Ron Fellows or Bondurant Driving School??
03-04-2011, 01:37 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Yorkville IL
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ron Fellows or Bondurant Driving School??
I just purchased a new 11 GS and the dealership/chevy is paying for the tuition of one of the above (2 day course) schools. I have to pay transportion and logging but thats fine with me...Has anyone gone to either school and whats the recommendation??
03-04-2011, 02:20 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
I did the 3 day school at Spring Mountain now aka Ron Fellows in the fall of '08 and it was great. No experience with the Bondurant school but I've heard great things about that too. I expect you can't go wrong with either one so do whichever location or timing sounds more appealing.. Spring Mountain being 45 minutes from Vegas and all. 
03-04-2011, 08:27 PM
#3
Going to Bondurant
Will be at Bondurant with my son next month. They just took delivery of 10 new yellow 2011 GSs, which will be outfitted with race seats, harnesses, upgraded brake pads and Borlas. They provide helmets and driving suits. Can't compare with Spring Mtn, but I think it doesn't get any better than that!
Search you tube for vids to look at tracks. Consider climate at the time of yr you are going. That might help with your decision. Both are excellent and you will get tons of seat time in a car comparable to the one in your garage.
If there is interest, we will report back after the 3 day school.
Search you tube for vids to look at tracks. Consider climate at the time of yr you are going. That might help with your decision. Both are excellent and you will get tons of seat time in a car comparable to the one in your garage.
If there is interest, we will report back after the 3 day school.
03-05-2011, 02:39 AM
#4
I just did the Ron Fellows 2 day Advanced Corvette school, and I've done Skip Barber 3 day racing and 2 day advanced racing. Never been to Bondurant though.
The RF Spring Mountain was excellent training. All new cars in pristine 100% stock shape. Excellent radio communications with the instructors (a lot better than Skip Barber). The pace of learning and track time / break time was just right. They had 15 of us in the class and we shared 12 GSs and 3 Z06s.
It's relatively cheap for total cost because flying into Las Vegas is super cheap airfare, I rented a car for a week for $75, and Spring Mountain will rent you a condo right on the racetrack for $90/night. It takes about an hour and 10-15 minutes to drive out to Spring Mountain from McCarren airport.
That's assuming you don't drop 4 wheels into the rocks and have to buy a new paint job. There's a reason the cars are pristine. They are sticklers about any damage, even slight rock chips. It was quite different from Skip Barber where you had to actually munch the car and break stuff before they charged you. The difference is Skip is a race driving school, Ron Fellows is an HPDE driving school. Skip's car are real race cars, not new stock street cars that they sell every year for a new fleet.
No matter which school you choose you will have a blast!
The RF Spring Mountain was excellent training. All new cars in pristine 100% stock shape. Excellent radio communications with the instructors (a lot better than Skip Barber). The pace of learning and track time / break time was just right. They had 15 of us in the class and we shared 12 GSs and 3 Z06s.
It's relatively cheap for total cost because flying into Las Vegas is super cheap airfare, I rented a car for a week for $75, and Spring Mountain will rent you a condo right on the racetrack for $90/night. It takes about an hour and 10-15 minutes to drive out to Spring Mountain from McCarren airport.
That's assuming you don't drop 4 wheels into the rocks and have to buy a new paint job. There's a reason the cars are pristine. They are sticklers about any damage, even slight rock chips. It was quite different from Skip Barber where you had to actually munch the car and break stuff before they charged you. The difference is Skip is a race driving school, Ron Fellows is an HPDE driving school. Skip's car are real race cars, not new stock street cars that they sell every year for a new fleet.
No matter which school you choose you will have a blast!
03-05-2011, 12:54 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Yorkville IL
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So you pay for rock chips at springmountain??? Thats alittle crazy for a driving school. I have been two wheels off the track before in my car.... I would hate to fight a minor rock chip....sounds alittle petty for a driving school.
03-05-2011, 01:45 PM
#6
I dropped two wheels at the new "bus stop". Luckily it was pretty slow and just barely off the pavement, I'm not even sure the whole tire went off. But they have spotters who are eagle eyed! When I came in they looked over the car, luckily no damage/chips!
You can always drive your own car there and not worry about having to pay them. They are happy to allow your car in the school. Just let them know when you make your reservation you will be driving your own GS.
It was cool to compare the GS to the Z06 back to back for two days on a real race track. I created a little controversy in the Z06 forum when I replied to a thread called "Where have all the Z06's Gone?" My conclusion is that the GS manual transmission car is one hell of a performance bargain. At the end of two days of lapping my fastest laps were in my last session, and that was in a GS, not a Z06.
