Carl Picelle, owner of Franklin Square Deli,
has a passion that goes beyond sandwiches and subs. He also loves cars—fast ones. Picelle competes in Amateur Club Racing, driving a red 1985 Porsche 944 boasting the logo from his business. He said unlike NASCAR, where cars race around an oval track, club racing involves driving on actual roadway with hairpin turns, hills, and dips. The average race is between 60 and 80 miles, but the track itself is only two or three miles long; so each race involves 20 or more laps.

He said road racing has its roots in Europe and the sport is very popular there. He said the interest is similar to America's interest in NASCAR. "This type of racing is less about speed and more about skills, such as maximum braking and cornering," Picelle said, "My car can reach speeds of 135 mph, but I only go that fast on the straightaways."

Picelle took special courses to get his competition license. Since then, he has competed throughout the region; including Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. "I got interested in racing when I was 12. My best friend's dad took us to the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington," he said. "I have been a spectator ever since, but it's always been my dream to participate."

continued on next page…

Click to race with Carl