Tips and techniques for Driver Education events

This collection of drivers education tips and advice is the result of a collaboration which started several months ago. The following PCA members contributed their experiences and ideas: Ellen Beck (North Country), Bill Cline (Eastern Buckeye), Wil Ferch (Niagara), Bill Gregory (Connecticut Valley), David Kalokitis (Schattenbaum), Claire McConaha (Allegheny), John Mingst (Metro NY), and Rob Stoesser (Northeast).  

Lisa Burke is an avid Autocrosser, and all round Porsche Club enthusiast. She is currently serving on the NER Board
of Directors as Membership Chair. She enjoys greeting new members and being able to introduce them to all the various possible Porsche activities available. Through participation in many different Porsche events (rallies, Parade, DE, Autocross, Cars and Coffee, Banquets, etc.), she has enjoyed meeting Porsche lovers from all over. You can meet Lisa at the gate at Autocross events at Fort Devens.

Lisa started her Porsche experience in 2013, when her partner Erick bought a Cayman and joined PCA. They went
to an Autocross Car Control Clinic and in 2018 began to attend Autocross events regularly. The first season, after
reacquainting herself with the manual transmission, she drove a Honda. In 2020, she switched to a Miata and then in
2021 she drove an ’06 987 Cayman S. Her first DE was in 2022 driving a friend's BMW M3 at the Thompson Novice Event.
Since then she purchased a ’23 Toyota GR86. She loves her purple car: not too fast, not too slow, just right! Lisa enjoys
sharing the driving experiences with Erick. She says she is not super competitive and drives because it is fun, but admits that it would also be fun to beat Erick’s time.
Lisa lives in Norton, MA. She works as a risk manager for a technology firm that she has been with for 23 years. She was able to work from home during the Covid pandemic, but like so many people, is back working in Boston now.

A message from Lisa to you:
“My advice to PCA members would be to get involved,
volunteer — this is YOUR club, make sure you get the most
out of it. I have been lucky enough to meet so many wonderful
people by running events and being on the board. For the lady
drivers, I say don't be afraid to get behind that wheel and find
out your special way to enjoy the car: Autocross, track, rallies,
coffee and social events, concours, or just as a navigator in
the right seat — I hope you get to enjoy your car and this club
as much as I have. Enjoy the ride!”

The December 2021 PCA Panorama magazine featured no less than six articles telling the stories of women with a passion for driving and the Porsche experience. Interesting, fun, and inspiring, their pursuits spanned the gambit of motorsport from racing and rallying to tracking down long lost beloved Porsche family members. The source of and support for these pursuits are different for each individual, sometimes stemming from childhood and sometimes coming later in life. This article highlights two young ladies who have been introduced to motorsports by their fathers, whose Porsche experience has led them to share their passion for driving with their daughters. Amriel Lucier [nick-named “Amy”] started accompanying her dad, Ollie, to autocross and track events before she could walk. As time went on, she was able to participate as a volunteer helping with Autocross and DE operations and as Pit Crew for her dad at his racing events. An avid photo enthusiast, she has often photographed events; one of her pictures made the cover of the Northlander. At 12, Amriel started driving karts and was more recently able to race at SCCA Autocross events in the karting group. She is looking forward to her 16th birthday this spring when she will be able to get her Driver’s License and race with her dad’s Boxster. Amriel is a Sophomore at Conant HS in New Hampshire. A natural competitor, she plays Varsity Basketball and enjoys showing horses. Someday, Amriel would like to be a veterinarian.

