Corvette Owners School - Second Time attending Review (long)
03-31-2018, 06:08 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Corvette Owners School - Second Time attending Review (long)
I attended the Spring Mountain two-day school on March 28th & 29th. This was my second trip to the two-day Corvette Owners School {COS} – my prior trip was March 12 & 13, 2015. I have an extensive write up for that trip on the forum too. I hope some appreciate the level of detail provided and the comparison with my 2015 visit.
I will say that I must have the Ron Fellows lucky penny in my pocket, as I am told he doesn’t come to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park {SMMP} that often but was there for both of my visits. He drove a ZR1 into the facility with the group of 20 ZR1’s that arrived on 3/28 for a big GM/Chevy ZR1 event set for the week of April 2nd. Ron is a genuinely nice guy and spend a substantial amount of time chatting with about 7 or 8 of us from the COS that were in the SMMP clubhouse after the ZR1’s arrived there at about 6:15 pm. He also stopped in to our class on 3/29 to provide some words of encouragement; and to rub in the fact that while we were at lunch he had spent some time tracking the ZR1, and it in his words it “was superb and far quicker around the [East] track than the Z06”.
When I arrived on Tuesday (3/27) at noon, the facility was reasonably crowded with two classes of COS using both the East (White) and West (Yellow) track courses; there was also some private instruction and lapping going on at the North-South (Blue) track. I met up with Rick Malone, who has run the Ron Fellows School at SMMP for the past 12 years, at the clubhouse and was invited to have lunch with him and a couple of instructors. Lunch was both excellent in terms of food, and the conversation with Rick & group was enlightening – it also explained why there were about 60 Colorado pickups plus some Silverado’s, Ram’s & F150’s on the premises (no, they won’t be starting a Colorado owner’s track program).
I checked in and got to my room in Condo C (there are three Condo buildings), which was nicely appointed (queen sized bed, kitchen area with fridge, sink & microwave and a balcony) and clean – definitely worth the $119 charge for night two (one night is free). You will want to stay either on the property or really nearby the night before as on day 1, breakfast starts at 6:45 am, and the 45 minutes allotted goes quick.
The facility currently has 6 miles of inter-connected track that is usually run as 3 separate racetracks (E 2.1 miles, N-S 2.2 miles & W 1.5 miles), but they will be expanding in 2019 to add 3 more tracks with a total of 13 miles of interconnectable road course on the new 500 acres.
We had a group of 19 drivers (plus 7 spouses) in our single class (we were the only class driving those two days) – most days they have 2, and sometimes 3 COS (or 2 + 1 Cadillac) classes running simultaneously. On the days they have multiple COS classes, the Base & Z51 cars usually use the West course and the GS & Z06 cars use the East course to keep the cars somewhat performance aligned – you drive exactly what you own, so in our class there were Z51’s, GS’s & Z06’s all in both A8 & M7 configurations. I got to meet many of my fellow drivers and their spouses (yes, 2 of the spouses were husband’s) during breakfast (served from 6:45 am to 7:30 am daily in the clubhouse – consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, cereals, breads, yogurt and fruit (same for day 2). It still amazes me that the school brings together people from all over the USA and Canada (3 drivers) but not unexpectedly, all were truly nice people with a love for the Corvette.
Day 1, consisted of signing the forms during registration (in the administration building, which also houses the swag shop (lots of very nice Spring Mountain clothing)), followed by Rick’s orientation and then the classroom instruction by former Indy Car driver Richie Hearn, which led to alternating sessions of in-car time and class time with different instructors. Richie is super-personable and does a great job of running the class room sessions. The class room sessions are very informative, covering both driving and the features of the car. The class was split into two groups of 10 & 9 persons for the remainder of the school, although the people in groups 1 (9 people) & 2 (10 people) changed between day 1 and day 2 based upon how well each driver did during the day 1 car activities (one group was more proficient (faster) than the second group). Before lunch, we did braking and steering (including feedback from an in-car instructor), slalom course, ABS use, plus a trip on track with a lead follow session to learn the line. Lunch was an hour (12-1) at the clubhouse, and was a very nice buffet (salad, grilled chicken, vegetables, pasta and meatballs, fruit and cookies for desert (it was similar for day 2)) that was quite good. After lunch, it was more classroom and track activities that included wet and dry skid pads, plus another follow the instructor track session (which is done splitting each group of 10/9 into 3 groups (4-3-3 or 3-3-3) each with its own instructor in the lead car that would communicate with its group of 3 (or 4) via 2-way radio. The track sessions on day 1 were very cool, but significantly slower than what they would be on day 2.
