Racing Schools / Tracks

[Donald B.]

I'm looking for a Racing School and Track in the California, Nevada, Arizona area - ideally Southern California. I would also like to be able to use my own car. Any help would be appreciated.

[Gary Chesnut]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

Don, here's link to Bob Bondurant who is probably the best. http://www.bondurant.com/pages/home.html
Otherwise just call the road race and NASCAR tracks and they could probably tell you. Good luck and enjoy yourself, Gary #5895....

[Gary Chesnut]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

Don, here's link to Bob Bondurant who is probably the best. http://www.bondurant.com/pages/home.html
Otherwise just call the road race and NASCAR tracks and they could probably tell you. Good luck and enjoy yourself, Gary #5895....

[Mike M.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

agree with gary: Bob B's is the place to go. you could use their 5L mustangs or run what ya brung the two times i took the course. now they have vettes. instructors were very helpful. best time i've ever had with my wranglers on. mike

[Mike M.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

agree with gary: Bob B's is the place to go. you could use their 5L mustangs or run what ya brung the two times i took the course. now they have vettes. instructors were very helpful. best time i've ever had with my wranglers on. mike

[Mike Cobine]

What are your goals?

Then you can find the school. There are schools that teach you to race and drive at high speeds, schools that let you run your own car to learn high speed handling, and schools that show you what it is like to be in different types of race cars.

They are three very different types of schools.

Race Schools:
If you want to race and learn to drive at extremely high speeds, then you need a real racing school. You can do a check on the Internet or in racing magazines and find many. Some are:

http://www.espnrussellracing.com

http://www.bondurant.com/pages/home.html

http://www.bragg-smith.com

http://www.derekdaly.com

http://www.prodrive.net/racing_school.shtml

http://www.bridgestone-racing-school.com/oindex.html

http://www.skipbarber.com/racingschool/?sel=

http://www.corvetteschool.net

http://www.racingadventures.com

http://www.racenow.com/home.htm

The first four are in California, Nevada, an Arizona. The fifth is in Portland.

However, if you are serious about racing, you will find the school that teachs what you want to do and go there, regardless of where it is.

Entertainment schools:
This is a big deal, a place to go play race car driver for the weekend. Many places are having executive getaways and such, where they strap you into a 400 hp NASCAR car or a road racer and teach you the basics. Sounds impressive to the uninformed who do not know there is about 800 hp in most NASCAR Nextel Cup cars.

Lapping Day Schools:
These let you take your own car usually on the track and you usually get an instructor to tech you the fundamentals. Instruction is a big variable, depending on who you draw for an instructor.

A Word of Caution:
Many Drivers Schools where you drive your own car tell you that by being an "educational experience", your auto insurance is in full force. That isn't always true. Some state use on a race track voids the coverage. And even if they do cover, you crunch a $50,000 car on the track and you can bet your renewal won't happen. Not unless you have to be insuring several other big buck cars with them already.

And there is a very good likelihood of you getting some dings and crunches. Plus if you are 25, you are still immortal, but if you are 50, then you need to remember there is a reason they put roll cages, fire suppression systems, and such in race cars and there is a reason that when race cars were still street cars, drivers didn't get too old.

[Mike Cobine]

What are your goals?

Then you can find the school. There are schools that teach you to race and drive at high speeds, schools that let you run your own car to learn high speed handling, and schools that show you what it is like to be in different types of race cars.

They are three very different types of schools.

Race Schools:
If you want to race and learn to drive at extremely high speeds, then you need a real racing school. You can do a check on the Internet or in racing magazines and find many. Some are:

http://www.espnrussellracing.com

http://www.bondurant.com/pages/home.html

http://www.bragg-smith.com

http://www.derekdaly.com

http://www.prodrive.net/racing_school.shtml

http://www.bridgestone-racing-school.com/oindex.html

http://www.skipbarber.com/racingschool/?sel=

http://www.corvetteschool.net

http://www.racingadventures.com

http://www.racenow.com/home.htm

The first four are in California, Nevada, an Arizona. The fifth is in Portland.

