phantasms

My girlfriend wants to attend a performance driving school. She has no racing experience but loves to drive our 260hp Mini hard, and does it well. Anyone have any recommendations?

I did the Bondurant 3 day high performance driving school in AZ years ago and loved the entire experience. I learned a tremendous amount which I apply to the road every single day. But I'd like to know if there might be anything better out there.

The other one I'm considering is Spring Mountain and their level 1, 3 day program. It looks really nice but I don't want something that's just a good time of driving ZR1's....I want to have fun of course but mainly want her to get a good driver's education.

Skip Barber at Limerock is more for on track racing. I've seen their school and I'm not overly impressed with at. Additionally they don't have the huge paved areas you really need to teach a beginner true car control.

Additionally her father has several high horsepower lightweight 60's racecars that she will eventually drive on the street, as he does. The goal is to make her a safer driver overall. She's not a texter or anything stupid, but when I trail-brake a turn I want her to understand what's going on and be able to do it herself. I was very impressed with Bondurant's skidpad cars that were lifted on a separate chassis to apply understeer or oversteer at will.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks!

Best,
Gene

rbl

Both of you sign up for a couple of club HPDE events. A fraction of the cost, will have a lot of track time with an instructor 1 on 1 ...

You will drive the Mini ... lots of world class tracks close to you.

phantasms

While this sounds like something we should absolutely do, we've got to do a driving school first, her parent's are insisting (and I agree). The things I learned at Bondurant I don't think I would learn just hitting the track myself. Her father just got a GT2 racecar and next summer we'll be getting some laps in at the track. However she needs to build up a good base driving education beforehand.

Thank you!!!

CHJ In Virginia

A agree with RBL. Check out NASA for a quality program. http://www.nasaproracing.com/
They offer a great HPDE - High Performance Driver Education - program that is aimed at beginners. It is a three level skill based program including mandatory classroom time and track time with a qualified 1 on 1 in car instructor for each driver. You do not advance to the next level unless you have acquired the necessary skill set. Average cost for a two day weekend is in the $350-500 range depending on what track location. You use your own car. IMHO this program is the best bang for the buck available. You can do 4-5 weekends for what one session at Spring Mountain or Bondurant would cost.

SouthernSon

Especially if she wants to learn more about her own car. Although I enjoyed the Bondurant school I might even suggest after several HPDE events, a personal professional coach in your car at a track with which you are familiar might even be a better buy.

phantasms

While again these are all fantastic ideas, I really need specifically a driving school. I'll give the background.

My girl's dad is a big car guy. You probably all know at least one of his cars and he's got quite the collection. Him and his wife shipped their car to a attend a big cruise in the south. Apparently during one of the runs a Lotus Elise flew by, skidded off the road, and fell into a ditch. Car was totaled but the driver was ok. That night at the gathering it was found out that the girl driving the car was the young daughter of the man who setup the whole event. He stated that this is a clear reason why everyone must attend a three day driving school. When they got back from the trip my girlfriend got a call from her mom. She wants the two of us to book a multi-day driving school with one of the big schools and very nice of them they are going to cover the expenses of it for us. First thing's first for the safety of my girlfriend and also she's going to start driving this collection when she turns 25 next year and she needs to know how to not destroy these things. It's more how to handle horsepower on the street.

So while these suggestions have been excellent, and I will absolutely look up these events, I more-so need to know about recommendations to the big driving schools. I want her to get full instruction in skidpad, classroom, driving position, heal-toe, understand weight-transfer, etc, and in a rear wheel drive car.

Thank you guys!

AU N EGL

you will learn MORE from a local High Performance Drivers Event.
These are NOT open track time, but one one one ( instructor in your right seat ) driving schools.

Driving the Mini would be best.

any BMW clubs in NY area guys? BMW puts on some of the best driving schools bar none.

rbl

Mom does not understand or know what the real deal is. Driving school is not what you need ... they are basically for racing or competitive driving.

Do as you like; however, as Tom said, you will benefit FAR more from a NASA event or similar than you will ever benefit from a "3 day driving school". Apparently you have never attended or your thinking would be a lot different.

Better stay off the freeway too ... MUCH more dangerous than the track ...

If you need to burn up some of mom's $$ then have her ship the cars to VIR (world class) and charter a private jet to Danville airport and have the lemo pick you guys up and take you to the track - stay at the Villas ... 5 star all the way! Hell, you can come get me and I'll be your/her instructor!

J.R.

Look at Miller Motorsports Park
http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/

Besides being one of the best facilities in the country, I believe it has one of the best driving programs with some outstanding instructors ( Cindi Lux, Gunnar Jeannette, Joe Foster, James Burke, Charlie Putnam, Melanie Snow etc. etc.)

Although you are in a Ford product the skill set and driving techniques are the same. Living in SLC and working there part time I am somewhat prejudiced but if you google Boss 302 forum and Miller Driving School I think you will find some very positive comments. It is also the official NASA Driving School.

Bill Dearborn

HPDEs are for learning how to drive not racing. She will actually get pretty damned good instruction in her own car with an instructor sitting in the seat next to her.

