Zone 2 DE Event by John Cochran

For three not so glorious days, weather-wise at least, over two hundred drivers assembled on the North Carolina - Virginia border for the 2005 inaugural of Driver’s Education at Virginia International Raceway. This year promised to be something special from the beginning with knowledge that we would drive, for the first time, the entire 4.2 mile track and all thirty-two turns. Wow! In a twenty-five minute session, with traffic and the learning curve, it was difficult for my Boxster to make more than five or six laps before seeing the checkered flag.

Weather was the biggest obstacle to developing high speed driving skills. That is a generalization because others, such as Tom Joyce, relished in making large waves and splashes through the verdant hills and dales. For those that liked developing their skills in the wet, parts of Friday and Saturday provided gallons of opportunities. Fortunately, for those of us that drive the same car home that we drive on the track, Sunday’s shine was welcomed and we had a full day of dry track time.

If one were to think that the weekend was lost because of the rain, that was hardly the case. While driving our cars is the reason we are there, so too is the opportunity to share life with the other men and women that share our joyous idiosyncrasy in PCA. Whether leaving the track for a quick pizza at Millie’s with David Raznick or enjoying an evening meal with a table of ten to twenty tracksters, the social hour is every bit as important as our runs. Until you have been entertained by the stories of Noel Hall, Manny Alban, Dennis Howard and others, life at the track is not really complete.

This event, sponsored by Zone 2, drew drivers from across the United States. Consider that the following states and drivers attended: California (2), Connecticut (5), District of Columbia (4), Delaware (16), Florida (1), Georgia (6), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (3), Maryland (45), Minnesota (4), North Carolina (17), New Jersey (6), New York (6), Ohio (2), Ontario Canada (4), Pennsylvania (15), South Carolina (8), Tennessee (1), Virginia (75) and West Virginia (2). Wow! Eighteen states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

Our next DE will be held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course located in the heart of Ohio near Bellville. In mid-May, we will miss the next Summit Point event because of Chesapeake Challenge 36 but at the end of June we will be at Watkins Glen New York for three great days. If you want to enjoy your Porsche at high speed in a safe environment, consider the track. Everyone gets PCA driver training, we all go the same direction (usually), there are no cross roads, no state troopers (on duty) and there is only one exit and one entrance. Compare that to I-95.