Last edited by Sgt.Gator; 03-05-2011 at 01:57 PM.
03-05-2011, 08:10 PM
#7
Safety Car
Can't compare with any other since I've only been to the Bondurant - but, BOY, did I get my money's worth there!
Each "student" has a Z51 coupe (now being replaced by GS's) and 3 students per instructor.
Certainly didn't seem to "fussy" about looking over the car after you were out there (got run off the track at one turn and ran through some gravel - nobody seemed to care - actually laughed at me! :bb
Tons of track time with classroom breaks in between. I will be going back soon for the advanced sessions - can't wait!
Each "student" has a Z51 coupe (now being replaced by GS's) and 3 students per instructor.
Certainly didn't seem to "fussy" about looking over the car after you were out there (got run off the track at one turn and ran through some gravel - nobody seemed to care - actually laughed at me! :bb
Tons of track time with classroom breaks in between. I will be going back soon for the advanced sessions - can't wait!
03-05-2011, 09:37 PM
#8
Done both. Both are excellent. I agree with the comment about the incar radios being a great idea at Spring Mountain. Spring Mountain is a more interesting track to run.
Bondurant seemed to have a bit more track time, and I felt the instructors were a bit more widely experienced in racing and adult education.
You can't go wrong with either
Bondurant seemed to have a bit more track time, and I felt the instructors were a bit more widely experienced in racing and adult education.
You can't go wrong with either
03-05-2011, 09:41 PM
#9
Intermediate
Member Since: Oct 2010
Location: western MD
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just did the 2 day Z06 class at Bondurant last week and would highly recommend it. Oh, and nobody went over the cars after class with a magnifying glass looking for damage. Haven't been to Spring Montain, but if they are going to nit pick I certainly am glad I didn't choose them.
After the class I had a much better appreciation for the capabilites of the Z06 and my driving capabilites too. It isn't just about high performance driving, it is about making you a better, more confident driver on the track or driving home from work. The instructors were very patient and good teachers, you can tell they have a passion for driving. There was a good balance between class time, in car instruction and track time. There were no in car radios at Bondurant, but if you wanted an instructor to ride with you during a certain portion of the class if you had questions, they were always available. The facilities, cars and tracks were in top notch shape.
After the class I had a much better appreciation for the capabilites of the Z06 and my driving capabilites too. It isn't just about high performance driving, it is about making you a better, more confident driver on the track or driving home from work. The instructors were very patient and good teachers, you can tell they have a passion for driving. There was a good balance between class time, in car instruction and track time. There were no in car radios at Bondurant, but if you wanted an instructor to ride with you during a certain portion of the class if you had questions, they were always available. The facilities, cars and tracks were in top notch shape.
Last edited by madbelgian; 03-05-2011 at 09:45 PM.
03-21-2011, 10:46 PM
#10
2nd Gear
Member Since: Jan 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Driving Schools
After researching most of the driving schools, I chose Spring Mountain for the Ron Fellows 3 day level one class . The team at spring mountian are professional, organized and have a stuctured schedule that will maximize
your learning experience . The Condo's club house and food were as nice as anything offered on the Vegas strip and that is a big deal if you are bringing your wife . Everything that they said they were going to do or offer, they did. The instuctors where patient, did a great job of teaching, and pushing you to the limit of your skill level . The track is one of the longest and in very good shape. All cars are newer and stock, and they NEVER did bring up stone chips or inspections . They did stress the importants of staying on the track and one of my goals was not to trash one of their cars . I own aC6 Z06, but bought it before GM offered the two days of driving, so I paid cash for the three day class. It is incredible the performance you can get out of a stock corvette after being trained at this school. I enjoyed every minute and will go back to Spring Mountain.
your learning experience . The Condo's club house and food were as nice as anything offered on the Vegas strip and that is a big deal if you are bringing your wife . Everything that they said they were going to do or offer, they did. The instuctors where patient, did a great job of teaching, and pushing you to the limit of your skill level . The track is one of the longest and in very good shape. All cars are newer and stock, and they NEVER did bring up stone chips or inspections . They did stress the importants of staying on the track and one of my goals was not to trash one of their cars . I own aC6 Z06, but bought it before GM offered the two days of driving, so I paid cash for the three day class. It is incredible the performance you can get out of a stock corvette after being trained at this school. I enjoyed every minute and will go back to Spring Mountain.
