Better than sex!

[Festina Lente]

Well, you can't drive a Cup Car every day!

Some of us were fortunate to participate in the Cup Car driving experience and it was absolutely brilliant.

Limited to 6 participants our time was split between Turbos, GT3s and the Cup Cars; and all sessions included Instructors in the car to provide immediate feedback.

I wasn't apprehensive about participating, but I figured that as an average driver that the program might be beyond my reach..Boy! was I surprised, all the PSDS training paid off and mentally and technically I was ready for this car; physically it demonstrates the need for "racers" to be in condition, and that was more of a challenge.

The car is "relatively" easy to drive and the sequential is sweet. The visceral experience is awesome, and when you get out on the track you just want to keep driving, and driving.... and driving. Let's say its capabilities were way beyond my comfort zone (but my basics are sound) and it was very easy to stretch the envelope and progress in areas which were previously troublesome or intimidating. That's right the Cup Car helped conquer demons and slay dragons. After the Cup sessions, I am sure I was able to knock seconds of my GT3 times.

Before I would spend one red cent on future mods, I would sign up for this experience and I am sure that those serious about track activities would find it money well spent; and an economic bargain in terms of $$$$ saved in contemplated mods.

See you there!

[FTS]

Festina, it was a great pleasure to meet you and share the event

I cannot say it was "better than sex," but it was a once in a life time experience for certain. The event was well organized down to every detail. To my surprise, we spent a lot of time on the track with the cars, and about 45 mins running on the track with the Cup car. The price is well worth the admission IMHO.

After a wonderful dinner the previous night with all the attendees and instructors, in the morning of the event we only had a 30-min class just introducing everyone again and going over the schedule. Then we were at the track by 9 am, and besides a lunch break, we were on it until 4 pm. I was totally exhausted at the end of the day with my ribs bruised from driving the cup car

We also did not have the usual "follow the leader" stuff, they handed us the keys, sat in the next seat and said "go for it." Moving from the Turbo to the GT3 and then the Cup was a very good format. The turbo initially seemed out of place, but it actually helped prepare us with the throttle input coming off the corners. With the GT3 you can be almost brutal with the throttle at exit, but with the Turbo and the Cup, you have to be quite gingerly, more so on the Cup of course, but the Turbo did not like heavy throttle application before pointing the car straight.

We spent two 45-min sessions in the morning in the Turbo and GT3 (boy the GT3 feel so at home, so comfortable to drive, love every min I spend in it), and we got our first ride in the Cup with the instructor driving it. After I came out of that ride, I was very apprehensive and intimidated driving it, I almost thought about refusing it and keep driving the GT3; that's how much I love driving the GT3, but I am so glad I did not do something as stupid as that frankly, except my instructor might have wished I did

After lunch we again spent one 45-min session in the Turbo and GT3, then suited up for the Cup, I was really nervous. Many buttons, fully strapped in with their helmets, HANS, a crew of 4-5 people, etc. I felt as if I was going into the space shuttle. Everything is authentic, pure race-ready Cup with brand new Michelin slicks. These cars apparently came off the plane just few weeks ago, had very few hours on them.

So, I pushed the "On" button, pushed down the ignition switch and then the starter button. OMG! the bark when it comes to life is surreal. Everything was trembling, and the sensation of coming off the air jacks is so special as well. I stalled the car from stand-still as the clutch pick up point is very short, but once you get going, it becomes easier and easier. The sequential shifter with auto-blip is just superb, makes life so easy on the driver and the tranny. These cars also had ABS on them with a knob with 12 different settings, I am sure it comes very handy and saves a lot of tires.

Once on the track, you can feel the weight difference, the huge grip from the slicks (I could not sleep on my left side last night due to brused ribs, no kidding), and the throttle is so immediate that you have to be very careful with it. The dynamics of the car was not that different from the GT3 aside from all its features I mentioned above; I think I was up to speed pretty quickly, within 2-3 laps, that my instructor told me to use 5th gear even on the short straights as I was reaching the 4th gear redline pretty quickly. It had shifter lights on top of the dash, which were very useful for me, although I barely had time to look at them, Barber is like a huge autox track, not much time to check stuff out on the dash, there is something happening at every second. The brakes don't have power assist, so that was the most different component. I pushed on brakes like I never did before, and you feel everything that happens with the brakes. They are superb to say the least.

For those that know, coming into T14 up hill fast and you trail the brakes, to weigh the front to make a tight right hander preparing for T15 before the front straight, so it is an important turn for positioning the car. Just like in the GT3, I would get on throttle generously and rear would just slightly rotate and position the car perfectly. With the Cup, I kept doing the same and rear would also rotate, even better than the GT3, and just squeeze the throttle, breath a little for T15 entry, back on full throttle for the straight. Well, this one lap, I did not brake enough into T14 was out of position by about a foot, and gave a little too much throttle to rotate the rear. Oh boy! it did rotate violently, snapped and there I went for a spin (180) and started sliding towards the guard rail on grass, which is very close to the track. I though, OK, I am about to reck a quarter million dollar Porsche Cup car, better brace myself. My instructor shouted "off the brakes!" so I came off, the car swung back onto the track, back on brakes again, did another 180 in the other direction and stopped in the middle of the track, let off the brakes roll back to the other side and we stopped. I did NOT stall it!

