Full Throttle Challenge

Recently, I’ve been sharing articles about participating in the Porsche Track Experience (PTE) held in Shirahama, and at the end, everyone took part in a 400m full throttle challenge.

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At the usual Porsche Track Experience (PTE) held at Fuji Speedway, this full throttle challenge doesn’t take place. It’s a program only possible because it’s held on the site of a former airport with a long runway of about 2 km. I heard some participants chose the Shirahama PTE specifically because they could try the full throttle challenge.

There was a brief explanation about the full throttle challenge during the morning classroom session.

Everyone, I’m sure you’ve never done a full throttle challenge before. Since this is a rare opportunity, let’s try using launch control. For recent models, put it in Sport Plus mode, press the brake firmly with your left foot and the accelerator with your right foot, then quickly release the brake at the right moment for a rocket start.

That was the explanation.

Hearing that, I thought, “Wait, do manual cars have launch control? No, they don’t… I’ll probably just stall out… What should I do if I’m driving a manual?” Feeling uneasy, I finished the classroom session and headed to my car, when Ryo Ogawa, an instructor who raced in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup Japan (PCCJ), called out to me.

Hey, you look tense! What’s wrong?

I said, “Well, I drive a manual, so I don’t have launch control… I’m really worried if I can do this properly…”

Right, manuals don’t have that feature, so just start by engaging the clutch normally. Once it’s connected, floor the accelerator and accelerate with all your might. Usually, when driving a Boxster, you don’t get to pull first gear that hard, so this is a great chance to feel the car’s true power!

Hearing that, I felt relieved and was able to head to the training. Later, I chatted with Ogawa instructor a bit more, and he said,

It would be really cool if a woman could master a manual Porsche and even drift it. You should definitely try the next level, g-Force, after Precision!

He said that with such a fresh, friendly smile that I couldn’t help but reply, “Yes! I’ll do it!” (lol)

Back to the story, all the cars lined up in a single file and headed to the starting point for the full throttle challenge.

While everyone else was excited about “trying launch control!”, I was thinking,

“I’ve never done a sudden launch before… what if I break the clutch… how far should I pull the revs before shifting… is it bad to hit the redline… but I won’t have time to look at the tach, so I’ll have to feel it by sound…”

My mind was racing, and at that moment, I really regretted not joining with my PDK Panamera. I was deep in thought when suddenly it was my turn.

You only get one chance. The staff said, “3, 2, 1, start,” and I waited for the moment. The wait felt incredibly long, making me even more nervous.

Then the countdown “3, 2, 1” began, and at the start, I carefully engaged the clutch…

Full acceleration & floor it!!

Thinking, “This is the first time I’ve floored the Boxster like this!,” I listened to the engine sound and shifted up through 2nd and 3rd gears. Suddenly, the finish line came into view, and I thought, “Wait, I’m still in 3rd, should I shift to 4th…?” I shifted to 4th just as the 400m ended.

It took about 15 seconds.

It didn’t feel fast at all. Previously, at the Porsche Track Experience WarmUp in a Panamera Turbo, there was a moment of full acceleration up to 80 km/h, and my body was pressed hard into the seat, the car briefly felt like it lifted off the ground — that acceleration was hundreds of times scarier.

Afterwards, I returned to the parking lot feeling disappointed, thinking, “Ah, I was so tense and stiff, it didn’t go well at all.” I posted a video of my nervous, stiff driving on Twitter if you want to check it out (lol).

I recorded the PTE full throttle challenge with a GoPro, but I was so tense and stiff, couldn’t pull it properly, and wasn’t fast at all. Lots to improve… No wonder my time was slow. I wish I could do it again ＞＜ I’ll work hard to drive more smoothly. #Boxster #Porsche pic.twitter.com/4XcMJgaSH2

— Mina – Porsche Blogger (@Mina_Panamera) November 24, 2019

Later, when I told my husband, “It was fun, but I totally messed up. I didn’t even get up to speed,” he said, “I’d love to try the full throttle challenge in a GT3 — that must be insanely fast!”

Definitely (lol).

Still, it’s rare to get a chance to accelerate full throttle like that, so I’m grateful for the experience. That wrapped up the full day’s PTE program with the full throttle challenge.

At the opening ceremony in the morning, everyone looked a bit anxious, but by the end, everyone’s faces were full of satisfaction and accomplishment. I’m really glad I took the plunge and came. At the awards ceremony, the oldest participant in our group received an award (probably in their 70s?), and seeing their impressive presence made me sincerely wish to age gracefully like that.

That said, I’m still not satisfied with how I did in the full throttle challenge — I want to try it again! (lol)