The Ramblin' Rose - Porsche Club

Double Clutching in Vegas
Fall/2012
We were peering out of our hotel room window just as
the Bellagio fountains were performing their dance
45 floors below. As Vegas virgins, my wife Leslie and I
had seen the casinos, a Cirque Du Soliel show and the
Jersey Boys at the Parisian. I was itching for some other
indulgence, exactly what, I wasn’t sure. On the table next
to the television was one of those cheesy coupon booklets;
you know the kind that lures in tourists who have no idea
what they could be doing? Flipping through it I noticed
an ad for Exotics Racing, which promised a supercar
driving experience. 24 hours later, in true Vegas style, a
stretch limo arrived complete with crushed velvet seats and
complimentary mineral water.
A 20 minute ride through
the desert north of the
city delivered us to the
doorsteps of Las Vegas
Motor Speedway, where
Exotics Racing had
recently put the finishing
touches on a proprietary
1.4 mile, 11 turn track.
The wail of high-strung
engines and screeching
tires greeted us and was
the kind of buzz of activity that would reel in any car
guy or girl. Upon entry into the temporary clubhouse, (a
new permanent building is planned for 2013), and the
usual signing of release forms, I was presented with an
a la carte menu of cars. The selection was impressive:
Mercedes SLS, Ferraris, Audi R8-V10, Lamborghinis and
an Aston Martin. The Nissan GTR was broken. Porsches?
A Cayman R, 997 Carrera S and a Turbo S. As a devout
manual shifter, I was disappointed to learn that every car
in their fleet was equipped with a dual clutch automated
transmission (for the Porsches – 7 speed PDK’s). The
reason for this was soon to become obvious. Prices
varied, on a per lap basis, according to the cars relative
“exoticness”. My ride would be the “economical car”,
a distinctive metalic green Cayman R. Leslie would not
drive, but would be the official track photographer. My
time slot arrived and I was shuffled into a classroom
with 20 other participants. Instructors spent the next 15
minutes discussing details of the correct driving position,
track protocol and the fundamental forces at play when
cars are driven at the limit. We were also reminded that
the dead pedal, seldom used in everyday driving, would
be our friend. Behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne,
an instructor took groups of 4 on a preview lap of the
course pointing out brake markers, apexes, and the most
efficient line around the course. With zero previous track
experience, my head was now swimming with details.
Finally, after meeting our individual instructors, we were
ready to take to the track.
Vinny would be my Brazilian co-pilot and judging by his
thick accent, he had probably been a recent arrival. MMA
was his other passion; in fact he was due to fight that
evening, but an injury would prevent him from doing so.
After nestling into the beautiful carbon fiber seats, Vinny
informed me that the rules of engagement meant that none
of the electronic driver aids would be shut-off. Our small
group was dispatched onto the track in 15-second intervals.
The first few turns lead to a 1/3-mile straightaway that
exited into an 11 degree, banked, carousel like turn number
2. The balance of the course consisted of numerous closely
linked turns and when not blessed with a photographic
memory, seemed different each time through. The fresh
asphalt did nothing to provide clues to the best racing
line. With steady coaching from Vinny I began to progress
visibly, almost catching an Audi R8 on the final lap. It had
been a huge adrenalin rush to drive flat out in a controlled
environment. The handling of the Cayman R was stunning;
as was the engine music at redline. Even the PDK was
a revelation; having started with it set in manual mode I
eventually let the software do the shifting. Would I feel
differently about the PDK after more familiarity with the
car and track? Possibly. In any case, it was a great way to
end our Vegas holiday and was certainly the highlight for
me. So maybe next time it will be the Turbo S?
Marc Schroeder
16
The Rambling Rose Fall 2012