Just got back from the three day Level 1 course that ran this Monday through Wednesday. I had huge expectations based on everything I've heard and read, and they were exceeded in every case.

Rick Malone and every one of their instructors, Rico, Rod, Stan, Vinny, Cory, Rocky, Royce, Ken, Jason, Tom, and Mat (with huge apologies to anyone I forgot), along with Victor who posts here on the forum, are very skilled drivers and excellent communicators. They are always positive and encouraging, with way more patience than I could ever muster.

The program they have is awesome. It takes a student through all the steps they need to become a much better high performance driver, in measured steps that accentuate those trouble areas (can anyone say heel-and-toe) and teach new habits to replace old, bad ones (stay out wide, stay out wide, NOW turn in. . .). A fleet of 40+ newer corvettes, with several ZR1s, a 2012 Z06, and Grand Sports. They run them stock, with Hawk Pads and Michelin tires as the only non-OEM parts. The Corvette is an awesome car, and it absorbs the hours of lapping by us rank amateurs without overheating, breaking, or becoming loose and creaky. I have a newfound and tremendous appreciation for how well engineered a Corvette is, never more so than when we got to ride as a passenger in some hot laps with the instructors.

The accommodations at Spring Mountain are also great. They have condo-style rooms that are roomy and well appointed. The bed feels so good after a long day in the driver's seat. And you get breakfast and an awesome lunch every day.

Best of all are the friendships you build there. I got to meet several who post here, and the common struggle to get smoother, more precise, and faster builds bonds that last. I would have never thought I'd meet a couple of others from our corner of the Pacific Northwest either.

Spring Mountain will be undergoing expansion soon. They already have around four miles of track, separated into two courses. We got to run the 2.2 mile course and there were Lambos running on the shorter course the days we were there. Early next year, it sounds like they'll starting the process of adding another couple of miles of track.

So, fall in love with your Corvette all over again. Book some time down there, get to really appreciate what your Corvette can do. Then, come home and drive (I put in 200 miles just today), and think about how soon you can get back down there.

Disclaimer: Not affiliated with Spring Mountain in any way. Just a very happy student.

 

nice writeup.!

 

Awesomecwrite up and any pictures

 

I was there in late October...my feelings exactly !

nice write-up and thx for sharing ...

 

Hey Wayne! Guess you made it back. I got back this evening. It was great meeting you and everyone else that attended. What a great group of people we had. I have nothing to add to your synopsis. It's right on.

The class couldn't have been better. I'm such a novice but felt I improved so much over those 3 days. Uncanny almost. Stan was great when he rode with me. Pushing me to go faster (more throttle, more throttle), to the point that I was like let's do that again!!! The knowledge and expertise that come from the instructors is phenomenal. I don't remember who said it, but the fact that they can tell you how to do something in terms that you get the first time and totally understand. Their level of patience and generally good humor every day - it was a joy to be there. And, I actually found myself sitting at a red light this morning in my rent car moving my knee/leg back and forth and blipping that exhaust.

What an opportunity we have been given by GM - I'm so glad I took advantage of this. I learned so much. I will definitely go back.

I will say this. I know we all drove numerous cars while there. I thought it was very interesting that each car had it's own personality, if you will. I drove 2 different Grand Sports. One of them was great - the other I hated. The 2012 Z06 - my gosh! THAT was an awesome car. I loved driving it. I would've driven it home if they'd left me. Every different ZR1 I drove was a dream but that red one was my FAV. Now I need to test my white beast and see what it can do.

Just an FYI - remember they said they were getting more Z06s in yesterday or today. Well, I think a few showed up last night. I could hear those exhausts roaring from my condo last night. I looked out the window and the haulers were there unloading. It was sort of fun to hear them firing up on the hauler to back out and be hidden away in the tents.

Victor - if you read this - I'll be in touch on that vibration issue. Thanks so much for the info. Rod, that heel/toe tip is working like a charm.

THXs guys for a memorable trip and learning experience.

Lisa

 

Very cool.
My 2day ZR1 class at Bondurant was amazing. Maybe one day I'll try this one, as well.

 

Well said, I couldn't agree more, Rick Malone and his crew are second to none, and Spring Mountain is a beautiful facility. I'm hoping to get back out there myself in early '12.

 

Well said, I couldn't agree more, Rick Malone and his crew are second to none, and Spring Mountain is a beautiful facility. I'm hoping to get back out there myself in early '12.

 

Lisa, made it back and clicked just over 250 miles for the day today in my Corvette. Stormed a lot of backroads just to drive. Never been so smooth, so fast, and so safe before! What a difference that three days can make.

I think I said to you that we originally purchased our Corvette to see if a two-seater sports car fits with our lifestyle, and though we're probably not going to travel in it as much as we had originally thought, having one works. But we wanted to get in cheaply at first too, so that when we found out it works, the missus agreed to let me start a car fund for our next sports car. I said that we already did the German thing, have done the American thing, and so we should do the Italian thing next. As of yesterday, the Gallardo fund is officially a ZR1 fund. No doubt about it. And I hope that when I am ready to buy one, that they'll have a deal at Spring Mountain again.