The school day ended at 4:30 pm; and after that there was happy hour (from 5-6 pm) at the Clubhouse and lots of questions with a ZR1 trailer set up in the parking lot by the Clubhouse. You were on your own for dinner. Pahrump is a smaller town (35,000) with about 30 restaurants – the school gives a list of 15 that they recommend. Several of us ate at Symphony’s at the Pahrump Winery – it is New American cuisine (steaks, seafood & Italian) that was excellent (you need reservations, as it is the go to place for many at SMMR) – it was not inexpensive (about $45 per person for a salad, steak and glass of wine), but would be a real bargain compared to what we pay for a similar meal in NYC.
Day 2 was similar in timing to day one, with class room and driving from 8 am to noon and 1 to 3:00 pm, with an outside class photo (participants plus instructors) between afternoon sessions 1 & 2, followed by certificate presentations (which includes you’re being asked to provide (in hopefully limited verbiage) feedback on your two days – the day ended at 4:05 pm (meaning you can easily make a 8 pm flight from LAS home). Present for day 2, was a professional photographer (James) who photographed track lapping activities – it costs $150 for a memory stick with 20-45 photographs of each driver (mine had 43) and the class photo (everyone gets a memory stick with the class photo for free). They use a high-quality Canon camera, so the photo quality/clarity is first rate. If you have the money and want some photos, it is worth it.
Day 2’s morning session by two on track follow the instructor sessions of about 25 minutes each, with classroom activities between each session. I should note that the classroom sessions were very informative and covered a myriad of topics from C7 features, to picking your line on a race track and many things in between. The morning session’s last activity was a ride along with an instructor – which was eye-opening for all of us, as they were so smooth (and faster than I was) through the technical turns. The feedback the instructors gave during the time you were following them was helpful and positive (those guys (and gal) know how to drive and to coach). All of the C7’s (Z51, GS & Z06 as 2017 or 18 models) have PDR’s, and if you bring your own or buy one ($20) at the school (16 gb or 32 gb – bigger cards don’t work unless formatted FAT32) SDHC card, you are able to record all of your sessions (including activities, ride along and the 6 track sessions). I recorded everything (10 total items) and used about 40% (13 gb) of a 32 gb card. In looking at my PDR’ed track sessions, I can see where I could have been a little better. Imo, for those that track their C7’s, the PDR is a must have option – it shows a clear picture of what you see out of the windshield and adds in throttle and brake levels, mph, gear selected, rpms and steering wheel angle; all of that allows you to see your line and that of the instructor in front of you as you lap the course.
Day 2’s afternoon activities consisted of the class photo, a class session on track corner management for the esses (slowing more in ess 1 to get a faster exit from ess 2) and one in the garage going over maintenance of the C7, two lead-follow track sessions, and the graduation ceremony.
Compared to early 2015, the program has improved in many ways. Day 2 is now pretty much just all track time (in 2015 it was 3 lead-follow and now 4), they have done away with the live demo of launch control, which imo was a waste of 30 minutes (it is now a 5 minute part of a video demonstration in a day 2 classroom session), they have reduced the time spent in braking and shifting, which also adds another lead-follow (2 total on day 1). The PowerPoint presentations for the classroom sessions that Richie has put together are really polished and informative; and the one on using the PDR and Cosworth Toolbox was really good, especially for those who don’t have PDR in their own cars. The ride along with the instructor in your own car type and being able to PDR it to overlay with your laps when you get home is just fabulous.
