By Didier Constant
This article originally appeared in CANADIENS magazine, Vol. 9.4 (April/May 1994)
Patrice Brisebois was about 12 when John Scotti built a car dealership next door. Every day on the way home from school, Patrice would press his nose against the showroom window and gaze longingly at the Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Lotuses. He even told his mother he planned to buy a car there when he grew up.
Last year, that dream came true with the purchase of a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 convertible. "I love Porsches," he says.
"They're incredible cars. There's nothing like cruising around with the top down on a beautiful summer day."
Patrice has become goodfriends with Scotti and has had an opportunity to test drive cars like the Ferrari Testarossa, Ferrari 358 and Lamborghini Diablo.
"My favourite is the Diablo. Not only is it the most beautiful, it's also the most exciting to drive. Lamborghini is now a European division of Chrysler, whose Dodge division makes the Viper, a fine little roadster with an amazing design and a very powerful engine. It's the North American vision of the sports car."
While he admits to a penchant for speed and performance, Patrice is also aware of safety.
"It's like in hockey. There's no point in tearing down the ice at top speed if all you end up doing is crashing into the boards. You have to know how to calculate risks and see the whole play in order to be of service to your team."
Next summer, he plans to enroll in the Jim Russell driving school to perfect his skills and get a chance to quench his thirst for speed in a safe environment.
"Afterwards, I'd like to take a little spin on the German autobahns (where there is no speed limit). I imagine it's quite an experience."
In the meantime, Patrice contents himself with the highways of Quebec...where he sticks to the 100 km/h limit!