Did you get the flickr photo yet? It's a nice one! You've got the biggest smile on your face!

 

Torchsport, I haven't done Bondurant, but I believe you won't find nicer facilities than at Spring Mountain. Big, smooth track, numerous ZR1s, now a bunch of new Z06's, and a couple of dozen Grand Sports. And I don't know how you can find a better group of instructors. For most of the sessions, they are in constant radio contact, providing instantaneous feedback. And when it's for another driving in your small group, you're able to see exactly what's going on with them and apply it to your own driving. I understand this is a unique style of teaching to them and I found it extremely helpful. It makes the learning so fast and efficient.

TKgs2010, I was constantly saying I wanted to do this again next week. If I won the lottery, I'd buy a condo and probably move down there tomorrow. I'm feeling like a junkie going through withdrawal, and will also be heading down there next year no matter what.

 

Wayne,
from all of us here at the Ron Fellows School, a huge thanks and much appreciation for coming out to visit with us! as you posted below, glad you are thinking of getting a ZR1 too!

here is a pic of a few of the folks attending this week.


and Lisa's new favorite car, our 2012 Carlisle blue Z06!


it was nice to meet you too Lisa, and hope you get your car all sorted out soon!

 

I'd have one of those garages and a condo if I lived out there, I can't wait until I get the chance to get back again. Fortunately I have a very understanding wife, she totally gets (and is a party to ) the "car guy" thing, and she likes Vegas for the 5 star hotels and restaurants. I guess I can swap her shopping for my driving, she's cool with that trade-off.

 

Thanks for the post. I will get there. Sounds like it is no problem going alone as there are lots of folks there doing the same thing...learning to drive better, faster....

Mark

 

Wow, a pic with me and extreme helmet hair! Love it!

The picture reminds me how much care you took of the spouses of the drivers. I think there were five this go around, and you made them feel a big part of the driver training that went on. They got the best of it as they got more passenger seat time with the instructors driving than we did.

I snapped some pictures the first day I was there, of course focusing on the cars. You first walk out to see a group of ZR1s, and benefitting from GM, we got to drive all of the models. What an awesome opportunity to see how different they feel at track speeds, and how my personal preference changed from the beginning when I preferred the Grand Sport because it was more forgiving, to the last few hours when I got faster and the ZR1 gave me the ability to run it all out. Where else can you test drive a ZR1 and keep the throttle on the floor for five or six seconds?



This is a view you'll have dropping off the cars after a session on the track:



And turnabout being fair play, here are most of the instructors during the "graduation ceremonies", with Rick on the left:



I'll be back soon, to get my next fix. . .

 

Wow! It would be really awesome to get to attend. I wonder how much the basic three day course is? (Without buying a ZR-1). Sounds like everyone had a great time.

 

Everyone's tastes are different, but...
We too were not sure about the idea of a two seater. But we soon discovered that driving the Corvette is so much fun, even for the passenger, that we soon got hooked. The transparent top, installed or stored in the trunk, is wonderful.

We take two week road trips with appropriate luggage, and a two month stay in Florida each winter driving the Corvette. We just needed to reevaluate how much "stuff" we need to take with us.

Decisions, decisions...

 

sweet!

 

I think the three day course is somewhere around $4395. Because I only purchased a base coupe, I was supposed to get the base two-day program, but GM made a mistake and sent me an invitation to the three day ZR1 course, which they stood up and honored even though it was a mistake.

I've gotten permission from the boss to go back on a yearly basis! And I get to keep all of my body parts! Woohoo!

 

We've been so spoiled with having a minivan and SUV that we never pack carefully even if it's just the two of us. We've only been on one long road trip and it was a tight squeeze with the luggage, and definitely less convenient from a cooler-full-of-drinks-right-at-hand perspective. The other problem is that when we see something interesting, we go, and this last trip down the Oregon coast found us at a dune buggy convention. The riders were doing some awesome stunts on these huge sand dunes and we wanted to get a closer look. Well, only way to get there was to drive over a sand dune. There were lots of people around to tow us out if we got stuck so we went for it.

Sand got everywhere, even in the exhaust, but the wide tires float over that stuff pretty easily and a Corvette cleans up nicely. We were also going to take it on another trip just this past month but this is what we ended up doing:



I guess we haven't gotten the credit-card touring bit down yet. Maybe that just means we need more practice.

 

I've been to Level 1 & 2 and plan to stay at their condos Spring of 2012 when we attend a 4 day class at Front Sight. Then next fall I'm taking my GF to Level 1 and I'll get a day or two of private instruction to play on the track again. Place sure looks different since they built the new condo complex behind the Corvette Bldg. Can't wait to see it in person.

George