driving school?

[liquid]

Has anyone here ever been to driving school, or a day event? I know they always had them for the BMW club of Alberta. Has anyone ever been to one? Are there any around here during the summer? I'd love to head down to one of these and see what I can improve on.

[Simon]

yah i want to go to a few this summer, i'll put on my winter tires on though, i heard you go through a **** load of tread in those days.

my friend who just bought a 911 targa (well rather, it was given to him since he's 19) went to a porsche track and driving school day this past summer. he said it was a blast.

[alien]

I've been to a one day thing many years ago at racecity. full day thing. pretty good, they went over braking and just overall trying to drive a smooth grip turn, ect...

pretty fun.

[MrHeavyFoot]

The Calgary Sports Car Club offers a course every year at Race City. It's on April 26/27 and costs $395 + GST. Here's some details:

High Performance Driving School Site

It took this course last year and it's a blast. The first day is 1/2 classroom and 1/2 skid pad exercises on the oval infield.... playing around with understeer/oversteer, running some slaloms, braking exercises plus a little mini oval session through the back straight and pits area to get used to turn in points, increasing/decreasing radius corners.

The second day is all on the road course, although you are split up into 2 groups. First you do a little "moderate" speed practice on either end of the course, just to get used to the track layout. Then you start running full laps. At first they limit top speed to 120 km/h, then 140, 160 and finally wide open. They even mark all of the suggested turn in points and apexes for you.

The course is taught by CSCC/NASCC road race drivers (and some from the BMW club I think). In fact, if you want to go road racing, you have to take this course to get your road race licence. There is an instructor with you in the car at all times on the road course, although if they feel that you know what you are doing, they'll let you go on your own after a while.

There were all sorts of cars last year. 4 jettas, a few Hondas, a few Porsches, a couple of M5s, some 'stangs, vettes, etc.

If you are going for your race licence (anyone can do it), you also get to do some practice starts. 20 some odd cars rolling around the track 2x2 to take the green flag. Now that was interesting.

It's a good time, but you will use up some brake pads and probably some tire tread. My tires weren't too bad afterwards, but the brakes were noticeably softer. I thought maybe I had boiled the brake fluid, but it was just the rear pads disappearing (and coating my wheels).

If you are interested in Autocross, I think CSCC also puts on a rookie course each spring which is pretty cheap. They are also hosting the Evolution school in Red Deer June 28/29, but that one is a little more expensive (~ $325 per day or $590 for both).

EDIT
Some additional links:

Review of 2002 Road Race School

Evolution Autocross School

[Ian Neumeyer]

[quote]Originally posted by MrHeavyFoot:
The Calgary Sports Car Club offers a course every year at Race City. It's on April 26/27 and costs $395 + GST.

Review of 2002 Road Race School

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I'm up for that. Thanks for the information!

[Pat]

I am definitely going!

[MrHeavyFoot]

Anyone interested should probably sign up soon. I think it tends to fill up fairly early. If you pay by credit card, you may get lucky and they won't put it through for a month or two, so you'll have some time to pay off the Christmas stuff first. No gaurantees, but that's what happened with me last year.

[milesmcewing]

If your club is interested in a school, or you wanted to co-op with another club, I would be happy to set one up and run it. Currently I teach the ice-racing school, and the BMW and Porsche schools. I am a member of the Sports Car club and we are building a school curriculum to encourage education.

Cheers
Miles

[Canadian Turbo]

[quote] If your club is interested in a school, or you wanted to co-op with another club, I would be happy to set one up and run it. Currently I teach the ice-racing school, and the BMW and Porsche schools. I am a member of the Sports Car club and we are building a school curriculum to encourage education.
Cheers
Miles

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Could you provide us with some more info cuz I think a club driving school would be a hella good time!