Getting back to school Each year, Porsche offers over 128 days of driving classes. More than 1,200 students are trained by a team of highly-qualified (and patient) instructors. In 2007, the company has even designed a ladies-only driving program. This will help a few males not feel like they're learning from a woman the best way to drive on a racetrack. As for the ladies, they will be able to develop their skills without feeling the pressure of a large group of men.
I'm not trying to promote the German brand's vehicles in any way. I simply want to show how Porsche is full of common sense. As a sports car manufacturer, they fully understand that drivers need to be taught a few lessons on performance in order to safely enjoy their cars. Indeed, just because you own a Porsche, a Corvette or a Ferrari doesn't mean you know how to drive. The racetrack at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, is superbly designed to that end. The large number of corners and their various difficulty levels tremendously help drivers perfect their skills. Participants can even learn how to drive a Cayenne on the track and off-road. Three different courses are available: single day ($1,795 US), 2 days ($2,995 US) and advanced training (2 days - $3,495 US). The vehicles are provided by Porsche so you don't have to bring your own. In my opinion, the ideal solution is to opt for the 2-day course, which is a requisite to register to the advanced training.
Here's the website where you can fill in your application form:
www.porschedriving.com . You can also dial this number: 1-888-204-7474. Birmingham is the only place in North America where Porsche conducts driver trainings. Some Canadian dealers and Porsche clubs also provide similar courses, but they are not organized and certified by Porsche Cars North America.
photo: Amyot Bachand, Porsche