I participated in the Porsche Experience Center Tokyo Women's Only Program

JOIN THE LAST WOMEN-ONLY PROGRAM IN 2022

My destination for this day is Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture.

There was no sense of relief when I ran from Tokyo and finally saw a sign saying "Turn right on Porsche Street after 5km".

Because... it was a tough morning!

On this day, the last women's only program in 2022 was held at the Porsche Experience Center Tokyo in Kisarazu City, and I was supposed to participate in the program.

*I apologize for not being able to reach out to the people who have been telling me that I will be in touch with you when I go to PEC Tokyo, as I was able to participate in such a short notice!

*I'm not in the group photo, so I'm not in the picture, just in case ^^ ↓

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The meeting time on this day is from 12:20 to 12:30. Originally, if you are from Tokyo, it is time to go without leaving early in the morning.

That said, the Aqualine can get congested, so if you leave your home in Tokyo at 10am, you'll be fine even if it's crowded. Okay, I was planning something like that.

Start from Aqua Line closed

However, it is.

On the morning of this day, a terrible situation occurred at 8 o'clock in the morning, "Due to strong winds, the Aqua Line was closed."

Whaaaaaaaat.

But thankfully, the person I'm connecting with on Twitter is supposed to participate in the morning session on the same day, and I knew early on that person's tweet that the Aqualine was going to be dangerous. I was able to do it.

So, in a hurry, I changed the departure time to 9 am. The plan was that if I left at this time, in the worst case, I would be able to make it in time even if I had to run all the way down the street.

As a result, I was able to arrive before the reception time without any problems. Thanks for the information in advance ^^

Was it around 12:15? I submitted the registration form that I had prepared in advance at the reception and received a name tag.

Until now, when I applied for a driving program at PEC Tokyo, or when I went to play as a guest, I was able to receive the following name tags…↓

The one I received this time has a strap design that reminds me of the pattern and color of a pink pig, and it also says "Woman Only Program".

This strap is so cute, I'm already very satisfied just by receiving it (laughs).

After completing the reception, he said, "The briefing will start at 12:30, so please wait in the room over there when it's time."

The meeting room named "917" in the back is the room where the briefing will be held on this day.

After going to the restroom first, it was 12:25, so I went to the meeting room... and no one was there.

I was worried, "Is it the wrong place??"

Couldn't everyone make it in time because of the Aqua Line closure?Even though I haven't paid 17 million in my hometown tax(laughs) ?

…I was just laughing and waiting nervously, but even though it was 12:30, I was the only one in the room.

However, a few minutes later, everyone involved came in, and by the time the briefing started, the total number of participants was three, including me (still three (laughs)).

The women-only program was an event with a capacity of 10 people, but it seems that there were many people who could not make it in time due to the Aqua Line being closed on this day.

Briefing started with 3 participants a little late for the time being. It started with greetings from the person in charge of Porsche Japan and the motor journalist Tomoko Fujishima, who ran and attended together on this day.

Next, Mr. Masaru Tomizawa, the chief instructor, explained the PEC Tokyo course (each course called a module), driving position, how to hold the steering wheel, and how to operate.

To Mr. TomizawaPorsche Track Experience (PTX)However, I have been an instructor before, and I have met him here at PEC Tokyo before, so I couldn't help but say "Ah!"

After the drift circle was explained, Mr. Tomizawa asked, "Are there any of you who have ever spun a car??" I know," he said, hahaha (laughs).

After a thorough explanation about driving and modules, the 90-minute driving experience finally started.

This 90-minute driving experience is almost the same as when you apply for a normal driving experience, not a women-only program. I wonder if there is confirmation).

First of all, from the meeting with the instructors who will take care of me on this day at the entrance ↓

By the time the driving experience started, the other participants had arrived safely, and in the end, 9 out of 10 people were able to participate in the program. It was good ^^

992.1 type Porsche 911 GT3 first experience

In the driving experience, you will reserve the car you want to ride when you make a reservation, but the car I got to ride this time is... yes, ah, um. look up to. favorite.

