Christmas is coming and I was thinking that since I cant afford to actually race, perhaps I would ask Santa for a "vacation" to somewhere.....somewhere where there just happens to be a good driving school. this way the wife gets to participate and the cost doesnt look so bad.

Although I have tons of road course seat time in the Camaro, I have very little formal training. None in wheel to wheel.

I would prefer someplace that uses American V8 cars, but its not an absolute.

All ideas are welcome

TIA

Bock

Driving school or driving experience?

Difference being you come out of the school eligible to petition for a racing license, the other is you come out with a big smile on your face.

Your car or their car?

I've always wanted to Skip Barber's school at Laguna Seca. The Mid-Ohio School is very good with some awesome resident pros. You can rent their cars or drive your own. My instructor there was Brian Till who also works on Speedvision doing the ALMS and Rolex series announcing.

Skip Barber also runs schools at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

If you are gonna go, spring the extra bucks for a licensing course. More track time and you will come out of it a way better driver.

-Tim

Im thinking school. And probably their car. I am a little doubtful about ever really getting into a full blown wtw racing venue, but it is always possible, as long as I have a race car.

There is some place that does Vettes that advertises in the SCCA rag too. Cant remember the name though.

Anyway, keep the ideas coming...especially if you have had a good experience somewhere.

Bock

I did the four day school at Boundurant several years ago and enjoyed it. My only reservation is that if I went back I would make sure they understood MY goals for the time there. Ask hard questions about what to expect and what they will teach YOU. If you're going for fun it won't matter as much. If you have some specific skills you want to improve, get an understanding up front about how you will be evaluated and instructed.

If it doesn't have a gas guage, be sure to ask if the tanks full. Last day at Boundurant in the Formula Fords, the car stuttered on a lap and just thought it was a "cough" until it did it again the next lap and died on the front straight. After they come get me and take me to get another car the mechanic says I ran it out of gas, "You must have really been on it." Exactly.

Spring Mountain in Parhump, NV has a number of driving schools, none of which I've taken.

http://www.springmountainmotorsports.com/driving-schools/

But it's near Las Vegas, so might be a good way for the two of you to make it a vacation together.

My wife has done two Skip Barber schools, one at Laguna Seca, one at Road America. I'll see if she can't chime in with her experiences.

Jason

I did a couple of schools there back when it was Bragg-Smith and they still had Camaros. From what I've heard the good instructors are still there and the track and facility have been expanded and upgraded. I wouldn't describe it as "cost doesn't look so bad" though. IIRC you'll be looking around a $1,000 a day per person for the school plus travel, hotels and meals. Budget allowing my wife wants to go for our 25 anniversary (I love that gal!)

I believe that would be Texas Driving Experience out of Texas Motor Speedway. However, it's not a school, just driving their Z06 C5s. (psst ... get car #9 )

I looked at my instructing schedule and the best one to run would be an event in late April that uses the Roval and not just the infield road course.

HTH

An event I think would be a real blast would be the Skip Barber MX-5 cup school. Leguna, Road Atlanta, VIR ... lots of great venues