A handful of observations that are in no way criticisms of the school. The attending class was diverse in the sense people were from about age 30 to 70 with most in the 50-65 age bracket (pretty close to the C7 buyer demographic) with 14 males and 5 females, 12 of the 19 cars used were A8’s: 4 of the 7 GS’s, 1 of 4 Z06’s, and 2 of 8 Z51’s being M7’s. The skill levels and comfort with the car, track and speeds varied far more than I would have ever thought (much more so than in 2015), and Day 1 was as much about sorting the drivers by skill level as teaching to allow better track sessions on day 2 (let’s just say more than 1 driver didn’t reach 75 mph on the front straight compared to 105+ I saw on day 1 (and 115-121 on day 2 with my GS). The instructors did a really good job in sorting drivers by ability, creating a slower group of 9 and a faster group of 10, and then subdividing those groups into slow, medium & fast sub groups of 3 or 4 cars. I was part of the fast subgroup of the faster group (1 Z06 + 2 GS (all M7’s) – yes the other 3 Z06’s were slower), and the three of us were pretty equal in speed and lap times (our best lap times were 1-2 seconds faster than the two instructor ride along laps that I PDR’ed (which were them not going all-out (70-80%) compared us pushing hard). We didn’t get very many all-out laps during the track sessions because our group would consistently catch the slower groups in 2-3 laps despite giving them a 15-20 second lead by stopping on the main straight. For those who have extensive track experience (which I don’t have, but I do okay for a novice) and are fast, the Level 1 program might be better even for the $3,500.
It is definitely worth the $1,000 cost and a big thank you to GM for paying the other $1,500. They tell you gratuities are not required but greatly appreciated (done by leaving the money at the lecture podium after lunch on day 2). Imo, the instructors earned more than a reasonable gratuity - which is split among the entire instructor staff. I gave $150, and about 7 other people gave from $40-150 each – frankly I was a little disappointed in the other 11 or so who gave nothing: if you can afford a $60,000 plus toy and a trip to the SMMP COS ($1,500 minimum including travel, hotel and food), you can afford to and should give some bonus/tip money to the instructors.
I will say that I must have the Ron Fellows lucky penny in my pocket, as I am told he doesn’t come to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park {SMMP} that often but was there for both of my visits. He drove a ZR1 into the facility with the group of 20 ZR1’s that arrived on 3/28 for a big GM/Chevy ZR1 event set for the week of April 2nd. Ron is a genuinely nice guy and spend a substantial amount of time chatting with about 7 or 8 of us from the COS that were in the SMMP clubhouse after the ZR1’s arrived there at about 6:15 pm. He also stopped in to our class on 3/29 to provide some words of encouragement; and to rub in the fact that while we were at lunch he had spent some time tracking the ZR1, and it in his words it “was superb and far quicker around the [East] track than the Z06”.
When I arrived on Tuesday (3/27) at noon, the facility was reasonably crowded with two classes of COS using both the East (White) and West (Yellow) track courses; there was also some private instruction and lapping going on at the North-South (Blue) track. I met up with Rick Malone, who has run the Ron Fellows School at SMMP for the past 12 years, at the clubhouse and was invited to have lunch with him and a couple of instructors. Lunch was both excellent in terms of food, and the conversation with Rick & group was enlightening – it also explained why there were about 60 Colorado pickups plus some Silverado’s, Ram’s & F150’s on the premises (no, they won’t be starting a Colorado owner’s track program).
I checked in and got to my room in Condo C (there are three Condo buildings), which was nicely appointed (queen sized bed, kitchen area with fridge, sink & microwave and a balcony) and clean – definitely worth the $119 charge for night two (one night is free). You will want to stay either on the property or really nearby the night before as on day 1, breakfast starts at 6:45 am, and the 45 minutes allotted goes quick.
The facility currently has 6 miles of inter-connected track that is usually run as 3 separate racetracks (E 2.1 miles, N-S 2.2 miles & W 1.5 miles), but they will be expanding in 2019 to add 3 more tracks with a total of 13 miles of interconnectable road course on the new 500 acres.
We had a group of 19 drivers (plus 7 spouses) in our single class (we were the only class driving those two days) – most days they have 2, and sometimes 3 COS (or 2 + 1 Cadillac) classes running simultaneously. On the days they have multiple COS classes, the Base & Z51 cars usually use the West course and the GS & Z06 cars use the East course to keep the cars somewhat performance aligned – you drive exactly what you own, so in our class there were Z51’s, GS’s & Z06’s all in both A8 & M7 configurations. I got to meet many of my fellow drivers and their spouses (yes, 2 of the spouses were husband’s) during breakfast (served from 6:45 am to 7:30 am daily in the clubhouse – consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, cereals, breads, yogurt and fruit (same for day 2). It still amazes me that the school brings together people from all over the USA and Canada (3 drivers) but not unexpectedly, all were truly nice people with a love for the Corvette.
