Coolest Thing I've Done, In a Long Time. Porsche Driving Experience.

I had a buddy buy a Porsche 911 GTS Targa recently and his dealer invited him and a couple of friends to Barber Motorsports Park Porsche Driving Experience.

Really had no idea what to expect, but we made the road trip to Barber Motorsports Park, outside of Birmingham. I was the only Tundra in the parking lot.

The break us into groups and my group hit the big track first. Barber Motorsports Park is a motorcycle track, with great turns and elevation changes. Indy cars run a race there too. It's the Augusta National of tracks too. Beautifully landscaped and art installations all throughout the grounds.



The instructor jumps into the first car, in a line of cars, and we pair up and take the cars behind. We would do a lap, switch drivers, do another lap, and then move to the car behind you and repeat.

We started in a 911 Turbo, moved to a GT3, 718, and then a GTS (I think). (PIC BELOW, behind the GT3 RS)
The laps started tame, instructor was talking to us via radio, describing braking points, turn apex, accel points, general lines on the track. Progressively, the laps got faster, harder braking, and harder accelerations.





After that, we took a "hot lap" with an instructor in the 911 GT3 RS, instructor driving, we were passengers. This was the most violent mechanical experience I've had. I've pulled 8.5gs in the back of an F-15 and ridden dirtbikes my entire life. This lap was more violent. What was shocking to me was how hard I was hanging in the seat belt during the braking. Literally pinned to the seat during acceleration and then hanging against the seat belt. Felt like one pedal was on the floor the entire time, the gas was smashed or the brakes were smashed, nothing in between.

Hot lap launch- (guess only one embedded video per post)

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We then swapped areas and headed to the skid pad in 911 GTS & Tacan Turbo S demo. Really thought I'd do better on the skid pad than I did, just because I have a little experience drifting and finding the balance. Not sure if it was the rear engine or what, but as soon as the rear would lose traction, I couldn't outdrive it, it was coming around. You get a few laps without traction control and then you turn it on. It definitely made a difference, but you still had to drive it with the traction control on.

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Next was a ride as a passenger in the Tacan Turbo S, 0-60mph in 2.3, finished at the back cones at 80+. 2.3 to 60 is fun as hell.

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We then did a lane change exercise that sounds lame, but was pretty dang fun. Just kept getting faster and faster. The instructor is watching and critiquing and giving tips over the radio.

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Next a road course in Caymans, which I loved to drive. I know they get crapped on, but I couldn't get it to slide at all. I tried.

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We also did a separate road course in a few different Panamera models. I didn't film any.

My group finished on the proving ground. Instructor in a 911 in front, we were chasing in Caymans. This was probably my favorite event. I definitely drove the hardest I did all day. The instructor said if we kept it a car length or two behind him, he'd keep pushing harder each lap. I was the car behind him, and stayed glued to his bumper. When we finished he gave me knuckles and told me I was driving my arse off. Made me feel

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This was a freaking awesome day. If I hit the lotto, I'm taking all my friends and family. I've driven fast cars before, but I've never driven fast cars as hard as I could, over and over. It was super cool. I had the most fun on the road courses & proving grounds. Maybe if I ended the experience on the big track instead of starting there, I'd have like it the most. Definitely was driving harder and more confidently at the end of the day.


There are Porsche Driving Experiences in ATL, Barber Motorsports Park, and Laguna Seca now.


Side note- All these videos aren't me driving, I was filming others doing the events.