Let’s Go Play – Gentlemen, Start Your Engines
It was George Bernard Shaw that said “we don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
Fact is, none of us are getting any younger. The virus outbreak of the last few weeks has brought about a radical, unimaginable change to normal life. This could act as a positive catalyst for those of us who are closer to the end times, than we are the beginning! Who could have predicted this a year ago? None of us know the end date, so maybe it’s time to play like it was tomorrow!
Forget your age, think like a kid again – “Do you wanna be a race car driver?”
The answer to that question, for 56-year-old Dean Neuls, is yes.
Inspired by his late father, who first took his Porsche GT3 to the track at age 70, Dean finally decided to follow his dream of becoming a fully-fledged race car driver at the age of 56. The video series “At Any Age” follows Dean participating in Germany’s SportsCup Series, after attending the Porsche Racing Experience Program in Italy.
Dean is a self-made man and CEO of AlgaeCal – his company produces a supplement that improves bone density in even the oldest client. As Dean explains in the video, he has all the aches, pains and increased bathroom requirements of a gentlemen in his fifties. Despite this, that passion to be a race car driver that hides in most of us, is let loose on some of the best European circuits from Hockenheim to Spa.
In the video, Dean’s wife explains her new understanding of the depth of skills, complexity and physical demands of driving fast on the race track. After completing the first season, it appears Dean needs a hip replacement! The second installment of the video series focuses on his potential return to his passion.
If you drive a Porsche and haven’t experienced the thrill of driving on the track, maybe once this virus thing lets up, the time will be right. If not now, when? There are organizations, including the PCA, in your local area that offer access to track days – we have more details on our HPDE track day page.
As for Dean Neuls, he should be an inspiration to all of us in the over fifties crowd. So, watch as 20 years after most drivers have retired, Dean experiences a baptism of fire as he makes the transition from novice to professional racer in a 170 mile per hour Porsche GT3 Cup Car.