Day 1, consisted of signing the forms during registration (in the administration building, which also houses the swag shop (lots of very nice Spring Mountain clothing)), followed by Rick’s orientation and then the classroom instruction by former Indy Car driver Richie Hearn, which led to alternating sessions of in-car time and class time with different instructors. Richie is super-personable and does a great job of running the class room sessions. The class room sessions are very informative, covering both driving and the features of the car. The class was split into two groups of 10 & 9 persons for the remainder of the school, although the people in groups 1 (9 people) & 2 (10 people) changed between day 1 and day 2 based upon how well each driver did during the day 1 car activities (one group was more proficient (faster) than the second group). Before lunch, we did braking and steering (including feedback from an in-car instructor), slalom course, ABS use, plus a trip on track with a lead follow session to learn the line. Lunch was an hour (12-1) at the clubhouse, and was a very nice buffet (salad, grilled chicken, vegetables, pasta and meatballs, fruit and cookies for desert (it was similar for day 2)) that was quite good. After lunch, it was more classroom and track activities that included wet and dry skid pads, plus another follow the instructor track session (which is done splitting each group of 10/9 into 3 groups (4-3-3 or 3-3-3) each with its own instructor in the lead car that would communicate with its group of 3 (or 4) via 2-way radio. The track sessions on day 1 were very cool, but significantly slower than what they would be on day 2.
The school day ended at 4:30 pm; and after that there was happy hour (from 5-6 pm) at the Clubhouse and lots of questions with a ZR1 trailer set up in the parking lot by the Clubhouse. You were on your own for dinner. Pahrump is a smaller town (35,000) with about 30 restaurants – the school gives a list of 15 that they recommend. Several of us ate at Symphony’s at the Pahrump Winery – it is New American cuisine (steaks, seafood & Italian) that was excellent (you need reservations, as it is the go to place for many at SMMR) – it was not inexpensive (about $45 per person for a salad, steak and glass of wine), but would be a real bargain compared to what we pay for a similar meal in NYC.
Day 2 was similar in timing to day one, with class room and driving from 8 am to noon and 1 to 3:00 pm, with an outside class photo (participants plus instructors) between afternoon sessions 1 & 2, followed by certificate presentations (which includes you’re being asked to provide (in hopefully limited verbiage) feedback on your two days – the day ended at 4:05 pm (meaning you can easily make a 8 pm flight from LAS home). Present for day 2, was a professional photographer (James) who photographed track lapping activities – it costs $150 for a memory stick with 20-45 photographs of each driver (mine had 43) and the class photo (everyone gets a memory stick with the class photo for free). They use a high-quality Canon camera, so the photo quality/clarity is first rate. If you have the money and want some photos, it is worth it.
Day 2’s morning session by two on track follow the instructor sessions of about 25 minutes each, with classroom activities between each session. I should note that the classroom sessions were very informative and covered a myriad of topics from C7 features, to picking your line on a race track and many things in between. The morning session’s last activity was a ride along with an instructor – which was eye-opening for all of us, as they were so smooth (and faster than I was) through the technical turns. The feedback the instructors gave during the time you were following them was helpful and positive (those guys (and gal) know how to drive and to coach). All of the C7’s (Z51, GS & Z06 as 2017 or 18 models) have PDR’s, and if you bring your own or buy one ($20) at the school (16 gb or 32 gb – bigger cards don’t work unless formatted FAT32) SDHC card, you are able to record all of your sessions (including activities, ride along and the 6 track sessions). I recorded everything (10 total items) and used about 40% (13 gb) of a 32 gb card. In looking at my PDR’ed track sessions, I can see where I could have been a little better. Imo, for those that track their C7’s, the PDR is a must have option – it shows a clear picture of what you see out of the windshield and adds in throttle and brake levels, mph, gear selected, rpms and steering wheel angle; all of that allows you to see your line and that of the instructor in front of you as you lap the course.
Day 2’s afternoon activities consisted of the class photo, a class session on track corner management for the esses (slowing more in ess 1 to get a faster exit from ess 2) and one in the garage going over maintenance of the C7, two lead-follow track sessions, and the graduation ceremony.
