Cole 2.8Q

I would like to attend a driving school where I do not have to drive my own car - so something on the skip barber type school I guess. Looking to have some fun and to learn some advanced driving as well. I have run Auto-X in the past but never took formal driving classes. I am up in Mass - so something that I could drive to (rather than fly) would be preferred.

Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

JeffW

Skip Barber would be your closest (they're in CT), but they are really expensive.

For what you'll pay them for 2 days you could do 4 or 5 events with local clubs (Audi & BMW) and still have money left over for hotels.

Your local Audi Club has a 1 day skills clinic at NHIS in a week (August 4th). It's $99 for a day of skills excercises (autocross-style). If you do the Skills day you can get $50 off the fall 2 day school (making it only $345 for 2 days)....<ul><li><a href="http://www.naaclub.org">http://www.naaclub.org</a</li></ul>

NoahD

moreover, I wouldn't consider it a big risk to your car as a beginner. Beginning students, especially if they're level-headed, rarely have any incidents at the track. It's advanced students who think they know more than they do who are more likely to have problems.

yes, it's a bit hard on brake pads and tires, but financially you'll _still_ come out ahead of Skip Barber. Plus, you'll be learning how to drive *your* car.

Mirror|rorriM

3rd

4Driver4

Assuming that you are a beginner, the NAAC Car Control school is the way to start. The speeds are low and the possibility of damaging your car is low. Lower speeds also mean less wear and tear on the car. Seat time is high and the exercises are as challenging as you care to make them.

Starting with an event this like also allows you to become familiar with how ACNA events are run and what level of support and involvement you can expect. Even if you feel that your basic driving skills are good, this clinic may pleasantly surprise you. Even more experienced drivers that signed for the first NAAC clinic this Spring up to accompany less experienced spouses or offspring were surprised at how much they learned an how much fun they had in a parking lot full of cones.

Once you graduate to an HPDE, the risk is somewhat higher, but like the Car Control Clinic, you decide what level of risk you are willing to accept. 7/10? Low danger in a novice group. As your skill increases you'll find out in a hurry if you're a one event a year type guy or if you will spend each Winter waiting for the snow to melt off the tracks. If you're the former, your daily driver is fine; if you are the latter, buy a dedicated track/winter car.

Whatever you decide, do something. This isn't a cheap hobby, but it's a hellava lotta fun.

Audi2Ody

about its handling capabilities make a big difference in your ability to handle emergency situations on the road.

I was out on 128 at night around Newton Highlands doing 70 plus when a deer crossed my path. I braked, swerved and avoided it by a couple feet. My wife was freaking but realized afterwards that I was amazingly calm. She commented on how I handled it well and that she didn't think she would have been able to.

I feel it was a direct result of flying around turn 3 at NHIS on a wet track and exiting at WOT. Once you take a car to limits you would never do on the road, you gain confidence in how the car will react in an emergency situation on the road. I've only done two events in the green group at NHIS and the Glen, but that alone has increased my confidence.

It's hard to say for sure, what would have happened that night with the deer had I not been to the driving school events, but I certainly would not have been as calm and collected. Seconds matter in those situations.

CP

Start slow and see if it's something that you'd like to dump thousands of dollars into each year (after you get hooked). After 2+ years (@30 days) of events, I finally just bought a dedicated track car.

Carson@RiversideAudi

And I pull a set of track tires behind my car to events. I'm addicted. And everybody tells me I don't need a faster car, even though I still want one. Only time will tell....

And I still drive my GTI VR6 every day, and its the only car I currently track....this is subject to change though. Maybe something will work out, maybe not. What won't change is my attendance at HPDEs. :-)

NoahD

Those are the sorts of stories I love to hear!

Press

go to the glen event at the end of august....you can even rent a car if you like....you'll have much more fun and learn a lot more than going to the skippy school....<ul><li><a href="http://www.neqclub.org/index.php?option=com_events&amp;task=view_detail&a mp;agid=18&amp;year=2007&amp;month=08&amp;day=27&a mp;Itemid=46">click</a></li></ul>