VENOM V

Hi all,

New member here, I'm thinking hard about attending the 2-day ZR1 school at Spring Mountain in a couple of weeks. I have a 2013 Viper on order. After looking around, I think learning behind the wheel of a ZR1 is the best option, because the car is similar in weight, HP and track capability to the Viper. Plus, I love the C6 Vettes. I've done some limited tracking of a Corvette at Spring Mountain and drove an Audi R8 at Sonoma. I'm hoping to take my skills up a notch with this school. If I really get hooked, I have a couple of friends that are interested in going in with me on an older C6 Z06 for track days.

Does anyone have any feedback on Ron Fellow's school, good or bad? I'm trying to decide whether to invest in some real driving shoes before the class, I've only driven with tennis shoes. Are they worth it?

Any other feedback is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

red1vette

I have been 4 times, it is the best money you can spend to learn how to drive high performance cars! It is a top notch school with top notch instructors and facilities.

harrydirty

Agree 100% with previous post..........I just complete Level 1 class last year and immediately put new skills to use in HPDE days. I have over 10 years (90+ track days) experience, but there is always more to learn.

VENOM V

Okay then, it's unanamous. The guys over on the Viper forum also raved about Spring Mountain and the ZR1 class.

So I'm in! I'll be taking the class 4/22-4/23. They've got five ZR1's without drivers, in case any of you have the need for speed like I do.

red1vette

I will be going back again this fall---i usually go with a guy from work every fall.

QUIKAG

I did the 3 day ZR1 school and then went back for the Level 2 school a few months ago. Incredible facility, awesome instructors, and just a total blast. I recommend very highly.

VENOM V

Okay, reporting back after I took the ZR1 class:

I cannot remember having this much fun, perhaps since being a kid! It was like staying in a Vegas resort, but with your condo balcony overlooking a road course. I knew some of what they taught, but this class tied everything together and I feel much more confident on the track now. It was about 20% class time, and 80% behind the wheel. Here are a few of the things they taught us, first in the classroom then coaching us while behind the wheel:

Driving the fastest line through a corner: How to pick turn-in locations and apexes, semi-apexes.
Heel-toe shifting smoothly, while braking prior to turn-in (still working on that one, but getting there!)
Balance braking early in the corner, to set the outside front tire and stay on your line.
Hitting the apex
Smoothly accelerating out of the corner, proportionally to unwinding the steering wheel
Using throttle to correct line

Importance of smoothness
Importance of line of sight - Typically look at the apex upon corner entrance, while keeping turn-in location in your peripheral vision. People usually steer where they're looking, so look where you want to go.

Car control on a dry skid pad, with ABS, traction and stability control off
Car control on a wet figure-8, with ABS, traction and stability control off
I liked these sessions, you really learn how to smoothly drive a car fast at it's limits.

Don't over-drive into the corner, this is the most common mistake by newer drivers. Avoid late apexes, as exit speed and line are more important than entry speed.

Most of the time, I was by myself in the car. An instructor is sometimes in front of you in the lead car. You study his line, where he brakes, Etc. He sometimes follows you. He gives you suggestions over the radio on how you can improve. An instructor rides with you, to coach you on heel-toe shifting technique.

I'm going back for the Level 2 course in October. I'll receive my SCCA license upon completion. In the meantime, I'll be tracking my Viper at Laguna Seca and other tracks near me. Yes, I am hooked.

One more thing- I have an open invitation from the guy that runs the program that I can run a few laps in my Viper there if I'm in the neighborhood (when the students aren't on the track, at lunchtime or after 4pm). So I'll drive my Viper from NorCal to Vegas, then track it at Spring Mountain. He took me for a few laps in a ZR1 driving close to his limit, holy crap was that fast. I'm going to let him run some laps in the Viper as well, he's pretty excited about it.

If you're thinking about doing the school, just do it!

TheKomoman

I did the 3 day school in '08 and we were just back at the end of March for my wife to take it. The place and the people that run it are phenomenal. I edit the newsletter for our Corvette club and asked her to write up a piece for this month's issue and her open was great - "I'm still wearing my Perma-Grin." I bet you are too!

