How I Became a Fast Woman... Driver

Can Automotive Traveler's most-adventurous grandmother break the 100-mph barrier behind the wheel of a Porsche Boxster?

Stella might have her groove back, but let's just say, my fire's been lit--and I've moved onto the fast track.

Thanks to one of the world's greatest racing champions, the humble Hurley Haywood, and to motivational wizard Don Robertson, my recent day at Brumos U (or, the Porsche Driver Familiarization and Training School) nudged me beyond my comfort zone. Race course driving and drag racing, like my previous skydiving adventure, weren't on my bucket list, but this grandmother of five gave them a spin.

The experience began with an hour and a half drive to Florida's Gainesville Raceway, the perfect opportunity to get the feel of my loaner 2009 Porsche Boxster. Woo-hoo, what a fun car to drive--and that said by a woman who spent most of her time behind the wheel as a means to get from point A to B or as Soccer Mom.

I had been invited to join 10 Porsche owners who purchased their vehicles from Brumos Motors in Jacksonville. The dealership has offered a complimentary, one-of-a-kind driver-training program to buyers for the last 25 years. The brainchild of Porsche legends Peter Schutz and Bob Snodgrass, the Brumos Motors' program was born of an understanding that, unlike Europeans on the German Autobahn, U.S. buyers have few opportunities to experience their cars' potential.

So, Brumos established a performance-driving school to educate owners about their vehicles' capabilities. Both sports cars and Cayenne SUVs are included. Hurley Haywood developed the basic curriculum, following the format of the Porsche Sports Driving School, which teaches skills to up-and-coming race car drivers. Don Robertson designed and oversaw the building of the road course layout.

The world's most successful endurance-racing driver, Hurley Haywood has amassed an astounding number of wins, including five victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona, three at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and two at the 12 Hours of Sebring--all in a Porsche. He was recently summoned from a business trip in Wisconsin to drive in the Grand Prix of Miami with Joao Barbosa. They won the event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway two days later.

You might expect someone with such impressive credentials to be brash or boastful, but not Hurley. He doesn't even look like the "typical" race car driver, or at least how I envisioned one (no grease under this man's fingernails!). The debonair Mr. Haywood (or is that Hollywood?) arrived in a crisp, white button-down shirt tucked into khaki shorts, racing-style sunglasses, and a Rolex watch (which he won for his first-place finish in the Rolex Grand Am).

Chuck Dressing, the Brumos U coordinator, introduced both Hurley and Don Robertson, director of the Gainesville Raceway. Full of jokes and reminding me of Don Rickles, Don Robertson has a wealth of racing experience. He is a five-time winner of the South Atlantic Road Racing Championships and the former racing partner of Bob Snodgrass. He also trains the instructors who, in turn, teach police-pursuit driving classes.

After we enjoyed a made-to-order omelet breakfast, Don and Hurley reviewed the day's schedule, which included a slalom course, an under-steering exercise, a time trial around a test track, and finally... drag racing!

We then buckled into our cars and drove off to the slalom course. First, we watched Hurley zoom through the zigzag turns, while Don gave us the play by play: Shift into second gear, accelerate and look ahead, move to the far left, brake before the hairpin curve, accelerate in the turn and through the second series of cones, then slam on the brakes and test the ABS system.

Right! Each of us in our own cars were then driven through the course by one of the instructors. Don took the wheel of my Gator-blue Boxster (had to call it that--I was in Gainesville, home of the UF Gators), and off he roared. Whoa. I do believe he could drive one of those movie stunt scenes. To me, the twists and turns were FAST and the braking truly intense.

We switched seats, and I tried to calm my nerves. Feeling out of my league, I started off. Don talked me through as I maneuvered around the cones, only knocking one down. He couldn't have been more supportive.

For the second trial, I drove alone. Just before I took off, Don leaned into my window to offer last-minute instructions: "Lose the death grip, and let your hands float on the steering wheel." Never heard that from my PE teacher/driver's ed instructor back in high school. Yippee. And I was off. I did better and, yes indeed, the ABS brakes work.