However, if you are serious about racing, you will find the school that teachs what you want to do and go there, regardless of where it is.

Entertainment schools:
This is a big deal, a place to go play race car driver for the weekend. Many places are having executive getaways and such, where they strap you into a 400 hp NASCAR car or a road racer and teach you the basics. Sounds impressive to the uninformed who do not know there is about 800 hp in most NASCAR Nextel Cup cars.

Lapping Day Schools:
These let you take your own car usually on the track and you usually get an instructor to tech you the fundamentals. Instruction is a big variable, depending on who you draw for an instructor.

A Word of Caution:
Many Drivers Schools where you drive your own car tell you that by being an "educational experience", your auto insurance is in full force. That isn't always true. Some state use on a race track voids the coverage. And even if they do cover, you crunch a $50,000 car on the track and you can bet your renewal won't happen. Not unless you have to be insuring several other big buck cars with them already.

And there is a very good likelihood of you getting some dings and crunches. Plus if you are 25, you are still immortal, but if you are 50, then you need to remember there is a reason they put roll cages, fire suppression systems, and such in race cars and there is a reason that when race cars were still street cars, drivers didn't get too old.

[Tom H.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

My son and I went to the Bragg-Smith driving school outside of Vegas. It was a blast. 2.5 mile track and we put over 300 miles on the car each. Very informative and challenging. My 16 Y.O Son did great and I firmly beleive it was the best driving experience he could have had. I don't know if I would use my own car, they provide them and it's a lot of wear and tear. They do also rent out that track. Its just outside of Parump (?sp) Nev 50 miles from Vegas.

[Tom H.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

My son and I went to the Bragg-Smith driving school outside of Vegas. It was a blast. 2.5 mile track and we put over 300 miles on the car each. Very informative and challenging. My 16 Y.O Son did great and I firmly beleive it was the best driving experience he could have had. I don't know if I would use my own car, they provide them and it's a lot of wear and tear. They do also rent out that track. Its just outside of Parump (?sp) Nev 50 miles from Vegas.

[Mike M.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

tom: glad to hear your 16 year old benefited. the second time i went to bob b's school, i too took my son(17 at the time). made a much better defensive highway driver out of him, not to mention the enlightment that his reflexes were a tad quicker than his old man's. i'd heartily recommend dads or moms take their offspring to one of the various driving schools.not many better bonding experiences. ought to do it again. mike

[Mike M.]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

tom: glad to hear your 16 year old benefited. the second time i went to bob b's school, i too took my son(17 at the time). made a much better defensive highway driver out of him, not to mention the enlightment that his reflexes were a tad quicker than his old man's. i'd heartily recommend dads or moms take their offspring to one of the various driving schools.not many better bonding experiences. ought to do it again. mike

[Gary Chesnut]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

Don, all of these posts are good. Bondurant has classes for all of the different types of driving experiences from getting your SCCA license, Executive getaway driver, etc. etc. Another thing about driving your own vehicle. Lone Star Corvette (NCCC club) in Dallas has a day at the Texas Motor Speedway road race track. Each year there are several owners who smack their Corvettes up. Last year a new Z06 was totalled. And also double check your Corvette insurance, chances are it probably doesn't cover competition or race track driving. Have fun. As an former-SCCA driver, there's nothing more fun than a good handling car on a road course. Gary....

[Gary Chesnut]

Re: Racing Schools / Tracks

Don, all of these posts are good. Bondurant has classes for all of the different types of driving experiences from getting your SCCA license, Executive getaway driver, etc. etc. Another thing about driving your own vehicle. Lone Star Corvette (NCCC club) in Dallas has a day at the Texas Motor Speedway road race track. Each year there are several owners who smack their Corvettes up. Last year a new Z06 was totalled. And also double check your Corvette insurance, chances are it probably doesn't cover competition or race track driving. Have fun. As an former-SCCA driver, there's nothing more fun than a good handling car on a road course. Gary....