| Author | Message | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1456 Registered: 10-2002 |
That reminds me when I was driving the F1 with its own H shift pattern. I tried to upshift from 3rd to 4th and almost put it accidentally into 2nd. Luckily I noticed my mistake before I let go of the clutch. Not only would it have overrevved the block, it would have literally thrown me for a loop. And the organizers don't like that at all. BTW: The gears (like everything else) was a LOT more precise and refined on the F1 than on ANYTHING I ever drove. And that was 'only' an AGS. No wonder it costs that much money. | ||
| RacerNika (Racernika)
New member Username: Racernika Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2003 |
yes and no - you have the gauges in front of you and you are told what is optimum revs....you are also told what temps you are to watch out for. Everyone in my class was respectful to this. A rev limiter is like training wheels....I'd rather drive responsibly yet in a true race car. They trusted my judgement and I proved them I could handle the car bringing it back in one piece. I did miss shift and over rev -- but they say that's normal - these cars are built tougher then we give them credit for. After each session the mechanics go over it - and there is a BIG red light that turns on if your oil pressure goes. One of the instructors told me they rarely have a mechanical problem with the cars. | ||
| Anka (Mechanka)
New member Username: Mechanka Post Number: 34 Registered: 4-2003 |
It's great that you guys can take advantage of taking a racing school!! - I wish I had the money to spend. Ps: Nika I'm wondering how the lack of a rev limiter makes a car great? - I thought that rev limiters were our friends by preventing the �big bang�  | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1442 Registered: 10-2002 |
Noel, couldn't find my original Excel sheet anymore, but luckily its printout. So here the links to places, that let you drive a F1 with some F3, F Ford and F3000 to warm you up beforehand: These are all European: www.f1-drive.co.uk www.drive-a-formula-one.com www.ags-formel1.com www.f1-international.com www.ioct.com www.tangerineuk.com This is the Canadian one: www.raceinc.com If you plan on hooking up with any of these, let me know please. Maybe I'll join you. As I said earlier, none of these are in the US. WHY???? The only F1 program we almost had was www.formulawon.net, but they went belly up with the dotcom meltdown. | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 740 Registered: 8-2001 |
Andreas, Nice color combo (car and helmet)!  For those of you wondering....my real name is "Jan" but I go by Jon. Regards, Jon P. Kofod 1995 F355 Challenge #23 | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1438 Registered: 10-2002 |
Had to dig a bit, but here some pics from my 3 day Skip Barber:  These are the cars Jon mentions, no slicks, H shift gear box, no wings. During our three days at Road America, it rained on the second, which was really great as it gave us a chance to practice the different approach in the wet.  As usual I wasn't the fastest, but had the prettiest helmet... Will, I totally agree about your idea re schools. | ||
| Dale W Spradling (Drtax)
Junior Member Username: Drtax Post Number: 103 Registered: 4-2003 |
No fair. Jon has a faster download than I do... | ||
| Dale W Spradling (Drtax)
Junior Member Username: Drtax Post Number: 102 Registered: 4-2003 |
Watkins Glen? | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 738 Registered: 8-2001 |
That's Lime Rock! Jon | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 5438 Registered: 12-2000 |
I guess I can throw this in now. Here's video of my Chicks Dig It Racing teammate and personal instructor Chris Hewett when he raced Skip Barber in 1999... http://www.spec7.org/videos/chris_hewett_skip_barber.mpg Anyone know what track this is? BTW, check Off Topic in a second, I've got some great new video racing SCCA SRX7 from last weekend and also of Chris racing SRX7. | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 737 Registered: 8-2001 |
Will, The three day school uses non-winged cars with standard gear boxes and Michelin street tires. Anything after completion of the school (lapping days, advanced school, race weekends) uses wings, slicks, and a sequential gear box. The wings are for astetics only and do not provide much downforce. I have only raced at Lime Rock but the school car is about 2 1/2 seconds slower than the RT2000 pictured below. I cut my teeth on racing with Skippy and it was a great experience to learn in a controlled setting with no pressure. Nothing like what I experienced when I took my first SCCA school. Talk about being thrown to the wolves! FC's FA's and C and D racers thrown in with a bunch of us SRF guys. I learned a lot at SCCA schools. Skippy teaches you about racing, SCCA school teaches you to race. Both great! Both different! Regards, Jon P. Kofod 1995 F355 Challenge #23 | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 136 Registered: 3-2003 |