The sound was so wonderful that I almost died just thinking about it now.

De de!

992.1 type Porsche 911 GT3! ! !

Too cool! ! !

That said, I was too excited to take a picture before I got on, and this photo was taken after the ride, so the window glass and other things are already dirty (laughs), but in reality it's running. Both the front cars are shiny inside and out ^ ^

Since it is not possible to take pictures (for ordinary people who have not obtained permission) after getting into the car, I would like to insert pictures of the scenery of PEC Tokyo and the exhibition cars while I am writing about the driving experience from here. increase.

So, the 90-minute drive experience started!

This time, Mr. Shunsuke Sato, a racing driver, served as my instructor.

With Mr. SatoDuring my last visit to PEC TokyoI had already met him and had heard a lot of stories from him, so I was like, "Oh!"

This is a photo with Sato-san that I took during my past visit↓. No way this time it will lead to having you ride as an instructor like this ^ ^

First of all, I got into the passenger seat of the cool GT3 and started with Mr. Sato driving. First of all, please run slowly on a 2.1km course called a handling track, as well as check the course.

After that, the second lap was run a little faster while thinking about the line.

After that, it will be a driver change, and from there you will be driving yourself (the instructor will be in the passenger seat). First of all, I will familiarize you with this, so I think that it is safe for those who are new to PEC Tokyo.

If you're worried, just ask them to do one more lap, and they'll run as many times as you like.

You don't need to have high driving skills or have never driven a Porsche to participate in the women's only program

Everyone who participated in the women-only program seemed to have various driving experiences.

If there are people who have already participated in the race like Tomoko Fujishima, there are people who are doing PTX and open space training as much as I am, people who usually only drive so-called normal driving, and Porsche's For those who are new to driving.

However, I think the good thing about this women-only program is that ``any level of driving skill is okay for participants''.

Because, in this "driving program", only two people, myself and the instructor, get into the Porsche that they have selected and run, so the instructor will tell you according to the "driving person's level" I will give you and give you instructions.

Since the instructor is completely monopolized, you can ask anything you don't understand, even if it's elementary. You can get it and practice it.

Porsche 911 GT3 too great

Well, it was my start, but first of all, I slowly started from one lap of the course.

When I sit in the driver's seat of my longing GT3 and say "I'm going to drive", I'm already nervous and nervous. But that situation alone seems to have already pumped up the adrenaline, and my face is always grinning.

I feel sorry for Mr. Sato who spent 90 minutes in a completely perverted state (laughs), but it was fun from beginning to end!

From the second lap, I will increase the speed a little and run on the line you taught me. When I see a straight line, I step into it a little, and it's like, oh, oh, yeah, this, this, this.

Already, the sound when you step on it is exactly G・T・3!

What is this excitement? It's the highest.

Great forgotten GT3 sounds.

Before becoming 992.1991.2 I have drivenIt's an even more amazing car than, but still the "feeling of sound" is common to "GT3", and somehow nostalgia and freshness are mixed, and it reverberates there anyway. The sound was so wonderful that I was deeply moved.

I wanted to ride for a long time ^ ^

Even if I was told to run 1,000 laps of the course in a punishment game, I would be happy to run. That's how I feel.

Danger avoidance practice with a kick plate

Next, I went to the kick plate module.

This kick plate has a plate at the entrance of the road surface that is firmly sprinkled with water and becomes slippery, and the moment the rear tire of the car passes through the plate, the plate moves the rear of the car to either the right or left. By doing so, the car is brought into a spin state.

Therefore, the purpose of this module is to control the spinning of the car by applying a counter at the moment the car is moved to the right or left so that it can run straight.

This kick plate was not open yet when I experienced PEC Tokyo before, so this was my first experience.

The plate penetration speed is 40 km/h.

