Skip Barber Racing School Chapter 11

I'm sorry to hear Skippy is going under. Anything that helps expand the sport and increase participation is good for racing. Skippy acted as a great feeder to get people exposed to racing and into the sport. Hopefully the other schools like Lucas can pick up the vacuum and more.

 

People looking for schools on the east coast can also check out the Bertil Roos Racing School. They were Skippy's biggest competitor for years even though they lacked in Skippy's size. Their main school is of course a formula car program but they also offer a Performance Driving Clinic course that offers a ton of seat time. When I attended this course, I was able to get hours of track time (minus time coming into pits to check on my car), and the instructors get very in depth with driving critique. They may be small, but they are certainly a school worth checking out.

 

I did the course back in the 90's at limerock. It was a good time. Shame to see it end

 

I did Bertil Roos in 2001 - was a blast. Dennis Macchio is a great guy, and I had some good coaches (Guy Cosmo and Andrew Prendeville).

 

Interesting. Skip Barber keeps records dating back to 2002. So they have a record of my 2-day Advanced Class, but not my 3-day Beginners. I'm going to get a copy while I can. For $25.

Matt

 

I'm doing Roos in July

 

I posted here in 2015 that Skip Barber was in trouble. Hope someone comes to the rescue as it was a lot of fun for me back in the 1990s.

 

So I guess I should consider myself lucky to have my certificate/diploma from back in February, 1979, albeit in somewhat faded condition! 🏎

 

how are the schools organized ... I would think each location would be a stand alone franchise... allowing for a location to fold without affecting the entire organization

 

That would make sense, but that's not the case.

Matt

 

I'm hate to ask it, but is it a dying sport/business like golf? Will the next generation, and the next generation support it?

 

It's good enough, but you need to generally have a major manufacturer and a tire deal to make it work.

Level Up in the Midwest was just announced (Miatas with the BEST ex-Skippy instructors), Lucas Oil (with more very, very good ex-SBRS instructors) with formula cars, Dennis Macchio runs an excellent program with open wheels and the option of certains schools in your own car! Ron Fellows in Nevada, Allen Berg at Laguna Seca, SimRaceWay at Sears Point, Bondurant in Arizona. No shortage of good ones...

Even SBRS is still operating with a skeleton crew consisting of Terry Earwood, Divina Galica and a few other really good long-time instructors.

 

Awesome - good luck!

 

the school is NOT out of business and operating as best they can... yet ... a chapter 11 filing is asking the courts for time to reorganize their finances and get them under control

there is no reason to stop using them, other than to pay as you use them, buying package deals and paying upfront puts unused advance payment at risk

 

I'm doing them in July too, doing the 2 day highway class with my teenage son.

I did a number of Skip programs at Limerock so I'm curious to see how they compare.

 

Race Junk, Going Cheap: Skip Barber Racing School Liquidates Assets | News | Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog

 

Don't you know all of this will be nothing but picked over junk?

 

The tires and vehicles list:

http://www.liquidap.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Skip-Barber-Asset-Lists-08.16.17-Preliminary.pdf

Matt

 

Wow - lots of deferred maintenance and neglected vehicles on that list.

 

I think scrapers pay about 5 cents a pound. [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

every time I went to Road Atlanta there was a back lot behind the Skippy building full of demolished Miatas...some school cars, some racing series cars. easily $500k of destroyed inventory. made me wonder how they survived. I guess we have the answer.

 

Sorry to see this, but it's not a surprise, and the real "brain trust" of the operation is in the instructors, anyway.

So, as previously stated, I hope they all land on their feet.

CW

 

Barber in Alabama? no, that was developed by George Barber, no relation.