I’ve been meaning to post this for a while – I guess it’s time I got around to it. This is me on turn 12 at PIR. I took Cascade Sports Car Club’s ICSCC-approved driver training program back in March. I’ve heard good things about Pro-Drive and Team Continental as well, but have friends who have taken the Cascade course and recommended it to me.
www.cascadescc.com

The cost was $149 (plus another $10 because I had to rent a helmet). The course included a 40-page driver training manual, a mandatory evening classroom session, then a full day on the track the next day. The classroom session (at PCC’s Sylvania campus) lasted about 3 hours and covered basics of vehicle dynamics, driving technique, track management, etc. Track day started with tech inspection at 7am, a drivers meeting, and then a few low-speed laps with instructors behind the wheel to familiarize us with the track and start to learn the line.

Since this was my first track experience, I was placed in the novice group. We had four sessions in all, of 15, 15, 20 and 25 min. My first session (no passing allowed) was very slow, and the second was fairly slow as well (passing on the back straight only). For the third and fourth sessions, passing was allowed on the front and back straights, and I was able to open it up quite a bit more. I had an instructor with me for all four sessions. He felt comfortable enough to offer to let me go on my own for the last session, but I figured I might as well continue to benefit from his experience.

Out of 55 or so cars, I had the only G35 there (not too surprising), but what surprised me more was that there wasn’t a single 350z there either. I have a 2004 G35c 5AT, with the 18” wheels and Pilot sports, and completely stock. The G’s track performance has been well documented elsewhere, so I’ll just add that I too thought it was great. I've ridden along on the track before in a friend's WRX (modded but not an STI), and while he was turning faster lap times than I did, the G felt much more stable through the twisties. A bit of understeer as I got more aggressive throughout the day, but nothing I didn't expect. I left the VDC on all day and noticed it kicking in from time to time, but it wasn’t obnoxious. I was also a bit worried about my non-Brembos, but had no problems. I attribute this to the fact that it was a cool day (low 60’s with rain up until 6am or so), that the first two sessions were fairly slow, and that I really wasn’t all that aggressive with my braking. I may have to upgrade a bit before next time, especially now that it’s warmer.

I don’t have any in-car video, but a friend taped a few fourth-session laps from the grandstands and we timed them later. I was easily the fastest in the novice group (thanks to the G, not my driving ability), followed by an Audi TT. I never got passed in any session, and did plenty of passing myself.

A few observations of the track itself:
--There’s not much elevation change (only 5 feet total).
--For the most part, there’s a lot of run-off room, the exception being turn 12 and entering the front straight. The Audi TT in my group had the corner workers behind the retaining wall jumping back when he came in too hot one lap.
--The chicane on the front (the Festival curves) is a lot of fun, and slow enough that even if you get loose, you aren’t likely to touch the wall.
--Watch the bumps on the right entering the back straight. They’re subtle, but can be enough to unweight the rear at high speed. There weren’t any major incidents the day I was there, but a week before, someone totaled his E36 M3 at the top of the back straight, and at a BMW club day I attended with a friend last month, another E36 M3 was heavily damaged at virtually the same spot.
--The high-speed left-right coming off the back straight will be even more fun once I gain the confidence to take it at speed.

All in all, I had a great experience. The school was well-organized, ran smoothly, and my instructor was great. All of the instructors are race-certified, and from what I heard, all were very professional. Would I take this course again? Absolutely. Though I would hope to be placed in the intermediate group, where the speeds (especially in the early sessions) are a bit higher. For even more seat time, though, I plan to do some driving in the future on the BMW club track days. There are usually several non-Bimmers there -- my friend with the WRX drives with that club and usually gets in five sessions of 20+ minutes or so in a day. Besides, it’s more fun to pass BMW’s anyway, right?

So, to al503 and the rest of you who plan to hit the track--have a blast! I sure did and I know you will too. Maybe I'll see you out there.


2004 G35c 5AT Prem/Nav/Aero/18"wheels/Alum.Pedals

293889-G35atPIR2.jpg

 

Thanks for taking the time to post. I'm planning on taking a couple of the pro-drive classes and it looks like I'll try to get into the next training in August. $150 is more than fair.

I was also thinking about joining the BMW club but I didn't want to be the only one there without a BMW. Let me know if you decide to do this and I'll probably join you. It'll be us against them :-)

Can't wait the get out at the end of this month. I'll watch out for the "M3" graveyard.
Al

 

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I was also thinking about joining the BMW club but I didn't want to be the only one there without a BMW. Let me know if you decide to do this and I'll probably join you. It'll be us against them :-)

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I've been out to PIR on two BMW days, and both times there were a lot of non-BMWs there -- probably at least a third. Last time (in May) there were WRXs, Corvettes, Porsches, Minis (I guess technically they're BMWs), Miatas, an Evo, a VW GTI, an S2000, etc. No G35s or 350Zs though.

They take 85 cars per school, and the most recent one filled up completely. My friend with the WRX believes that there are currently no restrictions placed on the non-BMWs, but if demand increases they'll probably allow BMWs to sign up for track days preferentially.

I definitely plan to sign up, it'll just depend on my busy work schedule if I can make it to at least one more day this summer.

2004 G35c 5AT Prem/Nav/Aero/18"wheels/Alum.Pedals