If it isn't sold out sign up for this one next weekend.

https://www.motorsportreg.com/index....4#.UFTTbVE8og8

Last day to sign up on line is tomorrow. She will be assigned to the Novice group with the other newbies, get an instructor in the car with her and will get 8 20 minute track sessions and several classroom session over Saturday and Sunday.

If you have the credentials you can sign up for the A Group (Advanced Level) and maybe get accepted into the A Solo group which pushes you toward a higher level of track driving. You get lots of track time with that group since you have your own run group and can run with the instructors as well.

If you can't make that then sign up for the NASA HPDE the following weekend at the same place.

https://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1512

Sign her up in the novice group HPDE1.

I think you get better bang for your buck if you go to these types of schools first and then go to the higher priced ones.

I am signed up to instruct at both events so might see you there if you decide to participate.

Bill

phantasms

Thanks guys! I just assumed any instruction on the track was, just that, for the track. I wasn't aware of all the different avenues to go about it.

1ED1

Spring Mountain

AU N EGL

Also just because someone get signed off to run SOLO, that is for the remained of that day. Not for ever or other tracks.

Until you have 20 plus days with an instructor in your right seat, do be so fast to go solo all the time.

6SPEEDZ

Go for the Bondurant or Spring Mountain. While NASA, BMW CCA and the other HPDE driving events are good for price the instructor quality varies. The repetition of all the car control drills a school like Bondurant or Spring Mountain can give you is extremely valuable and what is needed when she switches from car to car.

punz

HPDEs are for learning how to drive not racing. She will actually get pretty damned good instruction in her own car with an instructor sitting in the seat next to her.

I agree HPDE's are the way way to go, the more of them the better. Seat time is what it's all about. When I bought my vette and went to the road track, thinking I knew how to drive , was a humbling experience. After 6 years doing it, I still have alot to learn, I think you never stop learning. Good luck at what you set out to do. By the way does your girlfriend have a sister?

WSIRFan

If there is one available near you, the BMW CCA schools are excellent value. You use your car, typically get eight 25 minute session over a weekend plus 5-6 classroom sessions. There is an in-car instructor for all sessions and you progress at your own pace. The instructors give rides in their spare time.

k24556

I've done both the Bondurant school, and had several instructors at HPDE's.

The Bondurant school was OK. We had a couple of young guys as instructors, and while both could SHOW you, one of them had poor communication skills and he kinda frustrated one of the older guys in our class (not me, I'm young!!!). We combined the 1 day intro school with a vacation trip. it is a long ways west just for a driving school.

On the other hand, I haven't had anything but great HPDE instructors. In fact, I've made very good friends with 2 that have instructed me, and I got several followup emails and discussions that helped. These folks are volunteers and what I've found is they are dedicated to the sport and not a paycheck, so they put more heart in the effort.

Looking back I would say a one day Bondurant is about equal to 3-4 sessions of HPDE (one day) with an instructor. It does not matter much what you bring for a car, as long as you have good tires, good brakes a helmet and most of all a good attitude. Be humble about your skills and encourage your instructor to critique your driving.

The other thing to try is to go to a good arrive-and-drive Kart track (not the amusement park Kart tracks, but the ones used for Kart races). I've taken my daughter, her husband and their kids and treated them to a Kart day at SPK (Summit Point) And for $400 for all of us, we had one total blast. Three guesses who picks up the tab. My grandkids love passing grandpa and get braggin' rights. The Karts will go, you can get them to 45 or so, and it seems like a 100. They have a KTP program, (Kart 'till you puke) and you get all the Kart time you can handle. Karting is how most all today's pros started. I'm 64 and white of hair, but, if it has an engine on it.....

JDIllon

Spring Mountain, is a great school and a fun experience. They have really good instructors and a fabulous facility. Although I went to their school some years ago, I just visited them last week when I was in Vegas and there was a school going on while I was there and talked to several students that where having a ball. You get a lot of track time!! And many of their instructors have been there for many years. JD

StKnoWhere

phantasms - in case not mentioned before, the Porsche Driving schools like like they might be close to what her parents may be looking for:

https://www.porschedriving.com/Cours...--Pricing.aspx

All the Porsche HPDE's I've been to have been top notch also. You (she) will get a lot more out of something like the above driving school doing just one HPDE before hand.

bluemagoo

I agree with most that HPDE with NASA, Porsche, BMW etc. or even private instruction is a great place to start. Nothing better than having the instructor in the right-hand seat which isn't always the case with the schools.

I've done Spring Mountain a couple of times and thought that the Level 1 was a pretty good entry level course. It included some time in their skidpad car. Spring Mountain did have a MINI school (and a Lotus school) a few years ago, but I don't see them listed on their website anymore.

I also did Miller's 2-day Ford school (see JR's post #9 above) a couple of months ago and really got a lot out of it. It's a fantastic facility with excellent instructors who were really interested in helping their students. My impression was that the Ford school wasn't as entry-level as Spring Mountain's Level, 1 but it could have just been the experience level of our particular group. We did have Melanie Snow's 14 yr-old son in our class both days (a nice young man moving up to cars with 10 years of karting experience).

Good luck to you and your gf with whatever you choose to do.