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An Autocross for All Ages

... Meals the typical “Sunday drive” need look no who registered were given a brief safety
THOSE LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT SPIN on
overview by Rhemrev, who concentrated
and Wheels further than Club Braman’s regular events on some of the more tricky corners—
at Palm Beach International Raceway.
originally designed for agile go-karts—
On a pleasantly sunny weekend in early and how to properly approach them in a
April, members were invited to participate full-size vehicle. Rhemrev predicted the
in two unique driving experiences: one average time through the course to be
catered toward teenagers, and the other around 1:00.
an autocross open to all who wished to test
the limits of their personal vehicles. With that, the 14 drivers donned their
Braman Motorcars balaclavas and helmets
The morning began with an orientation and headed back to the track. Initially
class for teen drivers, before moving to timid, members quickly figured out the
the recently converted go-kart track for intricacies of the course. Confidence
some hands-on lessons in vehicle control. built up as the afternoon wore on, with
The teens tackled the technical course many loping seconds off their times in
guided by professional drivers, including large chunks. While the expected 911s and
Freddy Rhemrev and Jillian Fichtner, Caymans were well represented, an X5,
riding shotgun. convertible MINI Cooper, and a pair of
Macans piloted by two clearly competitive
The majority of the 20 participants owners also made strong showings.
wheeled their family-friendly rides:
BMW 3 Series sedans and X5s, and The quickest of the group consistently
Porsche Panameras and Macans. Under turned times between 55-56 seconds, and
the watchful eye of their parents, many others got quite close to the 1:00
some approached the experience with mark in their later laps.
trepidation, while others appeared to
take it as a one-time opportunity to get a Whether you want to stoke your
little wild under the mentorship of their competitive fire in a safe, controlled
professional teachers. environment, or simply enjoy a unique
and fun experience—talk to a member of
After a catered lunch, focus was shifted the Braman Motorcars team to register for
to the afternoon autocross session. Those the next Club Braman event!

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