Attempt three was my best. I was actually beginning to feel fairly confident weaving between the markers and making the sharp turn. I could feel the car reacting to small movements of the wheel, and I was looking farther ahead as I drove. After one more run, the group caravaned on for exercise two.

Here, we were to drive around a more open course and learn about controlled sliding. We were told to throttle up and down by pressing on the accelerator, then easing up, and pressing down again. It's a "smooth weight transfer, just like a dancer," Hurley explained. If the car goes into a spin on the curve, don't worry: The million-dollar training facility was designed for safety. But, the staff would give any spin-out a standing ovation... for pushing beyond our limits.

When Don took the wheel to drive me over the road course, I suggested we dance through--a nice waltz, perhaps, instead of a tango. But, this was rock and roll time. I could smell the faint odor of burning rubber when two of the male students slid into partial spin-outs. To Nance, one of the three women drivers, the scent proved addictive. She was having such fun she claimed she wanted that essence as her next perfume.

Driving a manual shift, Nance had a lot more car handling to worry about but was totally into the day. Beth, who is much more at home on a tennis court, was originally quite hesitant on the road. Yet she ended up liking this throttling exercise best. Her husband, who had come to watch, was blown away by her progress. "Did you see Beth take that turn?" he asked, grinning with pride.

The eight male students, including one driving a big Cayenne SUV, were more self-confident. Okay, maybe it's a macho thing, but they were reveling in the speed. And besides, three or four of them had been through the school before.

Break time. During a light lunch, we chatted about our progress and challenges. Afterward, we were individually fitted with tight helmets, which the ladies felt added the bonus of a quick face-lift. Yes! Time trials followed on the test track, which included several 90-degree turns, one wide curve, one quick right-left, and a straightaway before the braking zone. Hurley claimed the win or loss would happen on the straightaway. The key was not over-driving the stopping box, but not braking too soon to cause a slower time.

After a few practice laps, we each made two official runs, timed by Chuck. The winner struck the finish line by the barest of margins, but he was legally in and collected his signed and framed collage poster of Hurley with his 10 winning race cars. The most improved driver, Beth, received a gift certificate to the Brumos store.

As participants received their diplomas, Hurley's number 59 Supercar, a 911 Turbo S-2 Porsche, announced its arrival with a deep throaty purr. We were all offered a two-lap ride with this famous racing champion. I was strapped in, helmet checked, and off we flew. Hurley spun me around at 135 mph, certainly the fastest I've ever gone in a car. Whew! I can't imagine how drivers continue the constant braking and accelerating, shifting and steering at endurance events. Hurley was right when he said, "Driving is 100-percent participation between you and the car, and it's a relationship that takes concentration."

For the last exercise, we snaked over to the Gainesville National Hot Rod drag strip, the longest in the United States--and the place where the first-ever 300 mph run was made by Kenny Bernstein, in 1992. Two lanes were topped with sticky tar and, in the center, stood the counted-down lights shaped like a Christmas tree. "Roll your car up to the line until you get the amber indicator light," Don instructed. "Then watch the countdown, and be off with the green. Don't wait for the green, or you'll be too slow."

I let it rip, flooring the accelerator and feeling the power of my Porsche's engine with its PDK double-clutch über-gearbox. Intoxicating, a sheer blast of freedom, and total fun! Punching the pedal made me feel like I was letting go of pent-up frustration. Talk about therapeutic!

I adored the thrill and couldn't wait to go again. Between races, drivers pick up a slip listing split times. I had made it to 99.91 mph. Dang. Could I reach 100?

On my next turn, I got off to a slower start and only hit 99.79 mph. I wished I could do it over. I felt like a kid with a brand-new toy, beaming with excitement. Now, after all these hours, I was finally in a relationship with my car and in the groove...but my date with racing school was over. Curses!

I learned many important driving skills that day--techniques I'll carry forward to everyday situations. Chuck said the school receives many testimonials from former students describing how they avoided accidents, or even deadly crashes, thanks to their Brumos U lessons.

I've changed my steering habits and now concentrate much more on everything around me and where I want to go, not just on what is directly ahead of me. Hurley said, "Vision is the most important thing in high-performance driving." Sure, I've got vision... a vision of me in a new car--a Porsche Boxster!

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