Performance Driving Schools
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Port St. Lucie Fl.
Performance Driving Schools
Has anyone had experience with Sports Car Drving Experience outside of Savannah, Ga. Or any other suggestions regarding a good performance driving school in the southeast. Anything in Florida??Thanks, Jim 
Team Owner
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From: FL
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St. Jude Donor '05 thru '11,'19,'22,'25
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I live in Florida and am leaving for Spring Mountain (forum vendor) outside of Las Vegas on Wednesday. I will be racing '05 Z51's and '04 Z06's for 3 days and over 300 miles (Oct. 10-12th) Forum members get a $150 discount off the $2345.00 tuition. I can't find a better bargain. I plan on taking in-car video and posting on the forum, so look for it.
Thanks to JAZZLOVE for taking the same course last Spring and giving us all the inspiration to take the course as well.
Thanks to JAZZLOVE for taking the same course last Spring and giving us all the inspiration to take the course as well.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Most of the High Performance Driving ( schools) Events east of the Mississippi river are located at http://www.trackschedule.com ( CA and NV look at http://www.track-days.org )
Then go to the calander.
The Schools are listed by date then track then club.
Many of the national car clubs host events and are open to all makes and models of cars.
The bases of all most all high perfromance schools are quite simular. You will find many of the same instructors at different schools.
I instruct for the Audi club, Mazdadrivers, NASA, Tarheel Sports Car Club, National Capital MB and the upcoming National Corvette Museum High Performance Drivers Event the end of Oct at Carolina Motorsports Park in South Carolina.
Take a look at the web pages above and contate the clubs. Many of the ppl that do these HPDEs hang out and bench race over in the Corvette General - Autocross and Roadrace forum.
one last thing, many of these events sell out several months in advance, so good planning is needed.
Good Luck
Then go to the calander.
The Schools are listed by date then track then club.
Many of the national car clubs host events and are open to all makes and models of cars.
The bases of all most all high perfromance schools are quite simular. You will find many of the same instructors at different schools.
I instruct for the Audi club, Mazdadrivers, NASA, Tarheel Sports Car Club, National Capital MB and the upcoming National Corvette Museum High Performance Drivers Event the end of Oct at Carolina Motorsports Park in South Carolina.
Take a look at the web pages above and contate the clubs. Many of the ppl that do these HPDEs hang out and bench race over in the Corvette General - Autocross and Roadrace forum.
one last thing, many of these events sell out several months in advance, so good planning is needed.
Good Luck
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,450
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From: Huntington Beach Ca 1 out of 4 Americans are mentally unstable, so if 3 of your friends are OK . . . .
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by Datawiz
I live in Florida and am leaving for Spring Mountain (forum vendor) outside of Las Vegas on Wednesday. I will be racing '05 Z51's and '04 Z06's for 3 days and over 300 miles (Oct. 10-12th) Forum members get a $150 discount off the $2345.00 tuition. I can't find a better bargain. I plan on taking in-car video and posting on the forum, so look for it.
Thanks to JAZZLOVE for taking the same course last Spring and giving us all the inspiration to take the course as well.
Thanks to JAZZLOVE for taking the same course last Spring and giving us all the inspiration to take the course as well.
I was at SM last week, an unbelievable experience. If you like your C6 now, wait until after the class. And, I got to drive a C6 the whole with the exception of some oval skills in a Z06. Have a great time!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Huntington Beach Ca 1 out of 4 Americans are mentally unstable, so if 3 of your friends are OK . . . .
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by vette ruminator
How far is SM from Vegas? Is it silly to stay in Vegas (with wife at the pool, etc) and commute for the school?
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2005
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I will offer you one piece of advice, go pay the money for a professional instructor. Bondo and Spring Mountain are both Corvette related and have professional drivers who are paid to instruct. I still take issue with "instructors" who haven't seen a green flag (not meant to crush any egos, just my opinion).
I would tell you to come and do Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp but we are working on our schedule for 2006 with some potentially exciting dates early in the year. Visit Johnny O's for upcoming dates... Perhaps in AZ
You will get the winningest driver in ALMS history as your instructor. Our prices are reasonable for the level of instruction you get at $400-500 per day.
We have some recent "campers" on these boards and would say confidently that they all had the best day they've ever had in a car... Some would say "best day of their lives."
Be a DRIVER, not a POLSIHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
I would tell you to come and do Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp but we are working on our schedule for 2006 with some potentially exciting dates early in the year. Visit Johnny O's for upcoming dates... Perhaps in AZ
You will get the winningest driver in ALMS history as your instructor. Our prices are reasonable for the level of instruction you get at $400-500 per day. We have some recent "campers" on these boards and would say confidently that they all had the best day they've ever had in a car... Some would say "best day of their lives."
Be a DRIVER, not a POLSIHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,749
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From: Northeast Ohio
Originally Posted by corvette camp
I will offer you one piece of advice, go pay the money for a professional instructor. Bondo and Spring Mountain are both Corvette related and have professional drivers who are paid to instruct. I still take issue with "instructors" who haven't seen a green flag (not meant to crush any egos, just my opinion).
I would tell you to come and do Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp but we are working on our schedule for 2006 with some potentially exciting dates early in the year. Visit Johnny O's for upcoming dates... Perhaps in AZ You will get the winningest driver in ALMS history as your instructor. Our prices are reasonable for the level of instruction you get at $400-500 per day.
We have some recent "campers" on these boards and would say confidently that they all had the best day they've ever had in a car... Some would say "best day of their lives."
