"Carrera GT Experience" - Barber Motorsports Park
Hi all,
I have just returned from Birmingham, Alabama, having been invited by PCNA to participate in a CGT get together that they called the "Carrera GT Experience". It was a one-day affair held at the Barber Motorsports Park, which is the current USA venue for the Porsche Driving Experience (click me).
I was flattered to be invited since there were only about a dozen participants in this first-of-its-kind outing for Carrera GT customers and "qualified" guests (CGT prospects). Porsche picked up the tab for first class round-trip airfare, lodging at a great hotel, airport-to-hotel transportation, an evening meet-and-greet dinner, and of course, a day at the Barber track featuring a drive in a Carrera GT.
We were treated like A-list journalists coming to a press introduction for a new car model. When I walked into my hotel room following the limo ride from the airport, there was a keep sake goody collection in a custom made aluminum "Carrera GT" presentation box waiting for me. It included a pair of Porsche logo driving gloves and a small scale model of the 5.7 liter V-10. Displayed next to the box on the table was a bottle of Stag's Leap Merlot and some designer sunscreen in a party-favor-like wrap, both peeking out of a souvenir Porsche back pack from the Cayenne collection. I was impressed.
The "meet and greet" dinner that evening was held at Shula's Steak House , conveniently located off the lobby of the hotel. I and a Cincinnati acquaintance, Larry Schumacher, sat between Doc Bundy and Cass Whitehead who were to be among the instructors for the track event the following day. I had a fabulous time reminiscing with Doc about old racing days gone by. The dinner was lavish and almost nobody could finish everything that was served. We went off to bed a little bit early since breakfast was scheduled for 06:30 the following morning.
Our troop of instructors, driving fleet of Cayennes, whisked us away from the hotel at 07:15 to go over to the Barber track. For anyone who has not been there, one must see it to believe it. When he was planning the facility, Mr. Barber told all that would listen that we wanted to build the "Augusta of race tracks". He's done that and more. Just the landscaping was a monumental undertaking. Then, of course, there's his Motorcycle and Auto museum on the grounds, in which are housed 550 bikes of various historical significance as well as the world's largest collection of Lotus Formula 1 cars.
The track day was said to be very similar to the goings on at the Porsche Driving Experience with the exception that two Carrera GTs were added to the mix. At the beginning of the classroom orientation, all the participants were asked to relate their track driving history so that the instructors could form groups of roughly similar experience and thereby tailor their efforts to our advantage. I was somehow put in same group as Larry Schumacher, who is a professional racer and, over the years, had teamed with about half of our instructors.
Part 2 to follow later.
P.S. - This pic is Doc (standing) talking to Hurley
I have just returned from Birmingham, Alabama, having been invited by PCNA to participate in a CGT get together that they called the "Carrera GT Experience". It was a one-day affair held at the Barber Motorsports Park, which is the current USA venue for the Porsche Driving Experience (click me).
I was flattered to be invited since there were only about a dozen participants in this first-of-its-kind outing for Carrera GT customers and "qualified" guests (CGT prospects). Porsche picked up the tab for first class round-trip airfare, lodging at a great hotel, airport-to-hotel transportation, an evening meet-and-greet dinner, and of course, a day at the Barber track featuring a drive in a Carrera GT.
We were treated like A-list journalists coming to a press introduction for a new car model. When I walked into my hotel room following the limo ride from the airport, there was a keep sake goody collection in a custom made aluminum "Carrera GT" presentation box waiting for me. It included a pair of Porsche logo driving gloves and a small scale model of the 5.7 liter V-10. Displayed next to the box on the table was a bottle of Stag's Leap Merlot and some designer sunscreen in a party-favor-like wrap, both peeking out of a souvenir Porsche back pack from the Cayenne collection. I was impressed.
The "meet and greet" dinner that evening was held at Shula's Steak House , conveniently located off the lobby of the hotel. I and a Cincinnati acquaintance, Larry Schumacher, sat between Doc Bundy and Cass Whitehead who were to be among the instructors for the track event the following day. I had a fabulous time reminiscing with Doc about old racing days gone by. The dinner was lavish and almost nobody could finish everything that was served. We went off to bed a little bit early since breakfast was scheduled for 06:30 the following morning.
Our troop of instructors, driving fleet of Cayennes, whisked us away from the hotel at 07:15 to go over to the Barber track. For anyone who has not been there, one must see it to believe it. When he was planning the facility, Mr. Barber told all that would listen that we wanted to build the "Augusta of race tracks". He's done that and more. Just the landscaping was a monumental undertaking. Then, of course, there's his Motorcycle and Auto museum on the grounds, in which are housed 550 bikes of various historical significance as well as the world's largest collection of Lotus Formula 1 cars.
The track day was said to be very similar to the goings on at the Porsche Driving Experience with the exception that two Carrera GTs were added to the mix. At the beginning of the classroom orientation, all the participants were asked to relate their track driving history so that the instructors could form groups of roughly similar experience and thereby tailor their efforts to our advantage. I was somehow put in same group as Larry Schumacher, who is a professional racer and, over the years, had teamed with about half of our instructors.
Part 2 to follow later.
P.S. - This pic is Doc (standing) talking to Hurley
What a shame. 
