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That teach you high speed handling of a vehicle? I know cops are trained for that, but I'd think they would have other schools. Just seems like it would be fun to do.
Do they have profesional driving schools?
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GON
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In the 1990s I did a three week course that taught driving at high speeds in challenging conditions. The course was taught at a now closed Army Airfield outside of Anniston, AL. They took the old/closed runway, coated the runway with Teflon, and installed sprinkler systems on the sides of the runway.
The vehicles used were Crown Vics and Caprices. The brake pads were replaced daily on these vehicles.
High speed handling is a very perishable skill-something that should be retrained quarterly at a minimum if one wants to stay proficient.
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Maybe they're trying to give everyone a Fair chance
Back in 1990s though. They probably had a lot of drivers unfamiliar with HPDE style driving who will burn through pads.
GON
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Yes daily. Not sure of the available quality of pads for Crown Vics and Caprices at that time. These vehicles ran all day, through multiple students, at huge duress on the vehicles. This was not a race training school, it was as the OP mentioned, a high-speed handling school.
You would be surprised how little we are trained for it.
At least in GA the Emergency Vehicle course you have to pass is a joke.
Take up autocrossing, you'll learn a ton more in a reasonably low speed environment that in general isn't too hard on the car.
I've done a number of driving schools, one that included street driving tactics. The best overall was probably the Skippy School at Sebring in the open wheel formula Dodge cars, then an upgrade to the sequential shift school cars in addition to 3 different street cars. They held you back by telling you to limit RPM to 3500, 4000, 4500 etc, hahahah, by the end of the 1st day, I needed a replacement Formula Dodge...
Thinking aloud here, many modern vehicles have so many nanny systems, and they intervene so early, the ability to suddenly drive a street car (as if you are in a chase) to it's absolute limits the way we trained in the 1980's to the early 2000's is gone and I'm fairly sure some new tactics are necessary. Many of these systems will upset the car in ways that are difficult to predict, hence the classic and unrecoverable Mustang spin out, which we now know is related to stability control. Even my sporty Jag F-Type's dynamic stability control intrudes and makes things feel very wonky for an old school guy like me.
Thinking aloud here, many modern vehicles have so many nanny systems, and they intervene so early, the ability to suddenly drive a street car (as if you are in a chase) to it's absolute limits the way we trained in the 1980's to the early 2000's is gone and I'm fairly sure some new tactics are necessary. Many of these systems will upset the car in ways that are difficult to predict, hence the classic and unrecoverable Mustang spin out, which we now know is related to stability control. Even my sporty Jag F-Type's dynamic stability control intrudes and makes things feel very wonky for an old school guy like me.
Sure they do. You can also take performance driving courses, for example, at the Sonoma Raceway. There are also specialized driving courses available, such as tactical operator driving , evasive driving, close protection driving, etc.
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Yeah the only evasive driving I do is avoiding wrecks. Like the time one guy pulled into my lane and I had to move into the the left hand turn lane, then pull back into the left lane before smacking into the light signal, basically just going around the guy lol Most people would slammed on the brakes and hit the guy that pulled in front of them at 60mph. Even though he's at fault you still wrecked your car, so who really won?
Yes, there are different kinds of evasive driving.Yeah the only evasive driving I do is avoiding wrecks. Like the time one guy pulled into my lane and I had to move into the the left hand turn lane, then pull back into the left lane before smacking into the light signal, basically just going around the guy lol Most people would slammed on the brakes and hit the guy that pulled in front of them at 60mph. Even though he's at fault you still wrecked your car, so who really won?
Yes. Here's a list.
Yeah, if you're going to spend the coin on one of these schools, even if just for fun, I'd skip the GT cars and hi-po street cars and go straight for an open-wheel formula car.
It's an experience that the others can't match. Especially if you've ever been any kind of racing fan. Getting to live out the fantasy of having someone buckle you into the car and pretend to role play Senna, etc…
I've never ridden a motorcycle, but I suspect it's also akin to when riders describe cars as "cages." Not to say that GT cars can't be fun, but a formula car strips it down to the bare minimum. Including the absence of a neutral gear in the gearbox, in the cars I drove.
Yeah, if you're going to spend the coin on one of these schools, even if just for fun, I'd skip the GT cars and hi-po street cars and go straight for an open-wheel formula car.
It's an experience that the others can't match. Especially if you've ever been any kind of racing fan. Getting to live out the fantasy of having someone buckle you into the car and pretend to role play Senna, etc…
I've never ridden a motorcycle, but I suspect it's also akin to when riders describe cars as "cages." Not to say that GT cars can't be fun, but a formula car strips it down to the bare minimum. Including the absence of a neutral gear in the gearbox, in the cars I drove.
Performance Driving Training | Bondurant Racing School
Bondurant Racing School is a company that specializes in training future race car drivers around the world. Contact us for more information.
bondurantracingschool.com
incredible school: https://teamoneil.com/
Got a chance off hours to drive my wife’s 2005 Legacy GT wagon around the rally course.
Got a chance off hours to drive my wife’s 2005 Legacy GT wagon around the rally course.
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The only problem with that is if you're after learning what cars do on the edge of their abilities, the grip with those is so much higher that yes you're learning how to drive the track, but you're not learning quite as much about car control.
The time would be better spent on semi-street tires letting the car move around underneath you a little bit so you can learn the dynamics of the deal.
IMO
I've taken a couple of classes from Bondurants when it was at Sear Point International Raceway (SPIR). SPIR is now Sonoma. Also, many car clubs host driving schools at race tracks. I've participated in several at SPIR, Laguna Seca, Virginia International and Summit Point. FUN!Performance Driving Training | Bondurant Racing School
Bondurant Racing School is a company that specializes in training future race car drivers around the world. Contact us for more information.
I went to Bondurant when I was 18 in Phoenix in 2003 and while I felt I had a good grasp of car control before my visit, I learned a lot of high speed driving after my visit. I think the big thing to visit here is that the more you do, the more there is to learn. I've had a lot of experience in high performance driving, but I would never consider myself an expert. I'm only up for more opportunity to learn.
I just love cars and am always open to technique. I love cars in general and tech and technique improves over time. The big takeaway I'd offer from this is to absorb every opportunity afforded to you if you want to learn new techniques to explore. It's amazing world to experience if you have the time to explore. The biggest worry I have is that if I was given the opportunity to experience it with my current situation I'd have to pass it up.
I just love cars and am always open to technique. I love cars in general and tech and technique improves over time. The big takeaway I'd offer from this is to absorb every opportunity afforded to you if you want to learn new techniques to explore. It's amazing world to experience if you have the time to explore. The biggest worry I have is that if I was given the opportunity to experience it with my current situation I'd have to pass it up.
Mid-Ohio offers classes for both car and motorcycle.
midohio.com
Mid Ohio Sports Car Course - Enrollments now open for The Mid-Ohio School's driving and motorcycle riding programs
The Official Website of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and The Mid-Ohio School
midohio.com