Werks

Just curious but how are you going to swing the SCCA license upon completion of Level 2? Have been there twice my self and have to agree that the school is an absolute blast! I'm not sure if you did it or not but with Level 1 you should add on the 3rd day. A ton of track time and lapping and it all seems to come together then! If you did not do it with level 1 you can add on the 3rd day when you do level 2. You would just come in a day early for a bunch of track work followed by 2 days of school.

red1vette

VENOM V

I don't know the details on the SCCA license, but I had understood that level 2 graduates get it. Hope that's the case. They didn't offer it to you?

I am signed up to do the third day of the Level 1 class, the day before the Level 2 class begins. Good way to get the rust off! Plus, I'll get to run some hot laps in the Viper at the end of each day. Good times.

TheKomoman

Pretty sure the SCCA school is a separate class completely. They were reviewing some of their offerings at the end of the 3rd day including that and they do actual races part of it and I'm fairly certain there's no racing as part of the Level 2 class.

Bill32

Level 2 says nothing about getting SCCA license approval.
It looks like the licensing school is a separate deal to be but ask them.

The Spring Mountain SCCA school is a Licensing Recommendation School.
What I think this means (I'm a Licensed SCCA Instructor ,BTW) is that their school is about the same as a Regional SCCA School, you get the school credits for use with your novice permit.
You need to apply to SCCA for the novice permit before you go to a SCCA Regional School (I'd check with SpringM on this for their school).
And to get the novice permit, you have to have a medical wxam and send that in with the novice permit application.

Your novice permit will allow you to race in SCCA (regional races only) and you have to run the dayglo orange plaque on the back of the car.
After finishing 2 or 3 races, you can apply for your Regional License.

There's only 6 or so schools in the U.S. that can issue you a Regional License just by taking their school - Bondurant, Jim Russell, Skip Barber and 3 others.
The license from these schools eliminates running the 3 novice races.

VENOM V

I emailed the school director for clarification, and you're right, I misunderstood.

Any of the Ron Fellows level 1 ,2 or 3 classes count towards one part of the SCCA licensing requirements. The second part is a SCCA licensing school. A two day program. They cover the GCR (general competition rules) flags, practice rolling starts and practice races.

Now I guess I have a reason to return to the school again, after Level 2.
I do want to complement the ZR1- that thing was amazing. Very well balanced, easy to drive at the limits,at least my limits , broad usable torque, unintrusive traction and stability control, and those CCB brakes! I'm trying to convince the SRT guys to consider them as a future option for the Viper (ACR, at least). The school was a big fan of CCBs, compared to the steelies that they run on the Z06s and Grand Sports. It will be interesting when I get a chance to drive my 2013 Viper back-to-back on the same day as the ZR1, at Spring Mountain in October. They are the two top dogs at my home track, Laguna Seca, which I'll be tracking at the end of June.

Bill32

I'm just asking here, but, why do you want the Comp License?

Are going to put a full cage in the Viper or buy a race car or rent a race car?

The reason I ask is that it's required that you complete at least 2 races per year to maintain a Comp License.

Also, if you do plan to buy/build a race car, the SCCA Licensing Schools are generally under $500 but, you do need a race car.
The San Francisco Region's school is over for this year but there's a possibility that we are going to put one on in Reno yet this year.

VENOM V

Funny thing is that I have no current plans to use the SCCA license, if I obtain one. So I probably won't return for the SCCA class. I was passing along the info primarily for those that would be interested. Never say never, I may end up wanting / needing it one day.

Bill32

That's fine.

Just so you're aware of the race requirement.

If you get your novice permit/license and don't do the 2 races, you'll have to start over with the school again.

Either way, have fun.

larryfs

I did the level 1 school before it was Ron Fellows. I felt I was way over qualified because I had 100 track days. So my experience wasn't like yours. I felt I shouldn't have gone.

The level 1 was for complete novices.

harrydirty

I had about the same amount of track experience when I took the Level 1 last year and I felt it was very valuable. Perhaps the difference is that 80+ of those track days were in my Mustang Cobra and I had less than 10 track days in my C6Z, so I felt the class was excellent in exploring the car's limits.

larryfs

Maybe Ron Fellows changed the format.... Glad you had a good time.
I remember only the last day required a helmet. So the 1st few days weren't running hard.

If I ever go back to LV, I will most likely rent track time, and go out without an instructor,.