Im down at Laguna Seca right now (race this weeked). It is my favorite track, I love it. The school there is great, you will have a ton of fun.

If you are planning on tracking your car, I do not recommend putting your money into kits and all that stuff. The biggest gain you will get is from tires and instruction.

Many people think they are slow because of their car when it is actually them. They go put a ton of money into their car to make it faster but it doesnt help when all they had to do was get instruction.

Have fun!

 

Or you don't have to dump any money into tires, and see how the stock everything can do. You got to buy a helmet first, shoes help, gloves - so you already have to spend money. I FLEW around Lime Rock with an instructor in a slightly modified E36 M3 and the best mod he said he did was a 5 point harness and a racing seat (be one with the car) - but in retropsect , he was missing the other half -a roll cage (don't want your head to be a support in a flip).
It is usually the driver. In my 18 year old car (for sale, see below) with some Skip Barber days (1 of 10 things to do before you die, they say and I agree), I passed new Lancer Evos, and porsche carrera whatevers in my group, it was a rush, but I knew with different drivers, it would have been different - or would it???? -The track layout was good for my car.

Mashing the pedal and pointing straight is such a small small part of racing that doesn't take a whole lot of skill.

http://homepage.mac.com/spwongra/E30M3/Personal11.html

 

Every driving school will have helmets, suits, and gloves available. No need to buy unless you want to get into it.
My advice is to NEVER take a street car ten tenths on the track without a roll cage, race harnesses, and a race seat. If something goes wrong at those speeds in a street car, I dont want to be in it.

Congrats on taking skip barber. It is a good school. Sounds like you are having fun in track days. Keep it safe!

 

Any driving school in new York?

 

Yes I am!, though the track/street car is being sold. Yes you are right about schools like Skip Barber supplying the helmet, etc. but Driver Education days (BMW local chapters, etc.) usually don't offer that - it's up to you. And yes you are right about safety - you could lose your street car or worse.

The first DE school I did I parked next to a more advanced guy with a Scooby in the paddock and he had an inboard camera. On his second time around, he turned early on an uphill turn and ended up inside the track upside down, all caught on tape and it went around the net a few years ago. He was ok, but needless to say he was pissed and needed a ride home.

nycxwillxd: Lime Rock Race track is about 2.5 hours North of NYC, in the beautiful NW corner of Connecticut. Skip Barber's home base is there. I've seen actually seen him driving a gorgeous 60's Ferrari 330GTS around, although I hear he really doesn't own the school anymore. There are many Driver Education schools going on there. I've taken my car to ones put on by NASA and local BMW chapters (my other car). Those are the ones where you take your car on the track with others of your ability with an instructor.

 

The best mods for any car are always driver education. It doesn't matter how fast your car is if you can't drive it properly. I love it when I see people with heavily modded cars who only like to run 1/4 mile. Heck, my grandmother can drive fast in a straight line. However, if you want to experience driving as a sport, take a multi-day course. I've taken the Skip Barber course many times and highly recommend it to anyone. If you are afraid to get behind the wheel of your car for HPDE's and you don't have the cash for a race program, try to find a shifter kart track. In S. Florida there are a multitude of tracks and events. My favorite driving experience is with www.race-sport.net The instructors are current professional drivers, and they are great at teaching basic or advanced racing techniques.

 

I think Panoz has a school there... if you want to drive a Panoz, that is. There is also a Viper class somewhere in Florida.

 

Good advice, but unfortunately, most people bringing their own cars to track days will not have an interest in outfitting their car to be a true track car. They just want to have some fun. Also, beginning drivers will almost never get their car to 10/10th's; They will reach their own driving potential before the car's potential.

 

I cashed in a S load of AMEX points to go for free! Great school!