Newbie: best driving school to get started

[iwannajag]

i am looking for advice regarding a driving school. Right now I only have PDX experience but got hooked and want to do more and want to do it so i can get my SCCA license.

I have not decided yet, but will likely start out with FV or FST.

I live near Chicago, but do not mind travelling to the school, but prefer to put that money towards the school.

thanks

[Doug Fisher]

Skip Barber Racing School.

[CenDiv4]

Skip Barber.... also check your email.

[HazelNut]

I'll put in a vote for Bertil Roos. Dennis runs a good program and back in 2001 when I took it, it was cheaper than skippy. I did a 5 day school and came out with an SCCA regional license.

[HazelNut]

http://www.racenow.com/

[supersonicus]

+1 for Skip Barber.

[Bob Wright]

+1 for Bertils...Dennis runs the school with racing in mind. He drove FF and FC for years and understands how to teach people to race if that's their goal.

[reidhazelton]

I recommend saving the money on a "professional school" and spend it on a car, FST or FV, and go to a Midwestern Council school. That is where I got started and it is a really good, one day classroom, one day on-track, cost effective school. I would recommend doing the Council school, (I think less than $300), get your Council Novice license, and run a half dozen or so Council races. By then, you will get your Full Comp license and is also accepted by SCCA Regional.

They run mostly at Blackhawk, but also at Autobahn, Grattan, Gingerman, Road America, and I think Brainard. They are a really great group of people that are focused on fun, comroderie, and helping each other out. It is a really good place to get your feet wet. There are a lot of people on this forum who have been in MC for years.


MC also has on track autocrosses on Saturdays before wheel to wheel races on Sunday. No cones, just running on the full track and getting over 60mph.

[blackbmwk1200r]

Bridgestone Racing Academy w/ 2008 170HP Van Diemens
www.race2000.com

[rave motorsports]

I personally have done an SCCA school day but can honestly say I learned the most from Judy Faass at her schools. I've taken her one day and also her two day. Just my two cents. Take a good look at an FST. Compare cost per race with any other class.

[troyt]

Unless you have tons of money and are looking at racing as a career instead of a hobby sport, I'm in the 'spend your money on the car, get your license cheap, then after a few wknds of racing, go spend money on a big school' camp. You can buy a starter car for what you pay for a Barber school... I'd rather be racing, and the small local club schools need your support anyways.

[AlBerto]

I recommend saving the money on a "professional school" and spend it on a car, FST or FV, and go to a Midwestern Council school.

MC also has on track autocrosses on Saturdays before wheel to wheel races on Sunday. No cones, just running on the full track and getting over 60mph.

I would take Reid's advice.

We race FVs and are not too far from you. If you need advice, extra hand for wrenching/crew or to try out a car just let me know and we can help.

There are also some local FSTs guys that I imagine would be willing to do the same.

[racerdad2]

The school at Blackhawk Farms next Spring is very good, as are all the Midwest schools. Reid's advice is spot on.

[Bob Clark]

The school at Blackhawk Farms next Spring is very good, as are all the Midwest schools. Reid's advice is spot on.

As the SCCA Cen-Div chief driving instructor I thank you for the compliment
The division does try hard to put on a good school. One thing to remember is at a SCCA or MC school, the car has to run all day! Very important!

[KevinFirlein]

Skip barber. The instructors are 2nd to none, you come away with a license and you get to learn how to drive an open wheel car on their equipment and not yours. By the time you get in your car you can concentrate on driving not the ' holy **** this is different then my street car' moment that hits everyone when they go to school in an open wheel car the 1st time.

[Neil_Roberts]

Schools run by sanctioning bodies are primarily licensing schools, meant to find out if you notice the flags, know what they mean, know the paddock rules, and aren't a danger to other drivers. All of that is necessary, but if you want a school that is primarily focused on driving skill instruction, you need a pro school.

If you aren't also running autocrosses, I strongly recommend that. Here's why:

http://thinkfastengineering.com/2013...n-more-better/

[Bill Bonow]

AlBerto is correct, there is a solid FV and FST group around the Chicago metro area. I started in MC as well. Great place, low cost racing at its best. SCCA is Club Racing in the USA. Both groups put on schools at Blackhawk Farms that are fantastic.

You have some time before any springtime schools, fine some local FV/FST guys and find out about the cars, the race group, clubs and get ready for the spring school.

[Mark_Silverberg]

I would recomend starting with a go kart school or rental with personal instruction to get comfortable with car/kart control, cornering forces and braking techniques.

I would then suggest - if you already have the car - to attend an SCCA / midwest council school.

At the end of your first season once you feel comfortable in the car and know your level of competitiveness you can then consider a professional school. You can then make a better informed decision about what you need in a school at that point. In addition you will have a better idea as to what you have to budget for the school.

[Tigaman]

Another vote for Pro schools. Skippy or Bertil Roos. Nothing like a very sound foundation...

[racerdad2]

How's this ? If the budget is there, a pro school followed by arrive & drive with private driving coach & data engineer. If the budget's tight, the club route with your own car. Remember, it's not about ten-tenths at the school.

[mousecatcher]

All those recommending Skip Barber, have you taken a course in the past 3 years?

