PBCBA BAR BULLETINS pbcba_bulletin_Oct. 2019 | Page 12

Member Spotlight Alfred "Al" LaSorte by Lynne Poirier Many of you may recall the tragic accident involving long-time Bar member Al LaSorte and his beautiful wife Deb. For those of you who don’t know the story, it was a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, 2017 when their car was struck broadside by a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road, killing Deb instantly and seriously injuring Al. For many people, enduring such a traumatic crash might keep them from ever wanting to get in a car again, but for Al who works at Shutts & Bowen in West Palm Beach as a real estate litigator and mediator, it was just the opposite. What you may not know about Al is that he is a Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) race car driver, and a regular on-track instructor for Porsche and Ferrari. After the accident, being wheelchair-bound and alone for weeks was hard to take. Getting back in the car would be his salvation. When we asked Al about his racing hobby, he says “racing demands 100% of your concentration. While on track you can’t afford to think about anything other than the road ahead and the cars around you. It forces you to completely let go of whatever your real world problems are, just for a little while.” Al adds, “ I couldn’t wait for the doctors to clear me to get back in the car.”Al has raced at Daytona and Virginia International Raceway and several weekends each year you will find him instructing Porsche and Ferrari owners on track like Sebring, Daytona and Watkins Glen, New York. If you would like to experience the thrill of track driving, Al invites you to join him on the Speedway. You can even drive your own car! There are several organizations that sponsor track days locally at Palm Beach International Raceway in western Jupiter. No need for a Porsche or Ferrari, any type of sports car will do – Camaro, Mustang, BMW, etc. You’ll receive several 30 minute sessions on track with an instructor like Al, plus classroom time on racing theory and safety issues. To learn more about this, Google “Can I drive my car on a race track.” Al can be reached at ALaSorte@shutts.com If you know a member who should be featured, please let us know by emailing memberhighlights@palmbeachbar.org PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 12