In case you've not heard of Doc, his first notable series was British Formula 3, in which he faired reasonably well, after which he
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| To really get a feel of what the Cayman S could do at the hands of a professional, I asked "Doc" Bundy to take me for a spin on the racetrack at the end of the day. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
put in stints in European Touring Cars as well as the Japanese GT Series, plus the renowned FIA GT Championship. He managed a GTO class win in the Daytona 24 Hours, plus took his Lotus Sport X180R to the podium enough times in 1982 to win the IMSA Bridgestone Potenza Supercar Championship - the previous year he lost out to Hurley Haywood, also on hand for our day's events just outside of Birmingham, who won the series in a Porsche 911 Turbo. Bundy, along with Andy Wallace, gave Panoz their first victory ever when they won at the IMSA GT race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, not too far from where were were testing this Cayman S, in their Panoz GTR-1 in 1997, but Porsche is probably just as appreciative to Doc for handing over its 75th Trans-Am victory at Portland.
To really get a feel of what this car could do, I asked this same "Doc" Bundy to take me for a spin on the racetrack at the end of the day. All smiles, he promised me an enjoyable ride when I told him I wasn't afraid of going to the limit. I've learned to trust these guys, and on occasion, women, who spend nearly every day driving on race courses, pushing various cars and themselves to and beyond their capabilities. They know their
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| Eight or nine tenths of the Cayman S's limit is shocking even to a seasoned "shot gun" pro like me. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
craft like I know mine, and therefore I feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can take a car like the Cayman S to a point where I might think it has reached its limit, but they know full well that it's only nudging eight or nine tenths.
Still, eight or nine tenths of the Cayman S's limit is shocking even to a seasoned "shot gun" pro like me. Yes the Cayman can break its tail free if the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system is shut down, and yes it does feel forgiving at that moment, at least from a passenger's perspective. Bundy didn't appear concerned, only grinning wildly, his tanned face showing lines of experience and slit-like eyes the determination it must take to move up to the top levels of motorsport.
