There is no greater thrill than tearing around a racetrack in a rented supercar.
November 15, 2023 | Articles, Travel Stories
“I lost count so go around another lap.” A pause, as my 25 year-old spotter looked into the distance. “Hit it, you’ve got a clear track.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I turned to the right, avoiding pit road, and nailed the final chicane that leads to the front straightaway.
I had been counting. I was going to take full advantage of this bonus lap.
Drive it like you stole it, indeed!
The morning sun was high in the sky, a few thin wisps of white clouds breaking up the perfect blue. An awesome day for an adrenalin rush, to feel the need for speed!
“Here you go”, I thought to myself. “Quicker on the throttle, later on the brake.” I floored the accelerator. The Ferrari 488 Spider shot like a bright red rocket down the straightaway, it’s 3.9 liter V8 screaming appreciation at my heavy foot. A sound so sexy…I have no words.
As the first right hander approached, I gripped the wheel straight, pushed hard on the brake, negotiated the corner and accelerated hard at the apex. Slight downhill, then another fast corner of about 120 degrees. To the very side of the curb, the car at the edge of spinning out. I could feel the back end wanting to come around. A slightest saw of the wheel. The Ferrari held. Hammer the gas.
“Nailed it perfect!” My spotter had become more of a cheerleader, his inner speed demon replacing the careful spotter of my first couple laps. Once the spotters feel comfortable with your ability, they let you get after it.
This was not my first time on the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park Development track, less than ninety minutes from Toronto. I had been to the actual track as a spectator. The development track is a 2.88 kilometer circuit next door. I had first checked it out as practice for a trip to Germany, to drive the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife. That day I had rented a Porsche.
To really appreciate good driving, fast driving, controlled driving, you have to go to a track and test yourself, your limits. Feel the rush.
I rented a Ferrari 488 Spider for 4 Laps. Over five hundred dollars.
The Porsche was on the cheaper end, with the Corvette. The Lamborghinis and McLarens were nine hundred. The Ferrari in between. About 5 other cars were available. The wait for the McLaren was over 2 hours. The place was busy. Credit card machines hummed. No sign of recession here!
When a single lap costs so much, you cherish a free one.
I knew the track well enough to position my car properly for the next turn, and maximum breaking points. After hugging the curb on turn 2, I kept the car to the right, pointed straight, heavy braking almost too late, then a tight hairpin 180 to a pair of quick left handers headed downhill. A great succession of corners!
If you nail a bunch of corners in a row, the tendency is to approach the next corner way too fast. This is when adrenaline and excitement meet pure terror. Hold on! Brake!! I skipped over the curb, not even an inch from the grass, cutting the slightly downhill, left banked corner like Max Versteppen was hot on my bumper!
I felt the rear wheels start to come around again, as I threw the machine into the immediate right hander that follows, and caught my breath for 3 seconds before a hard, but nicely banked, right curve. I relaxed my hands a bit down a short straight, before tightening my grip for the last series of corners, a bus stop on the back straight leading to a final chicane.
A dam fast lap, and I knew it, and my spotter knew it too. As I pulled up to the pit wall, we could smell the Ferrari’s brakes. “Sweet lap, you really woke the brakes up!”
As I exited the car, a few of the staff spotters and drivers came over to smell the brakes. That’s when they know that someone has really put one of these cars to the test. A few comments. “Nice lap.” “Way to drive it.” “That’s the smell!”
I smiled back. “What a rush! Woah!” I knew it was good. The ego boost was nice too, I’m not going to lie.
The Ferrari held every corner, no matter how close I came to spinning out. Not as nimble as the Porsche, but the immediate power from the Ferrari engine was awesome!
I stood there for a bit. Surveyed the scene. Automobile and speed lovers alike, basking in the sun and the adrenalin. The air was filled with the roar of supercar engines. There is no feeling like hearing the growl from a highly tuned engine as you push the accelerator.
So I did the only reasonable thing. Pulled out my visa. I heard the wait for the Corvette was only 30 minutes.
