Driving/Racing Schools

[EyeMNathan]

What are some good driving & racing schools out there? Would like to get some real training before I do something stupid, like buy something with ridiculous horsepower in the near future.

 

[KokomoGSTmp]

First... you can never have too much horsepower, you'll always want more MORE!!!

Second, any reputable racing/car control school will give you the tools to drive safer and better on the street if you so choose. It will not force you to drive safely despite your car's constant willingness to go dangerously fast. With cars like the STi and Evo, you can easily go dangerously fast fully within the limits of the car.

Nearly every passenger other than my brother, who's only one of two people I know that's ridden with me driving at 10/10ths, gets scared when I drive at 7/10ths on the street. Again, most of them haven't experienced a car with as much power or grip as mine typically. Or they've never driven a car truly at the limit.

I've taken a racing friend at 10/10ths on course once and even he got scared. But having a overpowered FWD car with a really tight suspension definitely is hairy at the limit, he was used to his grippy and stable AWD. I made the switch so I can definitely understand. My driving style was a lot more kamikaze with FWD because corner entry speeds needed to be high since it's not so easy to accelerate out without an LSD. Chuck that sonuvab1tch into the corner and trailbrake it right around the bend. Second time around... he wasn't scared anymore. When he switched into a Miata, his driving style adapted to suit that too, flinging it into corners.

EDIT: I recommend Skip Barber and if you're out near Vegas... Derek Daly's. There's also European Rally School.

 

[EyeMNathan]

Originally posted by: KokomoGSTmp
First... you can never have too much horsepower, you'll always want more MORE!!!

Second, any reputable racing/car control school will give you the tools to drive safer and better on the street if you so choose. It will not force you to drive safely despite your car's constant willingness to go dangerously fast. With cars like the STi and Evo, you can easily go dangerously fast fully within the limits of the car.

Nearly every passenger other than my brother, who's only one of two people I know that's ridden with me driving at 10/10ths, gets scared when I drive at 7/10ths on the street. Again, most of them haven't experienced a car with as much power or grip as mine typically. Or they've never driven a car truly at the limit.

I've taken a racing friend at 10/10ths on course once and even he got scared. But having a overpowered FWD car with a really tight suspension definitely is hairy at the limit, he was used to his grippy and stable AWD. I made the switch so I can definitely understand. My driving style was a lot more kamikaze with FWD because corner entry speeds needed to be high since it's not so easy to accelerate out without an LSD. Chuck that sonuvab1tch into the corner and trailbrake it right around the bend. Second time around... he wasn't scared anymore. When he switched into a Miata, his driving style adapted to suit that too, flinging it into corners.

EDIT: I recommend Skip Barber and if you're out near Vegas... Derek Daly's. There's also European Rally School.

I am certainly a responsible driver, but I find when I'm driving vehicles with some handling and speed, my confidence level drops significantly. I've been driving an F-250 Diesel almost exclusively since I got my license, for a while I drove a Camaro Z28 but that was just for a brief time.

That's basically my concern.

 

[Shooters]

I knew someone who went to Bondurant...said it was great.

 

[FoBoT]

check your nearest Nascar track

 

[HDTVdesignteam]

I can certainly recommend Skip Barber. I took their school at Lime Rock and really enjoyed it. I don't remember which school I did at Pocono Speedway, but most large tracks have schools that use their facilities.
George

http://www.skipbarber.com/
http://www.racenow.com/a02_history.htm

 

[Evadman]

I went to Petty's Racing School. Not much of a school IMHO, but definately worth every penny. It's not often youI get to do a buck 40 legaly.

I would really like to take a rally class. I did a while bunch of 'learning' with my truck and Zuk. In the snow, I could get my 8800lb truck down the onramp to the elgin o'hare in a controled slide at upwards of 40 mph around a ~110 degree downhill turn. I can do it in my zuk at over 50, but obviously, only when the only thing that will be hurting is the guardrail. Parkinglots were awesome too. Sometimes I would be out there for hours at a time. Thankfully, I knew every cop in the city.

 

[KokomoGSTmp]

Unfortunately I don't think NASCAR driving schools really teach you car control (despite many top NASCAR pros having plenty of car control ability like Robbie Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, etc) but it's probably fun. I'd rather go to Germany and drive the Nurburgring Nordschiefe (sp?) and do over a buck 40 legally and turn both left and right.

Oh, and European Rally School... it's in Florida, lol. http://www.gorally.com/

EDIT: BTW, lack of confidence is normal. It's a warning sign. My friends were goading me to go faster in my rented Malibu Maxx in Chitown. Considering how absolutely numb the car was and how crappy the tires were, I pushed them just to demonstrate how scary getting closer to the limit was in the car. My friends shut up pretty quick. If the limit is vague... it's not safe to push it.

 

[slick230]

The NASCAR things aren't driving schools. They are just an opportunity to hop into a near Cup level car and whip it around a track. They don't offer driving instruction, and anyone going there looking to become a better driver is under the wrong impression.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: slick230
The NASCAR things aren't driving schools. They are just an opportunity to hop into a near Cup level car and whip it around a track. They don't offer driving instruction, and anyone going there looking to become a better driver is under the wrong impression.

WinnAr.