Be a DRIVER, not a POLSIHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
I would tell you to come and do Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp but we are working on our schedule for 2006 with some potentially exciting dates early in the year. Visit Johnny O's for upcoming dates... Perhaps in AZ
You will get the winningest driver in ALMS history as your instructor. Our prices are reasonable for the level of instruction you get at $400-500 per day. We have some recent "campers" on these boards and would say confidently that they all had the best day they've ever had in a car... Some would say "best day of their lives."
Be a DRIVER, not a POLSIHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
Considering what tracks Corvette Camp will possibly be on next year is extremely exciting. 
I can see myself following them to many of their venues.Get a taste of the good life with Corvette Camp
and then if you want to go racing or do extensive track driving then go to Bondurant. I bet if you did that you would still hit Corvette Camp with what I hope are exciting track venues.By all means
, get instruction from someone who has taken the green flag and the checkered with a few yellow flags along the way.
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Team Owner
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From: FL
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St. Jude Donor '05 thru '11,'19,'22,'25
St. Jude/CI Name Tag Designer
Originally Posted by vette ruminator
How far is SM from Vegas? Is it silly to stay in Vegas (with wife at the pool, etc) and commute for the school?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,316
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From: San Antonio Texas - Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic
Originally Posted by redvetteC6
About an hour. Better to stay at Saddle West in Pahrump and do the 5 minute drive for the 8:00 am starting time.
As I said in one of my posts from our experience taking the 3 day Level I course, it's the most fun I ever had with my clothes on...
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
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There are some schools held at Sebring and Daytona of various types. Barber offers both open-wheel and road cars, Vipers and trucks in the latter category, but no Corvettes. If you're willing to use your own car, Corvette camp is the best bang for the buck. If you want to wail the stew out of someone else's car, and you want the experience to be in a Corvette, your real choices are Spring Mountain and Bondurant. Most any car mag- R&T, CD, etc.- will have multiple schools in ads near the back of the magazine. Cost ranges from free with some car clubs (with the previously noted amateur instructors) to north of $4K plus transportation. It's like building a motor- "How fast do you want to go?-How much money do you have?"
Former Vendor
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As one of the two instructors... A sincere thanks! Amen to the friendship bro!
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah!
Rick Swarts
Originally Posted by KBlanke
Corvette Camp was definitely worth the money, besides two instructors who make it easy to get you end up making some real good friends. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,064
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From: Pinellas Park Florida
Originally Posted by JDIllon
Has anyone had experience with Sports Car Drving Experience outside of Savannah, Ga. Or any other suggestions regarding a good performance driving school in the southeast. Anything in Florida??Thanks, Jim
Wumbaa Now, Wumbaa Later, but you're going to Wumbaa sooner then later!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,450
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From: Huntington Beach Ca 1 out of 4 Americans are mentally unstable, so if 3 of your friends are OK . . . .
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by jazzlove
Yea, it's about an hour from Vegas. Personally, my wife and I thought Saddle West was a dump. We stayed at the Best Western.
As I said in one of my posts from our experience taking the 3 day Level I course, it's the most fun I ever had with my clothes on...
As I said in one of my posts from our experience taking the 3 day Level I course, it's the most fun I ever had with my clothes on...
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2005
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Thanks Jim... We appreciate your enthusiasm and look forward to seeing you at the next Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp... Could be Moroso, could be Sebring... We have to get this season over for Johnny O before we commit to a circuit.
Hope you all have a great rest of your week... I am heading out of town for two nights... I have to get some work done for the future camps so I won't be buzzing around here until Sunday unless something happens that's worthy of a thread!
Thanks again Jim, you're da'man!
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah! (aka the pedal dance)
Rick Swarts
Hope you all have a great rest of your week... I am heading out of town for two nights... I have to get some work done for the future camps so I won't be buzzing around here until Sunday unless something happens that's worthy of a thread!
Thanks again Jim, you're da'man!
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah! (aka the pedal dance)
Rick Swarts
Originally Posted by AutoCutter
Jim, as a Corvette Camp alumni and based on what I see you asking, Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp is the hot ticket. The instruction is perfect and to the point, and the instructors have true racing experience. I mean you have Johnny O' of C6.R and Rick Swarts giving you as much instuction and advice that you can handle for real short money-jeeze talk about a no brainer!
Wumbaa Now, Wumbaa Later, but you're going to Wumbaa sooner then later!
Wumbaa Now, Wumbaa Later, but you're going to Wumbaa sooner then later!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,064
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From: Pinellas Park Florida
Originally Posted by corvette camp
... look forward to seeing you at the next Johnny O'Connell's Corvette Camp... Could be Moroso, could be Sebring...
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah! (aka the pedal dance)
Rick Swarts
Be a DRIVER, not a POLISHER!
Wumbah! (aka the pedal dance)
Rick Swarts
A Wumbaa a day keeps the mechanics away!
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,774
Likes: 0
From: Loganville GA
Originally Posted by corvette camp
I will offer you one piece of advice, go pay the money for a professional instructor. Bondo and Spring Mountain are both Corvette related and have professional drivers who are paid to instruct. I still take issue with "instructors" who haven't seen a green flag (not meant to crush any egos, just my opinion).
That's why opinions are like butt-holes, we all have them.
Most people who do club HPDE's never have any intention of seeing a green flag either, and the people who instruct do a fine job. Its not racing school, its high performance driving. I'd even venture to say, if the clubs weren't out there doing these, you and the other snobby 'racers' wouldn't have as big a following, and there wouldn't be as many job openings for you.