I took the time to take a mid week track day opportunity at Sandown Raceway, in suburban Melbourne in mid August. Managed by Events O'Neill (hi Luke!) it was very well organised event with an open pit and four qualified instructors on hand for in car / pit lane advice. And a pit lane expresso machine at 8am. That's damn fine organisation!! And as a special attraction, Australia's only Pagani Zonda Roadster was on hand for ogling and a couple of passenger hot laps at lunchtime were on offer to lucky guests. But not me. Aarrggh....

Through the day, I probably had 30 - 35 laps and really felt more confident as the day went on. It is promoted as a driver training day with no timing devices allowed. So feel, judgement and lines are the order of the day.

A professional photographer was on hand for the day and took some outstanding shots of my car. See this gallery but be careful as it is 64 photos and may take some time to load on dial up.

With some 40 drivers and cars on track for the day, there were minimal incidents. Unfortunately a guy in a Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale did come unstuck on the back straight and did some serious damage to a superb machine. The driver was fine and will live to write the cheque........

This track day was in preparation for the Porsche Club of Victoria event some week or so later. It took me a couple of four lap sessions to get my eye back in, but the final two four lap timed sessions of the day I was 'flying' by my modest standards and in the last session went quicker and quicker every lap and was geared for another flyer when the chequered flag came out. Poop! I got down to a best of 1.28.7, about 4 seconds away from where my fellow competitors were.

It showed that there is no substitute for practice, and professional training and instruction. A quick sanity check says that I am still a couple of percent off where I need to be but I am improving and feeling more comfortable with every outing.