Terrific photo. Is Skippy now using the cars with the wings & slicks at all its schools? Or just at the more advanced programs? I have heard that the slicks are quite hard, and that the cars may be faster on rains, but find that difficult to believe. Andreas - I have long thought that a US school permitting experienced drivers to try a buffet of cars could be quite successful. | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1436 Registered: 10-2002 |
Not bad. I paid about $ 3k for one day, if I remember correctly. It kinda depends on what track and what car (at some tracks they even have the F1 paddle shift ones) and of course how many laps. There was one guy whose wife paid this to him as a gift and he must have spent about $ 20k doing lap after freakin' lap in the F1. But he got better and better and lapped the quickest. I bet he is still smiling. | ||
| noel smith (Noel)
Member Username: Noel Post Number: 368 Registered: 2-2003 |
Ich habe eine frage, vieviele gelt kostet? auf dollars? | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1435 Registered: 10-2002 |
The first linke from Wolfgang are the guys I did my F3 and F1 in France with. Ackerman is a Swiss gentleman arranging these events. Very professional. They have these all over Europe. Let me know if you need something from the German web page translated. | ||
| Wolfgang Eistert (53345)
Member Username: 53345 Post Number: 386 Registered: 3-2003 |
Noel, I only know the European locations to drive a real Formula 1 on the limit: http://www.drive-a-formula-one.com/ http://www.formel1-fahren.at/ Wolfgang FORZA FERRARI | ||
| chris cummings (Entelechy)
Member Username: Entelechy Post Number: 335 Registered: 5-2001 |
Noel, Great shot. Those schools are a blast! Congrats :-) (and Nika as well, of course! I'm guessing the Yellow car was yours?) ~C | ||
| RacerNika (Racernika)
New member Username: Racernika Post Number: 17 Registered: 6-2003 |
It was the Bridgestone Racing Academy www.race2000.com - Mosport Development track. You use a Reynard F2000. A great car - no rev limitors. 2L - top speed 187kph, 4 speed 0-60 MPH and vice versa is 5.5 seconds. I'll be taking a Skip Barber course later in the year so I'll fill you in after to which I prefer. WE had a small class so they let us go out for another session free of charge! The instructors really work with you | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1434 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hehe, Noel, I'm proud of you! I have a spreadsheet at home with all the data (what cars, what tracks, what power/weight ratio). I'll dig it out and send it to you. Send me an email with your email address please. | ||
| noel smith (Noel)
Member Username: Noel Post Number: 367 Registered: 2-2003 |
Andreas, where? how much? what kind of cars? | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1433 Registered: 10-2002 |
Yes, Faisal, that's where I got my F3 and F1 ride. But those weren't really 'schools', but more of a one day event. And in the US there sadly is anything like that. There is one such 'school' in Canada, but those are like the Europeans just very expensive one day events. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 361 Registered: 3-2003 |
There's schools in Europe where you can drive some of those types of cars. | ||
| Andreas Forrer (Tifosi12)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi12 Post Number: 1432 Registered: 10-2002 |
I don't know, what cars those are, but I once did a comparison of all the racing schools and have to say, that overall the cars are very much compatible in weight/power ratio. To some degree that is a good thing, as it doesn't matter as much what school you pick. But to some degree that always left me with the frustration of not being able to 'climb higher'. Not that I'm a great driver, but I always love to try out something new. But once you're done with the driving schools, there isn't much else. All the arrive and drive arrangements are in the same class of power. A school with F3, F3000, Dodge formula cars, Atlantics, Indy light, now that'd be a blast! | ||
| noel smith (Noel)
Member Username: Noel Post Number: 366 Registered: 2-2003 |
Nika, what school? how do the cars at your school compare to the barber cars? | ||
| RacerNika (Racernika)
New member Username: Racernika Post Number: 16 Registered: 6-2003 |
here you go...while I didn't have a photographer there I took these:   Obviously MY CAR was the YELLOW one!!! | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 4999 Registered: 5-2001 |
nice!!!! I want to see Nika's pictures as well. Nika, where are you? | ||
| noel smith (Noel)
Member Username: Noel Post Number: 363 Registered: 2-2003 |
I just finished the 2 day advaced racing school at road america, very fun, i'd recomend it to anyone that has the time. Just thought I'd throw up a pic if anyone cares...enjoy(I sure did).  |