Funny Story about Driving

So we had our next Siegel Racing Driver Instruction Clinic yesterday. We had an STi, 2 Evo8's, a Cayenne Turbo, and a 996 911 Turbo. The highlight of my instructing career came when my hilarious sister-in-law came to check it out. She's an absolute sweet-heart, presently a Sophomore at Pepperdine. Likes nice cars and knows quite a bit about them, but hasn't ever really be in them. Here's the story:

My sister-in-law, Allison, was very excited even just to see a new 911 Turbo at a race track. When I told her that she could ride in it, she jumped at the chance. Alli had never been in any sort of vehicle on any sort of track, not even an auto-cross. Despite my confidence in Paolo, the owner, to take her out safely, and still amaze her with the cars capabilities, he generously offered me to take her out in it.

As we approached the car :

Allison: "Wow that car is beautiful"
Scott: "Yep, it's amazing to drive too."
Allison: "Be careful with me."
Scott: "Of course I'll be careful with you, and the very nice, expensive car too. Don't worry, this is my job, it's what I do."
Alli: "Yeah, be careful with me."

We get in and she's looking around at the interior:

Alli: "Wow, I think I want one of these."
Scott: "You and me both." (not that either of us will be affording one ANY time in the near future.)

So we get the helmets and intercom on and get ready to go. Realize that with the intercom I can whisper absolutely as quietly as I can and she can hear me perfectly. We can hear each other breathe.

The car is warm so I ease out of the pits. Short shift 2nd and 3rd and ease through Turn 1 and 2.

Scott: "We have 2 options, we can either just start going fast right away and you'll just trust me, or we can ease up on it."
Alli (with much concern in her voice): "You mean we're not going fast NOW?!?!"
Scott (chuckling at the thought of her first experience of 450 hp): "Nope."

For whatever reason I decide that she'll be better off just jumping in, so I nail it. We appraoch "The Kink" at the top of 3rd gear, nudge the brakes and turn-in, rolling immediately back toward full throttle. Alli just starts screaming:

Alli (at the top of her lungs, on the intercom in my ear): "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHG!!!"
Scott (ever so calm): "Stop Screaming."

Instantly she stops screaming but begins hyperventilating really loudly, again in my ear on the intercom.

Scott (still ever so calm): "Stop hyperventilating."

And she does. Instantly. Sudden silence in my ear. At this point we have just exited the kink and I'm rowing 4th, back to full throttle. I think "Wow, she listens really well. I had expected the hyperventilating to take longer to stop."

It turns out she had just immediately begun holding her breathe.

Fortunately by lap 3 or 4 she was breathing again
By lap 6 she was asking questions. On lap 8 she could recognize each time PSM cut in and I offered to turn it off and really show her what the car could do. She declined.

Good fun. Time to start on the next one.

SS
__________________
Scott
<><
Siegel Racing
404-388-8751
www.siegelracing.com
Driver / Engineer / Tuner / Instructor

 

I would love to come help, but I still have no response from Tommy. I have e-mailed and called... If he/you/y'all would like me to come instruct, I would love to. I have my own Intercom and everything

Seriously, if y'all would like me there I would love to come play with some F-cars. Not sure about bringing the Spec Miata out though....

 

mini-ferrari, I'd had the psm off when I was driving it earlier. As comfortable as she got, I'm not sure how she would have reacted to a big slide The owner was cool with it, but after an 8 hour day at Tally I was trying to be nice to his tires too.

 

Sweet, I'm there. I'll bring some of the materials I use at the schools there. Do you know how much more room there is in the school? I know a few few people who want more track time there.

Thanks a bunch, I appreciate the quick response,