Mia Leroux would have gone to Drivers Ed, as most kids do, but Covid had closed everything down. Instead, her Dad, Michael, took her to the track where he is a member and taught her to drive in his “Jamaican Bacon” Miata race car. Mia fell in love with driving on the track and decided to pursue her SCCA racing license. Being a minor, this involved going to SCCA Driving School and being heavily scrutinized before getting signed off on her Novice Credentials and January-February 2022 Northlander 25 finally earning her SCCA Competition License. Mia just finished her first National SCCA Race down in Sebring, FL called the Sebring Hoosier Super Tour. She had qualified to participate by making the podium at Regional races and drove her Spec Miata in a group of 80 cars with drivers of all ages and levels of experience. It was totally exhilarating and she is sure to be back for more. As a matter of fact, Mia has decided to relocate from Rhode Island to Ocala, FL where her family has a home and she can drive all year long. She is a Junior in High School and because she is also taking college courses When she graduates she will have earned an Associate’s Degree. It is great to see the opportunities that are available for girls today and it is heartwarming to see the interest that these dads (and moms) are taking in their daughters. Starting so young opens up all kinds of new possibilities for them. Whatever role driving will play in Amy’s and Mia’s future is still to be determined. But, to be sure, they are developing confidence that will influence their future and making memories that will last a lifetime. You go girls! PS: AND TO FATHERS EVERYWHERE WHO LOVE AND SUPPORT THEIR DAUGHTERS, WE GIRLS

Laura Tambaschio went to Lime Rock Park with her husband, Larry. She had been to the track before, tagging along while he drove his Mini Cooper, and later his Porsche, maybe staying for an hour or so. As a relatively uninterested outside observer, for the most part, once you’ve seen one car zoom around the track you’ve seen them all. Right? This time was different. She stayed for 2 days and drove their 2014 Porsche Cayman S.

Laura signed up as a Green 1st timer, which has sentimental significance for those of us who have done DEs for years. This is one of those experiences that you will never forget. The first day on the track is always such a challenge: so much to learn, nervous anticipation of the unknown, sensory overload…. IT’S SO EXCITING!!!! Laura managed well with her trusty instructor, Kristin Larson, by her side every step (turn) of the way. On Monday the weather was not ideal and Laura was very cautious. She admits she was not the fastest car in her run group, but that is to be expected when you start out, and learning to give point-bys is an important skill. The weather was cooperative on Day 2.

There was a rule in the Croteau household that if you wanted help getting your first car, you had to learn how to drive with a manual transmission. As a result, the first car Brianna owned was a standard shift and she has been driving one ever since. Learning right from the beginning gave her a certain sense of confidence and pride in her capabilities. She said “I first thought this was a silly rule to have, but I learned to be grateful for it. I grew to love driving a manual so much that my everyday car now [is], and I anticipate for the rest of my life, will be a manual.” According to her dad, Jeff, he had two reasons for this rule: 1) less chance of them being on the phone if they had to shift the transmission and 2) it was less likely that other people would ask to borrow the car.

Brianna began attending SCCA autocross events with her dad, in 2015 when she was 18. At first she drove her daily driver, a 2012 Hyundai Veloster and later the 911 (991) that her dad bought. She developed a love of driving as she developed a greater understanding of how a car operates and at the same time, learned how to push the car to its limits and still maintain control. The 2nd PCA autocross she attended, she won the Novice category. A few years later the two of them were introduced to track events. Her dad went to one first and encouraged her to give it a try. She remembers her first day at Thompson in 2021 and how nervous she was, but once she started driving she realized how much fun it was. The track environment can be intimidating in the beginning, but Brianna’s fears soon dissipated because “…being at the track is an awesome experience and everyone there wants to see you do well and see you have a good time.” “I never once felt like I didn’t belong at the track; everyone welcomed me with open arms and was excited to teach me both on and off the track.” At first, Brianna’s mom wasn’t a big fan but as Brianna became more comfortable with her skills on the track, her mom grew to appreciate the father/daughter experience, and grew more comfortable too. By the end of the 2021 season, Jeff decided to purchase a dedicated track car. So they bought a 1999 911 (996). Brianna drove it at Thompson, and plans to drive at Watkins Glen, Palmer, and Club Motorsports in 2022. She drove a few sessions in the solo (Blue) run group at Thompson, and is hoping to get to be promoted soon.

Growing up in Milford, MA Brianna was on 3 Varsity teams, playing volleyball, basketball and lacrosse. She went on to attend the University of Rhode Island, where she earned a BS in Kinesiology and a Minor in Psychology. After a year interning as a Physical Therapy aide, she has just begun graduate studies at the University of Vermont in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. At 23, she will be a busy student, that’s for sure, but she will still find a way to fit driving with her dad into her busy schedule. See you soon, Brianna!