[Tigaman]

How's this ? If the budget is there, a pro school followed by arrive & drive with private driving coach & data engineer. If the budget's tight, the club route with your own car. Remember, it's not about ten-tenths at the school.

Hahaha! Yes, that is the BEST plan! Either, or...

All those recommending Skip Barber, have you taken a course in the past 3 years?

Look, Michael Culver has definitely stripped the school of it's most valuable asset, it's PEOPLE. Especially over the last five years, but the few instructors I've met recently are good, dedicated and devoted to their students progress. They also are using the same, proven curricula that was developed and honed over time by the people that were the BEST over a long stretch of time...

Casey Carden and his crowd at Atlanta are good, Pat Daly at The Glen and Lime Rock are great. Perhaps less so at Laguna Seca, but still the value is there.

A little story. My reputation as a private coach/analyst/driver performance consultant is top notch (and has been for a LONG time), but when I went to Lime Rock many years ago to join the illustrious MacInnes, Lopez, Earwood, Buck, Borland, Pace, Holehouse and Waddell cadre (among others), at the end of the first day of training in those bright lights, I was ready to go HOME! The damn training was a WEEK long, too!

They patted me on the back and said, "this is like the Ivy League, son! EVERYONE here is a star! Get OVER it and DO WORK, boy!"

Best advice I ever got!

Yes, the old crowd (Kuhn, Zimicki, Pace, Waddell, MacIness, Reynolds, Waddle, Watts, Buck, Earwood and others) were the BEST, but the idea lives on.

If you don't want to gamble on the roster at an SBRS school (or you have some experience already), by all means sign up for Dennis Macchio's terrific Bertil Roos program. Dennis treats his clients like adults. ALL the time, EVERY time! Awesome program.

Pro schools build a lifetime of "best execution of fundamental skills," something that all great drivers have in common. Can't beat it.

[ghickman]

I highly recommend the Bertil Roos School.

When I came back to SCCA racing after having been away for 20 years (racing USAC Midgets) I went to their 3 day school and was able to get my National License back immediately.

I've known Dennis for nearly 30 years and the dude knowns how to wheel a Formula Ford around.

The price is right, the track is decent, and the instructing is top notch.

[Sir5n]

no affiliation;

http://www.race2000.com

Great track, coaches and cars. Made me consider jumping into racing if I can find the budget for F2000.

KF

[Franklin Futrelle]

Skip barber

Or Pro Drive

Franklin Futrelle

[BruceRace]

Try Waterfordhills.com, SCCA accredited school in Clarkston ,MI

[Phil Creighton]

My advice as a 30+ year prep shop and ex driver: Go to a professional school and get the technique right first. I've seen so many self-taught bad habits from people whose ego's won't let them step back once they realize they can't get the basic shifting and braking etc right. One thing about Skippy that is drilled into you on the first day. Once you have the basics then look at who is best to improve your skills at racing. Its a personal choice and a budgetary one. Going to your first school running your own car is pretty overwhelming. Rent something or get serious help so you don't have to worry about car issues.
Phil

[northarrowracing]

Another vote for Skippy. Did it years ago with the old crowd but was great. I also recommend 1 club school like SCCA afterwards just to get you use to how things work where you will be running. You will learn different things from both.

Jump on it, it's all good.

Ric

[johnannz]

skippy WITH the right instructor. Experience has been mixed

[EYERACE]

SB will teach you how to drive their car...........without hurting their car............translation................not on the edge. Do it anyway..........but all the while remember what I told you. They will probably never mention that I shift my car without touching the clutch............there's more. You'll get a lot of theory.....which [depending on the instructor] you will not get at an SCCA school.

You're a newbie.

You think you're going to learn it all in a weekend?....................................

[alangbaker]

SB will teach you how to drive their car...........without hurting their car............translation................not on the edge. Do it anyway..........but all the while remember what I told you. They will probably never mention that I shift my car without touching the clutch............there's more. You'll get a lot of theory.....which [depending on the instructor] you will not get at an SCCA school.

Actually, Skip Barber teaches clutchless upshifts...

...but you're right, they're not going to teach you to drive "on the edge" in a three day school.

But nobody should be doing that. What a good school should teach is how to drive so that you can start FINDING the edge as you progress.

You're a newbie.

You think you're going to learn it all in a weekend?....................................

It sounds like your trying to imply that there's no point in going to a good professional school unless you can learn it all. I think nothing could be further from the truth.

I used to teach skiing professionally and I was very successful in taking people with no ski experience at all and in two hours, giving them the skills to go out and enjoy skiing on their own...

...on the bunny hill.

Never in a million years would I suggest to such a person that a single lesson is enough from them to head to the top of the mountain and drop into a black diamond run (for the non-skiers here, green circles are the easiest, blue squares are moderate terrain, and black diamonds--single, then double--are the toughest runs).

But when you let someone loose on a track to race in almost any car, it's a "black diamond" situation, or at the least they can choose to make it so.

I'd prefer that everyone who is on track with me has had at least a three day racing school to make them less likely to make a big mistake that hurts them, or--worse!--me.

[Spengo]

What about Bondurant or Simraceway? No one has mentioned either of those yet.

[Ralph Z.]

I've done the Skippy school, BeaveRun and Mid Ohio and MO is hands down the best in terms of quality.