Compared to early 2015, the program has improved in many ways. Day 2 is now pretty much just all track time (in 2015 it was 3 lead-follow and now 4), they have done away with the live demo of launch control, which imo was a waste of 30 minutes (it is now a 5 minute part of a video demonstration in a day 2 classroom session), they have reduced the time spent in braking and shifting, which also adds another lead-follow (2 total on day 1). The PowerPoint presentations for the classroom sessions that Richie has put together are really polished and informative; and the one on using the PDR and Cosworth Toolbox was really good, especially for those who don’t have PDR in their own cars. The ride along with the instructor in your own car type and being able to PDR it to overlay with your laps when you get home is just fabulous.
A handful of observations that are in no way criticisms of the school. The attending class was diverse in the sense people were from about age 30 to 70 with most in the 50-65 age bracket (pretty close to the C7 buyer demographic) with 14 males and 5 females, 12 of the 19 cars used were A8’s: 4 of the 7 GS’s, 1 of 4 Z06’s, and 2 of 8 Z51’s being M7’s. The skill levels and comfort with the car, track and speeds varied far more than I would have ever thought (much more so than in 2015), and Day 1 was as much about sorting the drivers by skill level as teaching to allow better track sessions on day 2 (let’s just say more than 1 driver didn’t reach 75 mph on the front straight compared to 105+ I saw on day 1 (and 115-121 on day 2 with my GS). The instructors did a really good job in sorting drivers by ability, creating a slower group of 9 and a faster group of 10, and then subdividing those groups into slow, medium & fast sub groups of 3 or 4 cars. I was part of the fast subgroup of the faster group (1 Z06 + 2 GS (all M7’s) – yes the other 3 Z06’s were slower), and the three of us were pretty equal in speed and lap times (our best lap times were 1-2 seconds faster than the two instructor ride along laps that I PDR’ed (which were them not going all-out (70-80%) compared us pushing hard). We didn’t get very many all-out laps during the track sessions because our group would consistently catch the slower groups in 2-3 laps despite giving them a 15-20 second lead by stopping on the main straight. For those who have extensive track experience (which I don’t have, but I do okay for a novice) and are fast, the Level 1 program might be better even for the $3,500.
It is definitely worth the $1,000 cost and a big thank you to GM for paying the other $1,500. They tell you gratuities are not required but greatly appreciated (done by leaving the money at the lecture podium after lunch on day 2). Imo, the instructors earned more than a reasonable gratuity - which is split among the entire instructor staff. I gave $150, and about 7 other people gave from $40-150 each – frankly I was a little disappointed in the other 11 or so who gave nothing: if you can afford a $60,000 plus toy and a trip to the SMMP COS ($1,500 minimum including travel, hotel and food), you can afford to and should give some bonus/tip money to the instructors.
Last edited by LIStingray; 03-31-2018 at 06:10 PM.
The following 17 users liked this post by LIStingray:
beaversstonehaven (04-02-2018),
BostonVette (01-25-2019),
BrookenookZO6 (03-31-2018),
ChuckerC7 (04-02-2018),
cowboy casey (04-23-2018),
and 12 others liked this post.
04-02-2018, 03:49 PM
#4
Intermediate
Thanks for the write up. I bought my car used, so I don't get the discount. I am seriously considering going with the 3 day because of that. Has anyone gone to both the 2 day and the 3 day?
04-02-2018, 05:13 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
I did the level 1 and level 2 and they are really worth while. I highly recommend them, especially if you think you're pretty good to begin with. Go in with an open mind and you will come out so much faster and smoother. I've done professional schools all around the country and this school is the best I've ever attended.
04-02-2018, 05:50 PM
#6
Melting Slicks
Great write up and summary! I just finished the school for the first time on March 20th. We had 18 in our (white) class, and there was another Blue class at the same time on the 19th and 20th.
You are spot on in your assessment of the quality of the instructors @ Ron Fellows, they are top notch in every way. Very helpful and personable! I think most in our class left a gratuity for our instructors.
I think the 3 day school, with more track time may be in my future
You are spot on in your assessment of the quality of the instructors @ Ron Fellows, they are top notch in every way. Very helpful and personable! I think most in our class left a gratuity for our instructors.
