Open Road

I have been taking my 20 year old son Cooper to Sebring International Raceway since not long after he was born. He has been going with me to the Driver’s Ed events since 2013 and this will be our 10th straight year going to the Sebring 12 Hour race. I taught him how to drive stick in my Cayman when he was 13 on the support roads at the track. He has many parade laps, both riding and driving around the track and even has a few hot lap sessions riding passenger. Needless to say, Cooper could not wait to finally get to drive at speed during a DE and he finally got to do that last weekend.

He did great and of course had a blast, it was definitely the best day we have had at the track that we have many great memories from. He had a good friend as his instructor and he really kicked ass! His track car is a 2006 Mini Cooper S (Cooper S driving a Cooper S) and he had that little go kart on steroids flying around the track. Improved his lap time from a 3:06 to a 2:52, that is flying for a 168HP 19 year old car. Passed a Porsche 996 911 and a 394HP Porsche Cayman 718GTS. It was a “windshield day” and we can’t wait to get back there soon.

jsabatini wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2025 12:54 pm I have been taking my 20 year old son Cooper to Sebring International Raceway since not long after he was born. He has been going with me to the Driver’s Ed events since 2013 and this will be our 10th straight year going to the Sebring 12 Hour race. I taught him how to drive stick in my Cayman when he was 13 on the support roads at the track. He has many parade laps, both riding and driving around the track and even has a few hot lap sessions riding passenger. Needless to say, Cooper could not wait to finally get to drive at speed during a DE and he finally got to do that last weekend.

He did great and of course had a blast, it was definitely the best day we have had at the track that we have many great memories from. He had a good friend as his instructor and he really kicked ass! His track car is a 2006 Mini Cooper S (Cooper S driving a Cooper S) and he had that little go kart on steroids flying around the track. Improved his lap time from a 3:06 to a 2:52, that is flying for a 168HP 19 year old car. Passed a Porsche 996 911 and a 394HP Porsche Cayman 718GTS. It was a “windshield day” and we can’t wait to get back there soon.

This is awesome!

Mine is 11 years old but when he hits the age I want to do the same with him that you've done with Coop!

Great job and congratulations to him! Now to see if any of us can beat him for the video game title in a couple of weeks

jsabatini wrote: ↑Sun Jan 12, 2025 12:54 pm I have been taking my 20 year old son Cooper to Sebring International Raceway since not long after he was born. He has been going with me to the Driver’s Ed events since 2013 and this will be our 10th straight year going to the Sebring 12 Hour race. I taught him how to drive stick in my Cayman when he was 13 on the support roads at the track. He has many parade laps, both riding and driving around the track and even has a few hot lap sessions riding passenger. Needless to say, Cooper could not wait to finally get to drive at speed during a DE and he finally got to do that last weekend.

He did great and of course had a blast, it was definitely the best day we have had at the track that we have many great memories from. He had a good friend as his instructor and he really kicked ass! His track car is a 2006 Mini Cooper S (Cooper S driving a Cooper S) and he had that little go kart on steroids flying around the track. Improved his lap time from a 3:06 to a 2:52, that is flying for a 168HP 19 year old car. Passed a Porsche 996 911 and a 394HP Porsche Cayman 718GTS. It was a “windshield day” and we can’t wait to get back there soon.

Have you been back since?
Any progress :-)

Not yet, will be heading back in the fall.