Dare Dave: High Performance Driving

COMPETE Takes On Your Challenges

In my first Dare Dave challenge I took to the streets of Palm Springs for their annual AIDS Walk & 5K Run. It was the first Dare Dave and I chose to start off quite sedately by doing the Walk while having a co-worker do the more strenuous Run. A good time was had by all but for the next challenge I felt the need … the need for speed!

It was decided that I needed to follow-up the Walk with some real manly high-octane fun so last month I was sent to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.

With Editor Buddy Early along to document the morning’s activities (and my possible demise in a spectacular car crash) I was assigned to instructor Will Barker, a 15-year professional who has seen all kinds of driving enthusiasts come through the school: young and old, men and women, outgoing and shy, American and … me.

The day started with Bondurant PR guru Eric Tunell giving us a history of the 20-year-old school located just south of Phoenix, the largest facility of its kind in North America. After a rundown of how the day would work we were given a tour of the facilities, including the impressive Bondurant Museum. With over 200 performance vehicles, from karts to Formula cars, and access to four different racetracks, I knew we were in the right place for some serious driving excitement.

And then it was finally time to get behind the wheel!

Based on the fact that I’m a foreigner, used to driving on the other side of the road, with the driver’s seat on the other side of the car, who hasn’t driven stick in a long time, with the stick on the other side, it was decided by all parties involved that I should drive an automatic for the day. A silver Corvette Z51 automatic! I was fine with that!

I was expecting some basic instruction on driving one of these cars (that is offered in other courses available) but we went straight out onto the track for a lead/follow exercise. I was fourth in the line behind Instructor Will and two new Corvette owners who were learning about driving their new toy. The lead/follow exercise is Will leading us around the track demonstrating the proper lines and braking points, building speed each lap.

Once I had a feel for the car and was comfortable with the 1.6 mile Bondurant Track, I started to push my limits a little and during one of my faster laps Buddy tells me I came dangerously close to rear-ending the car in front of me. Of course this was not the case at all as I was just demonstrating a principle Will had taught us; we should always brake hard but never completely, there should always be some braking in reserve. It was all under control!

After calming down from the rush of the track laps we moved on to the road safety section of the class. This involved slaloms through cones at increasing speeds, and then a braking/reaction time exercise. In this exercise I learned the technique “lift, turn, squeeze” when reacting to green and red light signals. I was told I was “a pretty short stopper.” Now there’s something I don’t hear every day.

The highlight of the day for me was always going to be the “hot lap.” This would be when I ride along with Instructor Will at the wheel showing what these cars can really do around the track.

Unfortunately Will had to go to lunch, but luckily there was another driver on hand – none other than Bob Bondurant himself. Mr. Bondurant has a motorsports career spanning more than 40 years so it was especially exciting to get the chance to be his passenger. As fast and as thrilling as I thought my own laps around the track were, they were pedestrian compared to the thrill of the hot lap with Mr. Bondurant. It was exciting, fascinating, terrifying, and thrilling all at the same time!

I felt the need for speed, and I got it! And I also learned so much during this challenge. I could go into so much more detail about the experience but space is limited, so check out my community profile for more.