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Porsche Owners Club (POC) has a significant calendar (10 events) primarily based in Southern California. We've also got multiple clubsports racing in GT2 and GT3 these days. Take the POC racers clinic and start racing, then consider working with me or one of the other coaches who are active in the POC paddock to get transitioned and up to speed quicker. I think POC offers some of the best racing on the West Coast with an amazing group of people. There is someone to race for all skill levels, with the field having new drivers all the way through active pros regularly competing. POC has developed multiple professionals through their program as well
Happy to help. If you are in Norcal, I can meet you in person.
I started track driving in 1988 at LRP, and moved to Norcal in 1991. Started racing in 1997 or 1998, and helped create the Porsche Racing Club (now dissolved).
Here are some Porsche pro race teams that have history from our area:
Garettson- Dick Barbour
The Racer's Group
Rennwerks
Flying Lizards Motorsports
If ever in Reno Area, I suggest getting to know the owners of Reno Rennsport. Norcal Porsche racing experience going back decades. PCA, NASA, SCCA , Porsche Racing Club and so on.
If ever in Reno Area, I suggest getting to know the owners of Reno Rennsport. Norcal Porsche racing experience going back decades. PCA, NASA, SCCA , Porsche Racing Club and so on.
Yes I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Brian at Reno Rennsport. He has always been accommodating and helpful. Nice shop to do business with.
I’m disappointed by a few comments advising the OP to start racing with a “lesser” (quotes mine) car.
He came here asking advice and got some good tips and suggestions, but it seems to me that some are quick to discount his DE experience in the car and discount the fact that, by his very first post in this thread, is open to learning, hence demonstrating that he is reasonable and sensible.
Colleagues of mine and I work all the time with people like the OP, almost every time with good, sometimes great, success in making this jump with a “big” (factory-built) race car.
I sent a DM to the OP encouraging them to move forward with this. He sounds like he’s doing good research and will find the support and the organization which matches his desired racing culture, whatever that may be.
I know a LOT of people lurk here, and some of them may be considering the same thing. I would encourage people who are sensible and open to learning to pursue what they want to do, whether it’s DE and track day, Club Racing or, with some advance practice and study, entry level pro racing.
Time is short and every day counts. If you have the desire, awareness, sensibility and resources, just DO it!
Pic for attention, but here are my suite neighbors at VIR getting ready to go Sprint Challenge racing with their new cars, after years of DE, ChumpCar, NASA and Club racing. I’ll be helping where I can and cheering them on!
To add a comment on my experience- I just completed my first PCA Club Racing weekend ("Race School") and it was awesome. Very well run and safe event. From registration to scrutineering, orientation with the chief steward, grid and time on track everyone was very helpful and welcoming. I was there with good friends in other classes, and a family member was my spotter on the radio, so we had a great time in the paddock too. The Clubsport is such a fun car to drive. I would definitely recommend considering PCA Club racing as an organization to start with. And strongly agree with the Coach that time is precious.
I also encourage moving forward. I might consider the hypothesis that it "accumulating area under the curve" is valuable, not only with respect to the craft, but also the culture, on and off track.
You can figure out what you like and prefer along the way.
Brian and Mat at RR, and others in that general geographical area can help you learn about both, and I encourage you to connect with Mr. Smith and others in our general area as you plan your calendar.
In my case, the thing I value most from my experiences is the interaction with the people... drivers, racers and others.
Staring "Day 1" at a PCA meeting in South Jersey where a handful of us got to visit with the late Bob Akin in around 1987. "Day 2" at LRP at a PCA DE in 1988 where Mr. Tremper ran the event and my first instructor was a woman in a stripped 911 with smaller displacement engine.
Along the way I have had the opportunity to meet one of our best racing journalists who started here and was inspired by his late father and his own passion.
Friends that got to realize a dream, and in their first try got a 3rd at Daytona... one of them is still racing with NASA.
Most recently a young up and comer that would have been credited with helping win this year at Daytona but for the early checkered flag... and he has just hired another young enthusiast that is starting his first "job," having chosen pro racing over other lucrative opportunities with his engineering degree.
I encourage you to learn to do things the right way from what are literally hundreds of people that share your passion.
The world is small. "Life is short and it is not a dry run."
The response has been awesome! Thank you all!!!
In reference to ProCoach latest comment, thank you!! I expected to hear advice about going to a lesser performance car. Frankly its just not something that resonates with me. I come from an extensive ski racing background as well as doing some coaching. I have never been coached or would coach the mentality of going slower to learn the ropes. It's Racing!! If you don,t attack the steepest slope, the tightest course or the fastest downhill, then frankly your not learning at the top of the curve. The first question I would invariably get at the end of the day by my coaches is "how many times did you fall?" If the answer is none, or 1 or 2 than you would get the Austrian scorn of a coach accompanied by a little spittle for added emphasis. So while others may want to take the "cautious" approach and dip their toe in, I would hope they have lots of time. Racing is racing in any sport and the object is to learn and win!! That is my intention and I will go at it full throttle! With the best tools I can muster up. Thanks again for all the great advice even though some may not fit in my philosophy. Keep it coming!! You guys are great!
Nice pic btw
In my experience and opinion, there is no such things as a "lesser performing car."
Our goal is go as fast as we can on a closed circuit in whatever vehicle we pilot-- all else being equal.
Could be a little red wagon.
Our goal is to optimize speed.
When we race, this remains true, but there are a few more variables to consider because we encounter different situations.
I was around quite a few high level ski racers-- back in my college days in NH.
NCAA champs and olympians.
In my experience, achieving excellence in that sport is not necessarily stymied by taking "cautious" approaches.
If you consider a continuum between cautiousness and "winging it ***** out," my view is that what may be best is specific to an individual and how they learn.
Same for my sport which was gymnastics.
I have also believed in a "fruit growth" model. Start at the center/pit.
Learn how to do the right things in the right way and at the right time, and build.
I have seen many racers come and go that have tried to take shortcuts, for example trying to learn primarily "from the internet."
I can recount many experiences from racing where they were beat by folks in far lesser equipment.
My friend and I started in a GT3 and Turbo and quickly moved on to a 981 Clubsport. It was a fantastic learning tool. Now we are in 987.2 3.4 Caymans that do not have TC. The only thing I would change is learning to drive without TC sooner to develop a better feel for the car sooner. I'm not sure what the right answer is. Maybe someone with more experience with the learning process can chime in.
02-21-2024, 02:41 AM
