Most drivers remember their first Porsche Club of America Driver Education (DE) event in vivid detail. Adrenaline has a way of burning things into memory, and a DE event delivers a cacophony of sights, sounds, smells, and feelings. It’s easy to show up unprepared. The car, a helmet, and the Tech Form are the obvious essentials, but there’s plenty of other stuff worth knowing before the event.
The suggestions below should reduce your stress and increase the fun factor. Remember, DE is supposed to be fun. It is not racing, race preparation, or a chance to show off how fast your car can go around a turn. The purpose of DE is to learn how to drive your Porsche properly and safely.
Before the Event: Preparation is Key
First and foremost, find a friend. Things go much more smoothly when you team up with someone who has been to a DE event before. Ask someone else in the club to show you the ropes. They will be thrilled to help, since they were in your shoes once too. Ask what they bring, how they prep their car, where they get tech inspected, and what time to arrive.
Driver Education Registration
Registration is handled through MotorsportReg. Pick a date from our upcoming DE events page and click the Register button on its event page to jump straight to registration.
Technical Safety Inspection
Every car used in a DE event must pass a safety inspection by an approved Tech Inspector no more than one month before each event. The inspection form is available on our Tech Inspection Resources page. Review the list, repair anything that needs attention, and start early. If you wait until the last few days and repairs are needed, you may not have time to get them done.
Fill in the top section of the Tech Inspection form and bring it to your mechanic or a Schattenbaum-approved Tech Inspector. If the car passes, both you and the inspector must sign and date the form. Bring it to the DE event: proof of inspection is required to participate.
Things to Consider Before the Tech Inspection
- Change brake fluid annually and bleed the brakes before each DE event.
- Torque wheel lug nuts to at least 90 ft-lbs (or as specified for your Porsche model).
- Brake pads must have at least 50% remaining, and enough to last the entire event (especially 2-day events) and get you home. Consider a performance pad. If you’re replacing pads, do it before the tech inspection.
- Check tires for adequate tread.
- Check items that commonly wear out: belts, hoses, light bulbs, relays, and fuses.
Mandatory Equipment and Other Accessories
Helmets are mandatory and often left to the last minute. Another club member may lend you one, but line it up before you leave. Don’t skimp; consider what it’s protecting. Buy a quality helmet such as Shoei, Bell, Simpson, or Stilo, and use a sizing guide to ensure a proper fit. If you plan to do DE events regularly, a pair of racer’s gloves and a neck brace are worth the investment. Gloves, neck brace, and driving shoes are optional.
Schattenbaum Region allows SA- or M-rated helmets (SA recommended) from the two most recent Snell rating periods, provided the helmet is in good condition. Any helmet showing signs of damage will not be allowed.
Other Sources of Information
Get familiar with track driving fundamentals and terminology before your first event. The national PCA website, pca.org, is a good starting point and links to other Regions’ sites with DE material (some downloadable). Plenty of books and videos on performance driving are also worth a look.
Before You Leave Home
Your car is tech inspected, your helmet is ready, and your forms are complete.
What should you bring? You don’t want the whole garage, but you do want what you’ll actually need. Anything in the car that isn’t needed should come out now, since the car must be completely empty at the track (see Grid Tech below).
Start packing a day or two early and check the weather. Events run rain or shine, and you’ll be outdoors most of the day.
Absolute Essentials
- Helmet
- Completed Tech Inspection Form
- Driver’s license, car registration, and insurance card
Car care and tools
- Tire pressure gauge
- Your car’s tool kit and some other basic hand tools
- Wrench to tighten wheel lug nuts, preferably a torque wrench
- Floor jack and stands
- A few quarts of oil and a funnel
- Extra brake fluid
- Thin tape to make your car numbers
- Racer’s tape to cover headlights and lenses - duct tape is not recommended as it can pull off paint
- A roll of paper towels and window cleaner
- Cotton towels
- Additional tools and car-care products
Clothing, weather, and comfort
- Cooler with ice and drinks - STAY HYDRATED!
- Long sleeve cotton shirt
- Cotton pants
- Shoes that do not have wide or bulky soles
- Driving gloves
- Neck brace
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Rain coat and umbrella
- Sunscreen
- A tarp, at least 4’x6’, to cover all your stuff in case of rain
- Folding chair
- Snacks / lunch (some tracks have facilities where you can get food and drinks)
Leave your EGO at home!
When You Arrive at the Track
Get a full tank of gas before you get to the track! Gas is available at the track, but it is usually much more expensive there.
Plan to arrive close to when grid tech begins. Get there early, talk to people, and find out what’s happening. Some events assign a paddock space; others are first-come, first-served.
What to Do When You Get to the Track
- Park your car in the paddock clear of access roads, the pit lane, and the grid tech line.
- Remove all items from your car to the spot you will be camping out at for the weekend.
- Sign in at the registration table, sign the PCA waiver, and receive the wristband denoting your run group.
- Prepare your car for grid tech, then drive to the grid tech line.
Grid Tech Inspection
Grid Tech is the final check that your car and equipment are safe to run. It’s usually held near pit lane. Listen for announcements and get in line early with your helmet and completed Tech Inspection Form. The crew will inspect the outside, cabin, trunk(s), and engine compartment.
Do all of the following before you get in the Grid Tech line:
- Empty the car completely. That means trunks, door pockets, floor mats, coffee cups, food wrappers, air fresheners, radar detectors, MP3 players, EZ-Pass tags, cell phones, and anything else not permanently installed.
- Remove the center caps from Fuchs wheels (optional).
- Targa and cabriolet owners: secure the top.
- Put on your assigned car numbers.
Grid Tech is NOT the time to find and fix problems. If you aren’t prepared, you’ll be sent to the back of the line. If you fail, you can’t go on track until the issue is corrected.
Driver’s Meetings and Classes
There’s a drivers meeting at the start of the event. The Track Chairman will cover the track, special rules for the day, flags, and hazard procedures. Beginner and novice run groups have separate classroom sessions before and during the day. Ask questions, pay attention, and learn from the other drivers and instructors.
Other Things to Do
- Meet your assigned instructor (if none was assigned, see the Registrar). Find out where your instructor’s car is parked, share your driving background and goals, and agree on a meeting spot before each run.
- Know when your run group sessions start (check the Run Group Schedule from registration) and get in the Grid line when called. Use the bathroom first if needed.
A Final Thought
Most DE participants are happy to help, so don’t worry if you forget something (you probably will). Plenty of members trailer their cars and bring nearly everything imaginable, and they’re usually glad to lend a hand. Don’t be shy about asking. Someday you’ll return the favor!
Be safe and have fun learning to drive your Porsche the way it was meant to be driven.
If you have any questions about our DE events, please contact our Track Chairman (track@schattenbaum.org) or Registrar (registrar@schattenbaum.org).