I think the 3 day school, with more track time may be in my future
04-02-2018, 11:26 PM
#8
Administrator
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
Posts: 342,981
Received 19,300 Likes
on
13,973 Posts
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-
'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Thanks for the detailed review. Sounds like a great time and quality instruction.
04-03-2018, 07:01 PM
#9
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
If I were paying for the program in full, I would definitely do the Level 1 over the 2-day COS.
Last edited by LIStingray; 04-03-2018 at 07:02 PM.
04-23-2018, 01:54 AM
#10
Premium Supporting Vendor
I attended the Spring Mountain two-day school on March 28th & 29th. This was my second trip to the two-day Corvette Owners School {COS} – my prior trip was March 12 & 13, 2015. I have an extensive write up for that trip on the forum too. I hope some appreciate the level of detail provided and the comparison with my 2015 visit.
I will say that I must have the Ron Fellows lucky penny in my pocket, as I am told he doesn’t come to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park {SMMP} that often but was there for both of my visits. He drove a ZR1 into the facility with the group of 20 ZR1’s that arrived on 3/28 for a big GM/Chevy ZR1 event set for the week of April 2nd. Ron is a genuinely nice guy and spend a substantial amount of time chatting with about 7 or 8 of us from the COS that were in the SMMP clubhouse after the ZR1’s arrived there at about 6:15 pm. He also stopped in to our class on 3/29 to provide some words of encouragement; and to rub in the fact that while we were at lunch he had spent some time tracking the ZR1, and it in his words it “was superb and far quicker around the [East] track than the Z06”.
When I arrived on Tuesday (3/27) at noon, the facility was reasonably crowded with two classes of COS using both the East (White) and West (Yellow) track courses; there was also some private instruction and lapping going on at the North-South (Blue) track. I met up with Rick Malone, who has run the Ron Fellows School at SMMP for the past 12 years, at the clubhouse and was invited to have lunch with him and a couple of instructors. Lunch was both excellent in terms of food, and the conversation with Rick & group was enlightening – it also explained why there were about 60 Colorado pickups plus some Silverado’s, Ram’s & F150’s on the premises (no, they won’t be starting a Colorado owner’s track program).
I checked in and got to my room in Condo C (there are three Condo buildings), which was nicely appointed (queen sized bed, kitchen area with fridge, sink & microwave and a balcony) and clean – definitely worth the $119 charge for night two (one night is free). You will want to stay either on the property or really nearby the night before as on day 1, breakfast starts at 6:45 am, and the 45 minutes allotted goes quick.
The facility currently has 6 miles of inter-connected track that is usually run as 3 separate racetracks (E 2.1 miles, N-S 2.2 miles & W 1.5 miles), but they will be expanding in 2019 to add 3 more tracks with a total of 13 miles of interconnectable road course on the new 500 acres.
We had a group of 19 drivers (plus 7 spouses) in our single class (we were the only class driving those two days) – most days they have 2, and sometimes 3 COS (or 2 + 1 Cadillac) classes running simultaneously. On the days they have multiple COS classes, the Base & Z51 cars usually use the West course and the GS & Z06 cars use the East course to keep the cars somewhat performance aligned – you drive exactly what you own, so in our class there were Z51’s, GS’s & Z06’s all in both A8 & M7 configurations. I got to meet many of my fellow drivers and their spouses (yes, 2 of the spouses were husband’s) during breakfast (served from 6:45 am to 7:30 am daily in the clubhouse – consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, cereals, breads, yogurt and fruit (same for day 2). It still amazes me that the school brings together people from all over the USA and Canada (3 drivers) but not unexpectedly, all were truly nice people with a love for the Corvette.
