As another season of PCA Driver Education fast approaches, it would be fitting that I take the opportunity to introduce myself.
My name is Adam Holland, I am your Track Chairman for the 2024 Driver Education season. I’ve been a PCA member since 2011 and a loyal student of the driver education program since 2012. In fact, my Dad (Grant Holland) and I haven’t missed a lapping weekend since. Some of you equally active members of the program will recognize me from being our region’s Tech Chief since 2018 (a role that will now be handled by Scott Brown going forward), or maybe I’ve been in the right seat of your car as instructor.
To say I’ve always been a car guy would be an understatement. When I was first able to walk, I couldn’t leave the house without a Hot Wheels car in each hand, and my first words were engine noises. My desired career in grade school was to become a professional race car driver. This led to an affinity for dirt bikes and a decade of racing motocross all over Ontario in my teens. My parents were always supportive, many Mother’s Days were spent at rainy/muddy motocross races, and my Saturday nights were in the garage working on my dirt bike with my Dad.
I suppose I came by my love of cars honestly – my Dad spent a lot of time camping at Mosport, taking in Formula One and Can-Am races along with various other amateur and endurance races before my time. He always lights up trying to describe what it was like watching Mark Donohue unload 1500hp out of Moss (turn 5) in the Porsche 917/30. I think the fuel crisis and having to drive a mid-70s penalty box Honda Civic paused his interest in Mosport (either that or it was the birth of my older sister). Life happened, marriage, kids, work. Austin Healeys and Datsun coupes departed the driveway in favour of practical country vehicles like Jeep Cherokees and GMC trucks.
My first visit to Mosport wasn’t until my early twenties in 2007 to watch the American Le Mans Series race, now known as IMSA. I’m not sure if that race was the catalyst for what was to come, but the following year I bought a sports car, and we started regularly attending the VARAC Father’s Day weekends and IMSA races annually. The sports car I bought was 10 years my senior, a 1974 Datsun 260Z. I stumbled across a Kijiji ad while trying to show my girlfriend a black Nissan 240SX (which is what I was originally in the market for). I remembered pictures from my parents having owned a 240Z in the early 70s and always thought they were a timeless design, like the 911. The first summer with the car, my parents borrowed it for a couple of weekends, and that gave my Dad the itch to get back into a sports car. I say itch, but it became more like full-blown car eczema. He wanted something more modern and comfortable and ended up settling on a brand new 2009 Nissan 370Z when they first came to market. Many summer and fall drives were had and I think my mom enjoyed the new sports car because it came with onboard GPS so she no longer had to navigate. I think that car strengthened their marriage – or maybe it was just because they stopped arguing over directions.
The following year Dad stumbled upon his dream car. A beautiful petrol blue 1979 Porsche 930 Turbo. I remember my mom being way less enthusiastic about the Sparco seats, loud exhaust and screamer pipe on the wastegate. I still remember picking that car up – halfway home he offered for me to switch cars and drive the 930. I will never forget hitting the on-ramp in second gear and thinking, “What is the big deal with these cars? This old thing is so sluggish and slow. No wonder they mock them as Beetles.” And then the tach crested past 3500 RPMs and the road started to disappear beneath the haunched front fenders at an alarming rate. The sudden surge of acceleration from an air-cooled Turbo is a unique experience in the automotive world. That was the beginning of what would be many lessons surrounding Porsche 911s for me.
After taking the 930 out to a couple of Driver Education events at Mosport, Dad invited me to try it out for myself the following season. I went into this situation as most 20-something males would – with high expectations of my abilities, and figured it would be easy for a car guy and race fan like me who was no stranger to terms like apex, oversteer, understeer etc. Although I only spent one weekend in the Green run group, I was immediately humbled. I also became a huge believer in the Dunning-Kruger effect – if you’re unfamiliar I suggest looking it up.
The 930 soon gained some race car siblings to take over track duties. A slant nose 930, a 964, and a 996. Working on cars in the shop grew our bond. I’ll never forget the time we removed and re-installed the engine together in one of the track cars in one afternoon. That was a big accomplishment for a couple of self-taught shadetree mechanics. Even to this day, he still lets me hold the flashlight for him while he yells at me for bringing him the wrong wrench.
Performance driving is an art with seemingly never-ending personal growth. I’ve learned so much and grown as a driver and an individual with help from mentors I look up to and consider friends within UCR. Members like Del Bruce, Dave Osborne, Stephen Goodbody and Peter Carroll have all shown me why this club’s driver education program is such a success and set fine examples of how to keep it that way. The wealth of driving ability and knowledge in our volunteer instructor base is staggering. I also owe getting to live out my childhood dream of becoming a race car driver to the club. I was invited by fellow club volunteer Paul Neto a few years ago to form an amateur endurance racing team for the Lucky Dog Canada racing series. We’ve managed a few podiums after grueling 8-hour races in our BMW E30.
Having spent a lot of time helping run the tower next to John Adam as well as running our Advanced Solo Lapping portion of the PCA Club Race weekend last season, I am convinced the club’s slogan is true. It definitely is more than the cars – it really is the people. There are so many moving parts to this club – from socials and sim racing, to concours, charity work, and driver education lapping weekends. Being actively involved is a great way to grow your skills while helping fellow enthusiasts.
I would be remiss if I did not thank Dave Osborne for his selfless dedication to this program and its continued positive growth over his long tenure. Dave’s adherence to core values and acting in the best interest of our Driver Education program has continued to allow us to enjoy this track facility season after season. He has successfully overseen many track team volunteer groups and helped shape the success of our car club. Thank you.
If you haven’t joined us for a weekend of Driver Education at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park you are missing out on your Porsche’s capabilities as well as your own. If you have joined us, thank you for your support of the program.
Keep your eyes forward and your engine behind you. (Unless you’re a 944 driver, then that’s bad advice… Transaxle just doesn’t have the same ring to it). </>
