Area Performace Driving Schools?

BMW "M" schools are held in SC, the advanced "M" school is held at VIR or Charlotte Motor Speedway. I have not heard of any schools like these around period. If you are a member of BMWCCA you can go to SC for a one day drive school, $500. Check the BMW website for more info, I went one time, well worth it. I have also attended the "M" schools, expensive, but again well worth the money spent. Plenty of seat time.
You could go to Ferrari's school in Canada for $9K, what a joke!


Robert

 

In my humble opinion you want to take a driving school in your own car. Characteristics of car handling are very different and you want to learn the characteristics of yours. NASA Midatlantic has a terrific driving school at least 10 times a year. Some at Summit Point WV which is only 1 1/2 hours from the DC/ Baltimore suburbs. Drivers get an instructor and for a two day school and class you pay maybe $350. Best bargain around. Dont worry about damage to your car. The novice classes and track time are VERY VERY controlled. Try to get one were they use the skid pad. Best opportunity for learning oversteer understeer in a safe controlled environment. Beware however its a slippery slope and your almost certain to want to more and more and then..... Well have fun. Next opportunity will be April next year. Enjoy the winter!!!! Jon in Delaware

 

I have done a lot of instructing for many different organiztions and racing schools. There are a great many options, even at Summit Point. A lot depends on what you are trying to get out of the school? I haven't looked at the schedule in a while but Skip Barbar usually comes in to town at least once a year with a tractor trailer full of formula cars. Also, a large number of SCCA racers rent out any kind of racecar you can think of for schools as well. If it is your first time on the track and you are more into learning driving technique than just getting the thrill out of driving a real racecar, I recommend doing something that allows an instructor to ride in the car with you. Much easier to teach some of the basics that way as opposed to the SCCA racing schools where you get feedback after you come in from a session. The local Ferrari events at Summit Point have some very good instructors. I think the guys at Rotary Performance will rent you a car resonably cheap if you don't want to risk your Fcar on the track.

I am a big fan of mazda miata's for track cars. You could always buy a used one real cheap, beat it up at the track a few times and turn around and sell it when your done for what you paid for it. Car has enough brakes and decent handling and lack of horsepower makes it much easier to learn and also see where your mistakes are costing you. I'm sure you could probably rent one as well from somebody. I'm not sure if the Miatas that are raced in the SCCA Spec Miata class have a passenger seat in them still but if they do it would be a very cheap and safe car to track. I'm sure other instructors would agree with me that the students in the high horsepower cars learn much slower.

Let us know more of what you want to get out of a school and I can give you a more specific answer. Do you want to see what it's like to drive a racecar or do you want to learn how to drive performance driving? Warning: It is very addictive!

 

BSR at Summit Point. Used by State and Defense Departments and other departments/agencies. Best school closest to DC. They do good work. They have cars.

 

+1

 

Who negotiates? Seriously, they have all that basic vehicle dynamics stuff under their recreation and safety program. Very low prices, too. http://www.bsr-inc.com/ Call 'em up and see for yourself. Excellent instructors. Better than some other companies I've tried like ITI.

 

BSR wouldn't be a bad way to start. Not sure what they were using for cars? Are they still using the Malibu's?

 

beat to hell caprices the last I saw

 

I still say buy a Miata with a roll bar for $5K or less and beat the death out of it at a bunch of schools and then sell it for what you paid for it!

 

What he said. You could do every FoW Track day with a great instructor for about half of what Skip Barber costs and end up probably faster.

 

Talked about BSR "recreation and safety" courses at lunch today; it seems to be only school anyone knew of close by. Times change: They ask that you bring your own car now for normal track time because they don't have manual trans' cars. Miata idea is good; great beater track car. FYI--for the other courses, including the collision avoidance courses, they only use Crown Vics. Heh. Interesting.

Oh well, Lucas, hope this helps. Good luck with finding the right course. Kevin (KKRace) seems to have the best advice IMHO. Look forward to driving with you, Lucas.