track time on a road course, but hanging with friends and using your Porsche on an autocross course is also a very satisfying time exercising our nimble machines. Plus you will find a plethora of Porsches usually competing in autocrosses, and they dominated some Classes at the recent SCCA Solo Nationals.

[blueline]

I started track days a bazillion years ago with the BMW club at Road Atlanta. Kind of cured me of autocross. Enjoy the crap out of these times. Just remember that you have to drive that car home at the end of the sessions.

I'm the same. I'm a junkie for the continuation of lap after lap after lap that a road course offers. The rhythm is fantastic if it's clicking. Also, having driven enduros, you get used to long stints and the satisfaction that goes with that.

AX does teach great skills and is vital for so many reasons but I must admit that I hated just sitting there waiting for my next brief and lonely run.

AX does save tires though! Hah!