exactly Z-man. i don't mean to say that you "HAVE" to beat up your Porsche to autocross it... but those guys with CRXs aren't afraid to bouce off the rev limiter, or wear off the equivalent of a week's worth of rubber from their back tires. if it's a big drift or e-brake turn that will cut 3 seconds off of your time... some people are afraid to do it. i drove my 944 yesterday and spent most of the time within 2000RPM of redline. damn that was fun. driving these cars like you're putting around the golf course is no fun. some people aren't willing to drive their Porsches hard. you should see how europeans drive these cars... i remember watching a video of a Porsche factory driver taking an early 924 through roads that would make some people cringe. he was beating the hell out of that car and it looks like he was having a ton of fun doing it too.
ever see those Mercedes and BMW films where they do 360 degree spins on dry (or slightly wet) pavement? what about the way that they drive the cars on the "Motorvision" show on Speedvision. i especially love how they'll put a VW Golf GTI through the paces that you'd expect a full-blown race car to go through.
i have friends who autocross frequently. i also have friends that rallycross, or rally race, their cars. people shouldn't be afraid to break their cars. just don't break your SELF in the process.
one of the most influential things i ever heard was said by Phil Hill (america's first F1 world champion) at a small PCA/Corvette Club/Ferrari CLub reception. let me recount what i can (i wish i taped it).
Q: Phil, do you own a sports car?
Phil: No, i haven't owned a sports car since the 1960s. i had to get rid of it because i was getting in too much trouble with it. every time i'd get up to a stopight and someone would rev their engine... it would be all over. we'd get out on mountain roads and drive these cars to their limits. after too many speeding tickets, i HAD to get rid of my sports cars.
Q: would you buy a sports car today, like a Porsche, or Ferrari?
Phil: probably not. i can't stand the thought of owning a car and not being able to drive it to it's fullest every day. i'd rather have a 60Hp MG than a Dodge Viper.... you can drive the little MG
flat out with the pedal to the metal... and nobody can tell.
with that, there was a ton of laughter from the crowd. he was 100% right though. many people don't understand why i don't have a 911, or a 914, or some other sort of sports car with a lot oh horsepower. i tell them that i'd rather eat up back roads in my perfectly balanced 924 singing at 5800rpm... than bog around the city streets doing 50rpm above idle. the first time i really opened up the 924, i was damn surprised at how much POWER the car has when you really rev it. it makes an absolutely terrifying sound. it's borderline "i'm about to explode" and it makes you WANT to either back off the gas, or push it harder to the floor. when i did bust the hell out of the 924 engine... i decided to rebuild it for harder (racing) driving.
i'm fully ready to admit that this year my wedding has destroyed my Porsche budget. i CAN'T afford to drive my cars hard this year because i have spent so much on my wedding that i could have BOUGHT another racing engine. many people buy Porsches not for the fun, but to show off. it's those guys that will never drive their cars to the fullest extent. they're too afraid of "depreciation" or "putting miles on it" or "getting it dirty".
whatever. i condemn them to a life of getting lapped by $3000 CRXs
obin