Anyone attended a race driving school?

[JimmyM]

I went to the Bondurant school several years ago. I took the 4 day Grand Prix class. It was probably the best experience of my life. I won the "race" on the last day. I started in 6th and worked my way up to the top. My wife video'd most of the course segments including the race. I also drove in 3 of the Mazda Rev-it Up events. Top score of 577. Not too shabby.
I was wondering if anyone else here had taken any training or done any competitive driving. Aside from the morning commute.

 

[scott.cr]

I also did Bondurant in 2004! Pretty decent school. Our learner cars were Pontiac GTOs that felt like they had grease dispensers attached to the rear tires.

Prior to that I did probably 10 or 12 "open track" days where you can pay $150 or so for some seat time on a road circuit... I've done the three Willows, Laguna Seca, California Speedway, Las Vegas Speedway... a few others, and some Solo II courses. The trip on Las Vegas Speedway was required driving practice for my first time running the Silver State Classic. I was driving my dad's bucket o' bolts 1996 Rustang and it barely held together.

My very first time being coached while driving was in 1998 on big Willow. It was in a then-new BMW M3. What a great learning experience. I thought I was hot stuff before that hahaha. Simply being coached by a driving instructor was awesome, and I was a lot more confident afterward!!

 

[NeonLights]

Sounds like a great time. Definitely would like to hit one of the Bondurant schools in the next few years sometime.

The only competitive driving I currently do is autocrossing with my Mustang, Mini Cooper, and Miata. I have been on track at Mid-Ohio before for an open track day, but it has been a few years. I plan to hit a few track days and driving schools with my Mini and Mustang this year, mostly at Mid-Ohio, but I may try to make a trip to BeaveRun as well.

 

[gswitter]

I've done a handful of SCCA Street School/Track Days at Thunderhill and a few open track/time trial weekends at Laguna Seca. All in an Integra Type R. I switched to karting when the local indoor tracks opened and did that regularly for a few years. And, I attended a weekend Jim Hall karting school a few years back. Haven't done much in the last couple years. Someday, I'll get the Integra back into track shape and get involved in auto-crossing and/or track days again, but I have other priorities right now.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Stinkin' double post!

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

In cars the closest I ever got was doing parking lot auto-cross (timed against cones), a lap of Taladega in the back of a Ford van and all the time I spent in the rain and on dirt roads in my short wheelbase '79 AMC Spirit AMX 304/4spd.

On bike I took a road racing class on a buddies bike.... it blew up in the first practice race....

I became a much better street rider for that and the fact I grew up with dirt bikes.

 

[jufam44]

The first time I got to hit the track was in a Koenigsegg CCX. That was a lot of fun. Big engine, big gas waster. And the deposit made me but it was all worth it in the end. It was a 1/2 day instruction half day driving course. I'd encourage anyone in the Daytona area to try it sometime!

-Max

 

[LuxLuthor]

Yeah, that was a great experience. Skip Barber @ Lime Rock, CT

 

[JimmyM]

During one of our classes Bob Bondurant stepped into the classroom and talked to us for a while
I've got to get back to Bondurant or try out Skip Barber. Lime Rock is a LOT closer than Phoenix.