JohnC4S

After years of talking about DE and busy with kids activity, I am ready to start in 2024. I was planning on doing it last year but an emergency liver transplant mid year iced that plan. I am looking at May 27-28 DE at Watkins Glen or June 8-9 at Canadian Tires Motor Park to start. Of these 2 tracks which is more friendly to a novice? Anyone has experiences with both events please chime in and gave me some pointers. And what I need to purchase, such as open face helmet and gloves plus others. For my first ever DE event I assumed I should leave the GT3 at home and take my 997.2 C4S instead. Any suggestions and pointers will be greatly appreciated.

John

Frank 993 C4S

All race tracks are friendly to a novice driver with the right instructor in an event run by good organizers like a PCA region. Buy a closed face helmet and a tire pressure gauge and maybe bring a torque wrench. Enjoy the journey!

uscarrera

John first congratulations on coming back from that surgery we have a track buddy here that went through that a few years ago, enjoy your New life. My only suggestion is take to the first DE the car that you plan to use in future track events in that way you get comfortable with car characteristics as you progress in skills instead of relearning with another model. I am sure if you go to a well supported instructor based event like PCA or CHIN you will be fine. If you ever get down to Florida and want to try Sebring I would be happy to sit in your right seat at my home track. Love the Acid Green 👍
Rich

toma nova

I second a PCA event - it will be well-run focusing on classroom and in car instruction for Novice drivers. For your first event, either car is fine; I’d be mixing them up anyway for different driving experiences if I had those. Get track insurance. Use a loaner helmet so you’re not investing if you don’t like it. No need for gloves. You should have a tire pressure gauge anyway and someone will have a torque wrench if you don’t have one. Don’t worry about tires or brakes but get fresh brake fluid if more than a year old (DOT4 is fine).

Keep it simple for your first event then go crazy once you’re hooked.

Gary R.

Why leave the GT3 home? Unless it's going to snow leave that 4WD beast at home! My first event was with a just off the showroom floor 997 S that I put the final brake-in miles in on the way to a Watkins Glen DE! Find out the requirements for the PCA region you will be running in (helmet\safety inspection form\etc.) then sign up and go! Keep your ego parked, listen to the instructor, and savor the experience. I would assume the GT3 is ready to go right out of the box and you will be running at about 50% of it's capability (at best). It's the beginning of a horrible addiction, enjoy!.

dgrobs

Welcome to the slippery slope John.
Glad you’re over the medical issues, and no better way to start enjoying life again than on a racetrack.
Any PCA region is fine. Private groups like Chin, HOD, Trackmasters, etc will do you just fine as well.
Listen to your instructor and you will learn a ton about your car as well as yourself.
What group is doing the May event at Watkins you mentioned?

zedcat

Either of those cars would be great for a first time DE. Do you have the tools for torquing center locks? The 997 has lug bolts? If so I might lean to the 997, just for simplicity. Check the event organization for tech inspection form requirements. Many dealers will do the inspection for free and can check your CL torque. PCA and Chin are good groups- I don't have first hand experience in your area, but think they are pretty consistent. Most of all just have fun!

JohnC4S

Thank you all for the kind words. Both events I mentioned are all PCA events. PCA Niagara region is at Watkins and Upper Canada region is at Canadian Tires Motor Park. Life is so fickle. Wife and I had big plan as empty nesters and then disaster strike. From the day I felt something is off, 1 week later medical induced coma and follow week was liver transplant. My wife told me I was on my death bed and I was lucky to be alive. New found life and I must check the DE of my bucket list!!! I am ready for the new addiction.

John

dgrobs

Thought that May day looked familiar.

You can’t go wrong with Niagara as far as safe serious learning goes. They are the best of the best as they treat their instructed DE’s like schools, as they should.

Def hit up Niagara, and if you like, you can request me as an instructor and I’ll try to make sure that happens. There are a few other Niagara instructors on here who would be more than happy to help.

Ask any questions you have about that event, ask em here and folks will gladly chime in.

Whatever you need. I run with quite a few PCA regions and I can 100% vouch for Niagara’s gold standard.

ProCoach

+1!

nineball

agree with others on a few points:

helmet - chances are the clubs have loaners and on the off-off-off-off-off chance you don't fall in love with the track you wouldn't be out the cost of one. after the event go shopping for your own helmet PCA accepts FIA and SNELL rated helmets within spec (i.e. age - you can't use a 2005 rated helmet as they are accepted for a 10 year period).

clothing - again, check with the clubs. natural fibers, pants, long sleeves and comfortable shoes with rubber soles.

gear - at a minimum i would say a tire pressure gauge. a torque wrench is a great investment but approach it like the helmet above. you can borrow one at your first event if you don't have one.

something i didn't like reading was to not "worry" about tires and brakes. i would clarify that by stating not to worry about upgrading those parts for your first event. general rule of thumb is no less than 50% pad remaining and tires should be in good condition and no where near the end of their life. those 4 little patches are all that is touching the ground. we have turned away drivers for both items being too far gone at pca events, and no one likes that.

some other things to consider.

having your p-car checked over prior to the weekend is a good idea, and some clubs require it. i prefer indy shops that have track-related experience but that isn't always possible. any reputable shop can do it, and in a pinch even a dealer check with the local clubs and they will have a tech form available. you can also have your brakes flushed at the same time if needed.

some things to consider bringing with you - a folding/camping chair, cooler with drinks, tarp (when you remove everything from your car it makes a nice place to hold it all and doubles in the event of rain), sunblock, paper towels, glass cleaner. depending on how **** you are about car detailing you may want something to remove the rubber marks after each session, which is much easier than cleaning them all off after the weekend. you can grab a cheap plastic tote for everything for $11 too - https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-27-G...NE-5/205978361

above all else don't bring any crazy expectations and keep your eyes and ears open. you will love every minute of it and be planning your next event on the way home.

oh ya. bring some advil or alleve

almost forgot... either car will do. obviously there are significant differences but for your first event it won't really matter. the gt3 is the "better" car and more track oriented but pccb replacements are expensive (not that you will encounter that at the event but eventually it will be a factor).

Coochas

Wow that is quite a story and I'm glad to hear it has a happy ending! Enjoy your first DE! It's such a wonderful hobby and you get to surround yourself with likeminded people.

chartersb

Not sure why you are trying to decide between two tracks. The correct answer is C) Both of the above.

WillyDaP

One item I would do, in case you have not already, it to make sure both of your Porsches have PPF ( 3M, Xpel, Step, etc. ) as you will get some debris off any track. I would just take the C4S as your first time going to a DE is really not about speed, it is about technique, learning the lines, understanding car capabilities , etc. Nineball is so correct, get things checked and for those tracks I would get new brake fluid in there ( a DOT 4 like Motul 600 ) and definitely have other things looked over. Many folks had good info, but one quick question , how old are the tires on the C4S and what brand/model are they?

So glad to hear about your successful surgery and as another individual who has had a health scare , you realize how things can change and you will find a DE and maybe more in the future is a great way to exercise --- you and the car, ha!

ldamelio

I join everyone is congratulating you on your recovery. I'm a recently retired surgeon. I trained when liver transplants were in their infancy in the 1980's. The amount of progress over the last four decades is amazing and hearing your story put a smile on my face.

My home region (Reisentoter - eastern PA) has the following primer on DE on their website. Well worth a half hour of your time - I found it very useful when I started in the sport.

https://www.rtr-pca.org/attachments/...ion-manual.pdf

Have fun and congratulations!