Day 1, consisted of signing the forms during registration (in the administration building, which also houses the swag shop (lots of very nice Spring Mountain clothing)), followed by Rick’s orientation and then the classroom instruction by former Indy Car driver Richie Hearn, which led to alternating sessions of in-car time and class time with different instructors. Richie is super-personable and does a great job of running the class room sessions. The class room sessions are very informative, covering both driving and the features of the car. The class was split into two groups of 10 & 9 persons for the remainder of the school, although the people in groups 1 (9 people) & 2 (10 people) changed between day 1 and day 2 based upon how well each driver did during the day 1 car activities (one group was more proficient (faster) than the second group). Before lunch, we did braking and steering (including feedback from an in-car instructor), slalom course, ABS use, plus a trip on track with a lead follow session to learn the line. Lunch was an hour (12-1) at the clubhouse, and was a very nice buffet (salad, grilled chicken, vegetables, pasta and meatballs, fruit and cookies for desert (it was similar for day 2)) that was quite good. After lunch, it was more classroom and track activities that included wet and dry skid pads, plus another follow the instructor track session (which is done splitting each group of 10/9 into 3 groups (4-3-3 or 3-3-3) each with its own instructor in the lead car that would communicate with its group of 3 (or 4) via 2-way radio. The track sessions on day 1 were very cool, but significantly slower than what they would be on day 2.
The school day ended at 4:30 pm; and after that there was happy hour (from 5-6 pm) at the Clubhouse and lots of questions with a ZR1 trailer set up in the parking lot by the Clubhouse. You were on your own for dinner. Pahrump is a smaller town (35,000) with about 30 restaurants – the school gives a list of 15 that they recommend. Several of us ate at Symphony’s at the Pahrump Winery – it is New American cuisine (steaks, seafood & Italian) that was excellent (you need reservations, as it is the go to place for many at SMMR) – it was not inexpensive (about $45 per person for a salad, steak and glass of wine), but would be a real bargain compared to what we pay for a similar meal in NYC.
Day 2 was similar in timing to day one, with class room and driving from 8 am to noon and 1 to 3:00 pm, with an outside class photo (participants plus instructors) between afternoon sessions 1 & 2, followed by certificate presentations (which includes you’re being asked to provide (in hopefully limited verbiage) feedback on your two days – the day ended at 4:05 pm (meaning you can easily make a 8 pm flight from LAS home). Present for day 2, was a professional photographer (James) who photographed track lapping activities – it costs $150 for a memory stick with 20-45 photographs of each driver (mine had 43) and the class photo (everyone gets a memory stick with the class photo for free). They use a high-quality Canon camera, so the photo quality/clarity is first rate. If you have the money and want some photos, it is worth it.
Day 2’s morning session by two on track follow the instructor sessions of about 25 minutes each, with classroom activities between each session. I should note that the classroom sessions were very informative and covered a myriad of topics from C7 features, to picking your line on a race track and many things in between. The morning session’s last activity was a ride along with an instructor – which was eye-opening for all of us, as they were so smooth (and faster than I was) through the technical turns. The feedback the instructors gave during the time you were following them was helpful and positive (those guys (and gal) know how to drive and to coach). All of the C7’s (Z51, GS & Z06 as 2017 or 18 models) have PDR’s, and if you bring your own or buy one ($20) at the school (16 gb or 32 gb – bigger cards don’t work unless formatted FAT32) SDHC card, you are able to record all of your sessions (including activities, ride along and the 6 track sessions). I recorded everything (10 total items) and used about 40% (13 gb) of a 32 gb card. In looking at my PDR’ed track sessions, I can see where I could have been a little better. Imo, for those that track their C7’s, the PDR is a must have option – it shows a clear picture of what you see out of the windshield and adds in throttle and brake levels, mph, gear selected, rpms and steering wheel angle; all of that allows you to see your line and that of the instructor in front of you as you lap the course.
Day 2’s afternoon activities consisted of the class photo, a class session on track corner management for the esses (slowing more in ess 1 to get a faster exit from ess 2) and one in the garage going over maintenance of the C7, two lead-follow track sessions, and the graduation ceremony.
Compared to early 2015, the program has improved in many ways. Day 2 is now pretty much just all track time (in 2015 it was 3 lead-follow and now 4), they have done away with the live demo of launch control, which imo was a waste of 30 minutes (it is now a 5 minute part of a video demonstration in a day 2 classroom session), they have reduced the time spent in braking and shifting, which also adds another lead-follow (2 total on day 1). The PowerPoint presentations for the classroom sessions that Richie has put together are really polished and informative; and the one on using the PDR and Cosworth Toolbox was really good, especially for those who don’t have PDR in their own cars. The ride along with the instructor in your own car type and being able to PDR it to overlay with your laps when you get home is just fabulous.