Went back into the pits, the crew checked the car out, and they told me to go again I went on, a little more gingerly, and after 4-5 laps I came back in and parked it. When I came out of the car, I was soaking wet from sweat. The fan was on through the whole thing, but the excitement overwhelmed the fan.

Getting on plane now (that's another story), will continue later...

[Trackrat]

Wow! Awesome experience! I know Festina and Fatih are two people who would truly value and appreciate such an opportunity and am thrilled for you guys! Great to read the review of the day and how the car was to drive. Glad you had fun and didn't break anything...lol. Thanks for sharing with the posts

[mdrums]

Awesome! I did a couple of PSDS courses and can't say enough about how well run these schools are but also how well the instructors comunicate with the students. I learned so much and became such a better overall driver. PSDS has the best instructors in the world...PERIOD!

[landjet]

Nice one Fatih, you lucky dog.

[FTS]

Few pics:

Here I am being fitted into the cockpit, oriented with all the buttons and switches:

And there are quite a bit of those darn switches and buttons:

Getting ready to hit the track the first time:

On track:

[Festina Lente]

No photos of the red lights you triggered on the track with your spin?..it was cool running with the track video monitoring system..and seeing the red lights come on...beats flags!

I think your spin emphasizes that track knowledge and experience gained from the PSDS Masters Plus program is invaluable and a necessity for participants, especially at the margin in this car. I think you would agree.....correct?

Agree with your comments about the GT3, I could have stayed in it all day and it was fun red lining it down the straights..... but compared to that Cup Car.... well there is none.

It is addictive...be warned!

[FTS]

Originally Posted by Festina Lente

No photos of the red lights you triggered on the track with your spin?..it was cool running with the track video monitoring system..and seeing the red lights come on...beats flags!

I would have loved to see that one. I hope it is in the video, I haven't looked at the memory stick yet.

I think your spin emphasizes that track knowledge and experience gained from the PSDS Masters Plus program is invaluable and a necessity for participants, especially at the margin in this car. I think you would agree.....correct?

I absolutely agree. Track knowledge was key, especially at this track that is quite technical. This is one of those tracks where you think you got it, but you really don't get it after many many laps I think. I really liked the track, and I think the 2-day program is very well suited for the Cup car as participants would get even more time in it the second day.

It is addictive...be warned!

very much so.

[TRAKCAR]

Damn guys, I'm so jealous!!

Thank you for posting the pics. Any chance of in-car video??
Another $$ Bucket li$t item added; I might actually start living healthier, so I can save longer

I don't see myself buying a Cup car, let alone race it, but damn I sure wanna try one out

So, where to we find out the cost, deductables, etc ??

[Festina Lente]

Yes, somebody once advanced the idea that it would be a great test drive opportunity to determine interest in purchasing.

Then you'll go from potential interest, to scheming and dreaming and going back for another test drive!

[FTS]

Well, here is the video. I cannot believe it is me driving, until the end of course, where I cannot deny it

[TRAKCAR]

Thanks for the video, I'm sitting here with a big smile watching you drive.

I wanna have a go at it too!!
Again what;s the decuctable; I'm going for the track record

The spin was good for a big belly laugh

[jenk12m]

Wow, glad to hear this was worth every penny and I know it took a lot of pennies to pay for this event.

[Trackrat]

Whew...you were [ ] that close

Amazing fun!

[FTS]

Originally Posted by TRAKCAR

Thanks for the video, I'm sitting here with a big smile watching you drive.

I wanna have a go at it too!!
Again what;s the decuctable; I'm going for the track record

The spin was good for a big belly laugh

Peter, I am certain you'll go for the record. My best in the Cup car was much slower than yours in the 3RS, but it felt like I was going fast, it certainly was my best instructors said their good-pace times were 1:36ish and their record thus far was 1:33, some participants had more experience and I think one of them did 1:40 and another one did 1:39, I think.

I signed bunch of papers before hand without reading and I honestly do not know what the deductable was, did not care

Originally Posted by jenk12m

Wow, glad to hear this was worth every penny and I know it took a lot of pennies to pay for this event.

It was absolutely worth it. All the expense that PSDS undertakes, amazing brand new cars, closed facility, top rated instructors, I don't you can buy that for less than $20-30K, so the price is a bargain IMO.

Originally Posted by Trackrat

Whew...you were [ ] that close

Amazing fun!

You are not kidding, I was I think about 2-3 ft away from the guardrail and the rear would have touched first, slamming the front; it would have been a very expensive crash.