Racing Schools

[NSXType-R]

In my opinion race schools can be a bit of a fraud.
A friend of mine who is 20 and started racing only one year ago at the MR Challenge, is now a racing instructor at Palmer Racing School.
I don't doubt of his talent, but he was never teached by anyone more experienced and has few experience himself.

I guess driving school is a lot like regular school. You have the geniuses, the not-too-dumb-not-too-smart guy, and the retard in the class.

Some people need the instruction, some don't. It depends on who you are.

[magracer]

I attended a local racing school many years ago, it was worth it, but more for the experience than for the learning. I already knew most skills and techniques (mostly from reading) and had been practicing them for a couple years on the street (*mostly* at sane levels). The course was in slow FWD cars, so basically the same I was driving on the street. Attending track days and slowly developing your skills may be option, although you have chance of hurting your car.

Now that I think about it, might be worth to go back again for RWD given I've never driven one of those hard. Oh wait! Yes I did, for about 3 minutes on wet tarmac before I was spinning towards the median in my friends 325i... thank god nothing happened to the car.

I'd say attending racing school short after getting your license is like attending an MBA just after graduating from Uni: you'll get the stuff, but it would be much richer if you had actually been in business before hand.

[ACN]

I did the Skip Barber School at Laguna Seca this past summer and it was probably the best decision I have ever made. Driving an actual race car on an actual race track is a huge adrenaline rush and I have yet to experience anything like it. My driving technique got way better and by the end of the school I was running at speeds comparable to guys with actual experience on the track. The downside is, after racing, driving on the street seems like kid stuff and there really isn't much you can do on the street that seems like much fun. My civic si felt like a tank after driving the little formula cars.

[johnnynumfiv]

i've never done autocross. is it harder than circuit driving?

One of the hardest parts is remembering the course, because it's laid out with road pylons. Most courses are short and have quick turns so you have to think very fast. I have seen some wide open courses that are easier, but you still have to know how to take the turns and how to work the throttle/brake/clutch pretty well.

[clutch-monkey]

One of the hardest parts is remembering the course, because it's laid out with road pylons. Most courses are short and have quick turns so you have to think very fast. I have seen some wide open courses that are easier, but you still have to know how to take the turns and how to work the throttle/brake/clutch pretty well.

i just watched a few vids, and yeah remembering the route through the cones you have to take would stuff me up.
i'll try it in the mini maybe.
imo for circuit racing just go out there and drive it, lol. get instructions later

[whiteballz]

Hillclimbs ftw.

[clutch-monkey]

only if your car is like 2 feet wide

[whiteballz]

haha. perhaps. but your Minis ARE two feet wide.

[clutch-monkey]

yes but they need more gears

[whiteballz]

For a hillclimb track? you barely get out of 3rd in a 205GTi on the track I used to watch

[clutch-monkey]

yeah but for a hillclimb you need short ratio gears; the leading sti's get into like 4th within 50 metres (slight exaggeration)
so i'd need more torque, extra gear or two, shorter ratios

[whiteballz]

Or just go out and have fun

[cmcpokey]

i have never done a hillclimb.... is it more of a horsepower race or a handling race. in autox the STi's have a disadvantage because of their weight compared to the smaller minis, mr2s and s2000s that predominate the comps

[clutch-monkey]

Or just go out and have fun

yeah i'll use the triumph instead then fibreglass body ftw

i have never done a hillclimb.... is it more of a horsepower race or a handling race. in autox the STi's have a disadvantage because of their weight compared to the smaller minis, mr2s and s2000s that predominate the comps

both - you need the power for getting up the slope; but it's still a very tight track. the one i went to was 1km long, and had 9 corners within that distance
low wieght and handling still count for more than power i guess.

actually your cooper and your RX7 would/should both be suitable for hillclimb with a few minor mods

[whiteballz]

The hillclimb I went to was absolutely tiny..

would have been 750 meters long AT MOST, with about 10 corners.

EDIT: Google Maps ftw.

kowenhillclimb.jpg

down the bottom right is a two way road, and its got a healthy 1/2 car shoulder before you hit the dirt.
The hillclimb is as wide as an old brick volvo.