I need your input on this: http://www.racenow.com/ (anyone been there)

When I got my Z I realized that my first mod would be to enroll in a driving school. I would like to learn the basics of car control so I can eventually take my Z to the track or autocross (the car quickly looses the fun factor if you are stuck in traffic on NJ turnpike). I need your help/input of finding a good driving school. What should I be looking for? As a beginner, how many days should I sign up for: 1, 2, 3 or 5? What is a good price? I would rather not use my car as a starting point. Also, I need to find something that is local (within a 3hr drive) – I live in NJ. So far I am not having much luck. Anyone in NJ, PA, and NY area know of any good driving schools? The Bertil Roos School is my top choice for now. I would appreciate any suggestions or comments on where I should start.

Thanks,

Dmitry

 

This one seems to be mainly a racing school and wont teach you about your car, the best ones and cheaper ones are the ones where you take your own car and learn to drive your car around a track. A couple of us will be doing that at Sebring next weekend in our Z's, I can't wait.

 

Next week, I'm going to this:

http://www.autocross.com/evolution

 

c'mon guys/girls. with almost 15000 members I would think I would get more feedback.

 

I haven't been to the one you mention, but I just got back from a 3-day Skip Barber (http://www.skipbarber.com/) race school class at Laguna Seca. They have them all over the place, so you might see what's closest to you. While it's very expensive, it's a fantastic way to learn to drive. You're in a Formula Dodge car, which is a real race car, set up to handle beautifully, stop on a dime, etc. I'd seriously recommend it, if you can afford the program.

Yes, open track days in your own car, with clubs that provide instruction, is also good stuff (I happen to run such a club, so I'm certainly all for it). But it's your car, your insurance, and not anything near as concentrated instruction as you'll get at a 3-day driving school. I say, do a race school if you can afford it, then do open track/drivers ed days as your lower cost events after that.

Dave

 

I agree with Dave. And it doesn't matter what car you drive because you'll learn the basics of weight transfer and the racing line which are applicable on any car. Skip Barber uses Chrysler vehicles, Bondurant used the Ford I think they have GM now. You save on wear and tear and have several days of private attention that an open track day can't compete with. That said, I haven't been to either one but friends have gone through Bondurant and they've had a blast, and I've had some time on track with co-workers riding shotgun for on the job training. I think they recommended two or three day classes.

You can also do prep work before taking the course by reading up on driving techniques and vehicle dynamics (and experimenting in your car in a parking lot) so you don't hear stuff for the first time when you attend the course. For example, can you feel the difference between trail braking a corner or coasting to its apex, can you hit an early and late apex, etc. Then you spend less time on the basics and more time with advanced stuff, since you are paying for the world class instructors.

 

I did the 3-day HPD course at Bondurant and it was outstanding. The instructors were great, lots of track time, I learned a lot, and it was a total blast. It was well worth the money and the extra travel time to Phoenix. I can't wait to go back again for a more advanced course.

They had a deal with Ford when I was there (Mustang GT's and Cobras, all completely modded for the track) but switched to GM with C5's and Z06 Corvettes recently. www.bondurant.com

 

I suggest running some one-day High Performance Driver's Ed (HPDE) classes or autocross schools and autocrosses before you go to a pricey professional school. At a couple hundred bucks a day for HPDEs and far less than that for autocross, you'll get some seat time, learn the limits of your car, and get a measure of your own ability for a lot less money.

Then when you finally do take one of the pro schools, you won't be so overwhelmed by the whole experience (to say nothing of the power of the racing car you'll be driving) and you'll get a lot more out of it.

Think about it this way: you could try going to college straight out of elementary school, but you'll get more out of it if you finish high school first.

Look around for local Z clubs, or even other marques' clubs (Porsche, BMW, Audi, etc.) and see if you can get in on their track days.

As for the pro schools, I took the Skip Barber 3-day race school at Mid Ohio, and it was great. Very well structured, excellent instructors, great cars. It was a blast. (BTW, I had been running HPDEs for almost two years when I took it.)

 

I agree with commasense, they are great programs but you'll get a lot more out of them if you try your own car or any kind of closed wheel non racecar. After some experience driving in anger behind the wheel you'll be more then ready to hit the school and have a blast.

 

I posted the same question on the Automotive Forums 350Z site. They told me to check out a SCCA Solo II event. They set up cones on a large paved area, think airfield, and time drivers one by one. Sounds like a great way to gain experience. You can learn a lot from the guys that have been doing this for years.


SCCA Solo II

 

Dimitry,

Believe it or not, a good driving school is not very dangerous or hard on the machinery at the novice level. Your speeds will be low, there will be few cars on track, and (most importantly) everyone has an instructor at their side. It's the advanced drivers who wreck their cars and break stuff . You'll find wear and tear is minimal, so don't sweat it too much.

You can learn the basics of hand position, heel-and-toe, late apexing, throttle control, smoothness, etc. just as well at a good driving school as you will at a $1000 a day racing school. Like commasense says, you won't get the most out of a pricey racing school until you've got the basics of track driving down.

Check out the BMW CCA, PCA, and Ferrari clubs. The BMW guys are pretty flexible about having other marques at their events. The PCA and Ferrari guys are sometimes snobby about that stuff.

Emre

 

A great school if you are starting out is the evolution performance driving school. They hold schools all around the U.S. April 4 and 5 the BMW is hosting 8 of these schools in the Boston area. You can find all about the school at autocross.com go to the related links and look up the Evolution Performance Driving. Have driven the 350 in one of the schools and the car is very impressive. good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!