Zone 1 @ Watkins Glen Green Group Run 1 Day 2
A day with the Porsche Club of America, Rennsport region
Surviving Mosport
SURVIVING MOSPORT
By Joe Lapin
In June, I had a glorious DE (Driver Education) session at Mosport, (Canadian Tire Mosport Park), with the Toronto UCR (Upper Canada Region) group. I had recently made several modifications to my car, and having enjoyed these dramatic improvements on the road, I wanted to test the changes on the track. I enrolled with my pal Terry, and though we are both ‘signed off’ drivers, we entered the instructed Yellow run group.
LCMT 2012 – PORSCHE PARADISE
Navigating the Learning Curve while descending the Slippery Slope
Navigating the Learning Curve
while descending the Slippery Slope
by Joe Lapin
As my first season of Driver Education came to a close, I reflected on the incredible journey of learning that I had enjoyed in the Rennsport DE events. At my advanced age of 66, developing a consuming passion is not an easy task. Many of my peers are overwhelmed with negative thought patterns of declining health, financial insecurity, marital issues, angst about their children, and many other sad topics. To the uninitiated, the experience of driving on a racetrack is an abstract fantasy, but for those fortunate enough to participate in DE events, their lives change irrevocably. To learn is to grow!
Continue reading “Navigating the Learning Curve while descending the Slippery Slope”
Rennsport DE
My first DE, “ANTICIPATION, DEJECTION, REDEMPTION”
by Joe Lapin
In 2009, after a lifetime appreciating sports cars, I finally decided to satisfy a long held dream, and acquire a red Ferrari. At age 7, my first Dinky toy was a Ferrari, and I spent my adolescence making Ferrari models, and reading about Wolfgang Von Tripps, Phil Hill, et al. Thereafter, owning a Ferrari was a lifelong dream, and a logical indulgence to make a reality.
After intense research amongst the various mechanics and experts that I knew, and as an industrial designer, it soon became obvious that a Porsche was a far superior product. In the 70’s, I had two 914’s, the baby Porsche, yet I had always lusted after a ‘real’ Porsche, a 911. I had been aware of the early 911’s tendency to oversteer, so I prudently convinced myself that an all wheel drive model was my best option.
Joe Lapin’s Porsche Odyssey
In February, 2013, attaining 66 years of age, I had an epiphany, and realized how very little time remains. I did not feel this in a morbid, pessimistic mood, rather, I am now more motivated to avoid procrastination, which I consider to be the scourge of most mens’ existence. In this context, I embarked on a unique adventure that ultimately satisfied several of my long held desires. I fulfilled special dreams!
Sideways on Eau Rouge in a 911
Rennsport Ottawa Coffee Run June 11 2011
Rennsport Coffee Run June 11, 2011
Coffee Run leaders are advised to drive their planned route a few days before the run to ensure that there are no unexpected surprises; and with good reason.
For a variety of reasons I got around to driving the route on Thursday evening. By 7:45 I’d made it about 5 minutes west of Lanark on County Road 12, then disaster struck. The road was completely torn up for widening construction. I had to improvise in short order and then drive a new route that night.