When I passed over the plate with my heart pounding ... "Don!" The car was blown to the left. Ohhhh! At the moment I thought that, I turned the steering wheel to the right by myself, and the instructor praised me, saying, "It's wonderful, you were hitting the counter on the right!" happy ^^

In fact, the first time I was hit by a counter, it was a little slow to respond and I felt like I was spinning a little. When I came back to the kick plate again after doing the circle, I was surprised that even after passing the plate, I was able to hit the counter and run straight through as if nothing had happened.

I wonder if my body reacted better after sliding through the drift circle.

In any case, the counter is applied instantly in the direction where it is likely to be naturally spun, and it is possible to restore the system of the car.PTXorSunako JukuI think it's thanks to the training that I've been given.

Whether or not this danger can be avoided even in normal driving, I think that it will be saved when something happens, so I think that I should experience the kick plate experience here at PEC Tokyo only once. I wonder if there will be a difference at times.

In a situation where there is no real danger, you can create a situation where you dare to spin and practice avoiding it, so I think it will be a very valuable experience for those who do not usually take driving lessons. ^^

Launch control experience with GT3

Next, I also experienced launch control with GT3.

We are only able to launch once during the driving program, but we are grateful to be able to do so.

I was excited and launched right after the kick plate, so the tires were still cold and wet, so although I was able to launch, it was a little idling start.

I think that it is better to warm up the tires before launching!

Drift one lap with Porsche 911 GT3!

What made me happy this time was that I was able to "drift around a stationary circle" for the first time! !

The Porsche 911 GT3 was the first car that I was able to do one lap of drifting.

The drift circle at PEC Tokyo is soggy with water that it's quite slippery, and I'm sure God has gifted me with a successful drift in GT3 (I can only think ^^), so it's almost two laps... No, I might be exaggerating because I was so excited (laughs), so I would like to call it "1.5 laps" because it's probably a little over 1.5 laps... and it's done! !

I was able to do it all of a sudden at the beginning, and I was overjoyed to clap my hands together with Mr. Sato, the instructor. Sato-san was also very happy to be with us, which doubled my happiness ^^

But you know.

As you all know, this is not the end of my story. Because after this I couldn't do it again (laughs). What is it?

I was able to do 1.5 laps at the beginning, but after that I couldn't do 1 lap again because I was thinking about various things again or because I put too much effort into it. n/a. Was it just a Christmas present from God?

However, Mr. Sato said, "Please be a witness that 1.5 laps were a success!!" I would like to say that I succeeded once on December 23, 2018 (self-satisfaction (laughs)).

In the future, I would like to continue to work hard with the goal of "becoming able to easily drift for one lap at any time".

Low friction handling truck

There is a course made with a special road surface called a low-friction handling track, which is made of smoother polished concrete, so you can experience that as well.

The road surface is slippery here, so it is easy to understeer, so it is said that you should drive with your eyes first while paying attention to such things.

I had one thought here, but it seems that the degree of smoothness has decreased compared to before.

The first time I experienced it was at the opening of PEC Tokyo more than a year ago. The low-friction course I ran at that time was so slippery that I thought, "Are you on ice??"

But this time, I was able to run normally even at about 50km/h, so I thought, "Huh? Did the degree of smoothness decrease? Or are the GT3 Michelin tires too amazing?"

After all, the polished surface gradually became resistant due to friction, and it was a windy day, so I wonder if there was a lot of dust on the surface?

Ah, just writing this far got me so excited that I ended up with a lot of characters ^^

Even after the low friction, I was able to enjoy the GT3 for a full 90 minutes, such as returning to the course and driving and going to other modules.

When I had a little waiting time when there were other people in front of me in the module, I looked at various parts of the GT3 and said, "Oh, (it may be obvious) there is no WET mode," but it was an individual with cruise control. I had a lot of fun, such as "Oh, GT3 cruise control!", and looking at the track mode screen.

I'm sorry I was just messing around with it ^^

Mr. Sato, the instructor, taught me a lot of things this time, and I was able to experience various things. Thank you very much!

This is getting long, so let's continue. From the next point onwards, the content will become something that can only be found in the "Women's Only Program".

Continue → Participate in PEC Tokyo Women's Only Program: Brunch and Taikan Workshop

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