Hi, Looking for some info on driving Schools. I am located in Boston and interested in getting an entry level SCCA license. What schools and tracks do you folks recommend ? In a previous life (88-95) I raced Motorcycles (Held AMA and WERA superbike license) so being on the track is not new to me. Actually I feel better on 2 wheels and not 4 as my driving skills are not where they should be. Tracks I have raced on: Lime rock Loudon Bridghampton (The Best) Summit Point Nelson ledges Daytona Roebling Road a bunch more that I can't remember. No problems traveling to other parts of the country for a good school. The objective is to increase my driving skills and do some club racing at some point. (fun only, not interested in anything serious, just miss going to the track.) No intested in 'driving experience' schools. ANy input ?
Recommend Three Day competition school with Skip Barber or Bertil Roos at any track. Dennis Macchio of Bertil Roos is having a terrific event next week at Roebling Road. See http://www.racenow.com/home.htm and click "Georgia dates." Recommended highly. Get an SCCA license, transfers more easily to other venues than vice versa. Ask the schools whether "SCCA School Requirements" are satisfied and how you can receive an SCCA Regional license through programs they offer. Good luck and enjoy. Working with a bike racer now in his car and now he's selling the bike...
+1 on Skip Barber. Never took their Lime Rock school, but did the 3-day class at Infineon (Sears Point) and they are a 1st class operation. Need to do the full 3-day school as ProCoach mentioned so you can get significant seat time in the single seat formula car. This will be much closer to the bike racing experience you've got due to open cockpit (no A-pillar to obstruct your view) and better grip. Also consider spending some time in karts, either TAG or shifter. I have also moved back and forth from cars to bikes, then back to cars over the last 20 years. The one big adjustment is the reduction in trail braking when you switch back to cars. Good luck and have fun!
Although the 2011 Schedule is not published as yet, check Bertil Roos[www.racenow.com]. They will have the 5 Day Race Schools at Pocono, Pa., VIR in Danville, Va., and NJMP in New Jersey. Schools are excellent. Well worth the time and money.
I took the 3 day Skip Barber racing school this summer at Lime Rock and have to disagree with value received. I would take the course that provides you with the experience required for an SCCA license (basic and advanced Skip Barber sessions), but for real learning, I strongly recommend a one on one session with someone like Pro Coach. In reality, there is not that much actual seat time in the formula cars at Skip Barber and while, they do attempt to personalize, it is not nearly the same as having a coach for a full day. Just my 2 cents. Rob
I do understand why you say that, but what Skippy and the Roos schools do that is so valuable is to equip a driver with positive, properly taught and practiced fundamental skills required to progress throughout their career. Only then can I get the most out of someone that I'm working with, one-on-one. Where ever they get those skills, they need to be equipped with and understand completely the underlying reasons why they're so important. It sounds simple, but the most important component of driver optimization I work on with clients is to make SURE that they are driving as close to 100% of the capabilities of the car as possible, every corner, every lap! I use data and video to objectively measure this, but to craft strategies with clients to fix the inevitable shortfalls in performance, we constantly come back to skills taught at both schools. Threshold braking, SBR's brake-turning (trail braking, or using the brakes to turn the car as much or more than steering input), line geometry and familiarity with fundamental vehicle dynamics. For that reason, I recommend people do at least one professional three-day school with SBRS, Roos, Bondurant, etc. Thanks, Rob. I do see a marked uptick of intelligent drivers inquiring about those one-on-one services. We can achieve quite a bit in less time, for sure.
If a one day event is the only thing that budget allows, what would you guys recommend? I want to get behind the wheel of an open wheel racer.
+1 on Roos - I did the 5 day course and it was fantastic. Dennis Macchio runs a nice operation, and I got to train with Guy Cosmo and Andrew Prendeville!
The Panoz school was bought out by Skip Barber several years ago. For a school focused on V-8 GT cars, Bondurant is the best choice, IMO.
Indeed! At the time, Andrew was one of Dennis' star pupils, and Guy was just starting the Star Mazda (or whatever it was called at the time).
Just Signed on with the roos 3 day and advanced 2 day in August. Called the school and was q&aing with the person on the other end. Basic stuff lke why should I go to your school....blah blah blah. Turns out it was Dennis and as we were talking we knew each other when he was the track manager for Bridgehampton and of course that was my favorite track. This was when I was on the two wheeled ilk. He asked me what my goals were, and what I wanted to get out of the school. That question to me was very telling, we chatted some more and I told him I would call him back the following week after checking my schedule. Signed on for the school and a few days later Dennis called me and stated that he wants to work with me if I agreed. This was due to my previous life and having AMA/WERA superbike Licenses as well as having run alot of endurance races. Personal instruction on this level how can that go wrong. I hung up the phone looked out the window at the snow and said to myself, great now I have to wait for August! Looking forward to the school and learning. CIAO! Michael
have done a few schools. best ones in my experience were skip barber and bondurant. skip barber was a lot of class time, which was good in a way, and then track time, corner by corner, until the last day. bondurant was less class time, and a LOT more seat time. very able teachers. just dont go there in august like i did - 142 deg f in the vette after one session ! the open wheel cars were a lot cooler
Did the 5 day at Roos in Pocono. Ended up knowing Dennis when he was the track manager at the bridge, he is a cool cat. Anyway the school was great and I learned quite a bit. Can't say enough on the teaching methods and how they pair you up with instructors. The cars we fun ( a little beat) ran well and we ran the east track at Pocono. That track is in absolute **** condition. Overall reaction is I would highly recommend the school and I look forward to continued learning. Mike
I would think twice about doing a school like this. Now I need to buy a race car. ;-) The school was pretty good, and I learned a bunch of stuff. I raced bikes for 10 years, and while the techniques are similar, they are some areas where they are significantly different.
Has anyone had experience with Ron Fellows driving school at the Spring Mountain Motorsports ranch in Pahrump Nevada just west of Vegas. I am looking to take my 430 on the track at club events and want to be comfortable doing so. I also have 21 and 19 year old sons that I want to have attend as well ....
Great idea, but be careful, it is addictive. Just returned from 3 days at VIR, excellent track and well suited for Ferrari's. Rob in Potomac
