performance driving school
5th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,935
From: Alabama
RE: performance driving school
ORIGINAL: BimmerTang
Gald my suggestions got some interest.
For those of you that might be in the Alabama area. I run out of Barber Motorsports park.
Gald my suggestions got some interest.
For those of you that might be in the Alabama area. I run out of Barber Motorsports park.
I've always wanted to run on Barber.
My friend and I took an SCCA school up in Huntsville and autocross up here in Twickingham Auto Club.
I've always wanted to run on a real road course though, sounds fun!
1st Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 148
From:
RE: performance driving school
my friends keep telling me to take a performance class. they said that is probably the most fun that they have had. The school is http://www.skipbarber.com/
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2
RE: performance driving school
DO IT!! My car is a stock GT except for brakes and CAI/Tuner. Even with a stock car it's lot's of fun. First thing though, as someone mentioned above, upgrade your brakes. I ran at Laguna Seca before I even had plates on my car. I went home with boiled rear brake fluid and metal on metal with my pads. I currently have ATE Blue DOT4 racing fluid, Granatelli dimpled and slotted rotors, and EBC Yellow Stuff pads. This combination seems pretty good on the street and absolutely held up well last weekend at Thunderhill Raceway. Use your stock tires for now, you will learn a lot more going slow at first and learning the proper line around a track. After the first session or two with a good instructor who knows the track, your speeds will increase a lot.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 208
RE: performance driving school
looks like thebmw car club of america http://www.bmwcca.org/index.phpis a very good place to start - it is"only" $175 for a day +$45 for their 1yrmembership and they have localchapters throughout the country and there is no cocky/immatureracing - just learning with an instructor
.Unlike other places that pop out on google search, they actuallyhavealot ofdetailed information on their website (just killed 1hr at work reading 22 page pdf class manual) and it is not limited to bmw's (no convertibles/suv's though).
I think I am sold on this one [sm=bounceybounce.gif][sm=gears.gif]
[sm=feedback.gif]
.Unlike other places that pop out on google search, they actuallyhavealot ofdetailed information on their website (just killed 1hr at work reading 22 page pdf class manual) and it is not limited to bmw's (no convertibles/suv's though). I think I am sold on this one [sm=bounceybounce.gif][sm=gears.gif]
[sm=feedback.gif]
1st Gear Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 132
From:
RE: performance driving school
vf96----Wisconsin guy...here ya go...Badger Bimmers runs a school and it looks like they run a BMW club race in conjunction with their school. That's really cool because you get to participate as a student and on Saturday or Sunday you can watch for an hour as the club racers old a race on the track.
That's a blast to watch especially when you've been in the class and on the track...you'll never look at another race the same way again.
Now you'll have an idea of what's going on in the car and who's driving well and who isn.t
Here is the link:
http://www.badgerbimmers.org/main/cat_index_6.shtml
tlpvt---You'll never look at a winding stretch of road the same way again if you go...please let me know if you end up going. Love to hear what you thought afterwards.
I know I'm biased as a long time BMW club member and officer but we really do run a professional school. Like I said, it's not all BMWs although there are a lot. You'll see 'vettes, a mustang or two, Civics, Porsches, Audis, etc.
Good luck to all
That's a blast to watch especially when you've been in the class and on the track...you'll never look at another race the same way again.
Now you'll have an idea of what's going on in the car and who's driving well and who isn.t
Here is the link:
http://www.badgerbimmers.org/main/cat_index_6.shtml
tlpvt---You'll never look at a winding stretch of road the same way again if you go...please let me know if you end up going. Love to hear what you thought afterwards.
I know I'm biased as a long time BMW club member and officer but we really do run a professional school. Like I said, it's not all BMWs although there are a lot. You'll see 'vettes, a mustang or two, Civics, Porsches, Audis, etc.
Good luck to all
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 165
From:
RE: performance driving school
Got my birthday present from my wife!!!!About 4 months early but is it a GREAT ONE. She bought me a class with the Skip Barber Racing School.
3 hr. class then 1 hr. on the track at Road America in Elkhart lake Wi. In one of Their Cars!!!! Open Wheel Formula One. Big day July 24th. It'a a World Class Track. 4 miles long. Should hit speeds of 120mph + It's a scaled down version of corse. 200hp...1200lb car. Will POSITVELY post after my experiance!!
3 hr. class then 1 hr. on the track at Road America in Elkhart lake Wi. In one of Their Cars!!!! Open Wheel Formula One. Big day July 24th. It'a a World Class Track. 4 miles long. Should hit speeds of 120mph + It's a scaled down version of corse. 200hp...1200lb car. Will POSITVELY post after my experiance!!
S197 Section Modder-ator
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,373
From: Orlando FL
RE: performance driving school
Lol, that brings back memories...
I took a week long class (I won it) in the snow back in the mid 80s.
It was in the French Alps...
Never thought you could go that fastin the snow (not me, the pros)[8D].
Talk about learning the lines, it's all about thelines all right,and putting the car sideways for breaking. YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKES!!
Every turns you are sideways. Man I could do this all day long
. No snow in FL though.
At the time, I thought I was tough. I had 2 seasons of motorcycle road racing (amateur class) and being nowon 4 wheels, kinda put me at ease. WRONG!
As soon as I started the course, all my previous experience was irrelevant except for finding the right lines.
I was too slow at first... The instructor was bored and told me togo fasterin the turnsand put the damn thing sideways.
After I barely missed the snow banks in the begining, I got the hang of it and I was the second fastest studentby the end of the week.I was pumped, not ready to go back to dry land.
But all good things come to an end.
I never got to have fun in the snow again, except in upstate New York, but I sure know how to put a car sideways, in dry pavement too!
On a serious note, any class of driving you can take, will change your driving forever. In a positive way.
If you're a young pup, this will be wise and money well spent
.
I took a week long class (I won it) in the snow back in the mid 80s.
It was in the French Alps...
Never thought you could go that fastin the snow (not me, the pros)[8D].
Talk about learning the lines, it's all about thelines all right,and putting the car sideways for breaking. YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKES!!
Every turns you are sideways. Man I could do this all day long
. No snow in FL though.At the time, I thought I was tough. I had 2 seasons of motorcycle road racing (amateur class) and being nowon 4 wheels, kinda put me at ease. WRONG!
As soon as I started the course, all my previous experience was irrelevant except for finding the right lines.
I was too slow at first... The instructor was bored and told me togo fasterin the turnsand put the damn thing sideways.
After I barely missed the snow banks in the begining, I got the hang of it and I was the second fastest studentby the end of the week.I was pumped, not ready to go back to dry land.
But all good things come to an end.
I never got to have fun in the snow again, except in upstate New York, but I sure know how to put a car sideways, in dry pavement too!
On a serious note, any class of driving you can take, will change your driving forever. In a positive way.
If you're a young pup, this will be wise and money well spent
.