A handful of observations that are in no way criticisms of the school. The attending class was diverse in the sense people were from about age 30 to 70 with most in the 50-65 age bracket (pretty close to the C7 buyer demographic) with 14 males and 5 females, 12 of the 19 cars used were A8’s: 4 of the 7 GS’s, 1 of 4 Z06’s, and 2 of 8 Z51’s being M7’s. The skill levels and comfort with the car, track and speeds varied far more than I would have ever thought (much more so than in 2015), and Day 1 was as much about sorting the drivers by skill level as teaching to allow better track sessions on day 2 (let’s just say more than 1 driver didn’t reach 75 mph on the front straight compared to 105+ I saw on day 1 (and 115-121 on day 2 with my GS). The instructors did a really good job in sorting drivers by ability, creating a slower group of 9 and a faster group of 10, and then subdividing those groups into slow, medium & fast sub groups of 3 or 4 cars. I was part of the fast subgroup of the faster group (1 Z06 + 2 GS (all M7’s) – yes the other 3 Z06’s were slower), and the three of us were pretty equal in speed and lap times (our best lap times were 1-2 seconds faster than the two instructor ride along laps that I PDR’ed (which were them not going all-out (70-80%) compared us pushing hard). We didn’t get very many all-out laps during the track sessions because our group would consistently catch the slower groups in 2-3 laps despite giving them a 15-20 second lead by stopping on the main straight. For those who have extensive track experience (which I don’t have, but I do okay for a novice) and are fast, the Level 1 program might be better even for the $3,500.
It is definitely worth the $1,000 cost and a big thank you to GM for paying the other $1,500. They tell you gratuities are not required but greatly appreciated (done by leaving the money at the lecture podium after lunch on day 2). Imo, the instructors earned more than a reasonable gratuity - which is split among the entire instructor staff. I gave $150, and about 7 other people gave from $40-150 each – frankly I was a little disappointed in the other 11 or so who gave nothing: if you can afford a $60,000 plus toy and a trip to the SMMP COS ($1,500 minimum including travel, hotel and food), you can afford to and should give some bonus/tip money to the instructors.
I will say that I must have the Ron Fellows lucky penny in my pocket, as I am told he doesn’t come to Spring Mountain Motorsports Park {SMMP} that often but was there for both of my visits. He drove a ZR1 into the facility with the group of 20 ZR1’s that arrived on 3/28 for a big GM/Chevy ZR1 event set for the week of April 2nd. Ron is a genuinely nice guy and spend a substantial amount of time chatting with about 7 or 8 of us from the COS that were in the SMMP clubhouse after the ZR1’s arrived there at about 6:15 pm. He also stopped in to our class on 3/29 to provide some words of encouragement; and to rub in the fact that while we were at lunch he had spent some time tracking the ZR1, and it in his words it “was superb and far quicker around the [East] track than the Z06”.
When I arrived on Tuesday (3/27) at noon, the facility was reasonably crowded with two classes of COS using both the East (White) and West (Yellow) track courses; there was also some private instruction and lapping going on at the North-South (Blue) track. I met up with Rick Malone, who has run the Ron Fellows School at SMMP for the past 12 years, at the clubhouse and was invited to have lunch with him and a couple of instructors. Lunch was both excellent in terms of food, and the conversation with Rick & group was enlightening – it also explained why there were about 60 Colorado pickups plus some Silverado’s, Ram’s & F150’s on the premises (no, they won’t be starting a Colorado owner’s track program).
I checked in and got to my room in Condo C (there are three Condo buildings), which was nicely appointed (queen sized bed, kitchen area with fridge, sink & microwave and a balcony) and clean – definitely worth the $119 charge for night two (one night is free). You will want to stay either on the property or really nearby the night before as on day 1, breakfast starts at 6:45 am, and the 45 minutes allotted goes quick.
The facility currently has 6 miles of inter-connected track that is usually run as 3 separate racetracks (E 2.1 miles, N-S 2.2 miles & W 1.5 miles), but they will be expanding in 2019 to add 3 more tracks with a total of 13 miles of interconnectable road course on the new 500 acres.
We had a group of 19 drivers (plus 7 spouses) in our single class (we were the only class driving those two days) – most days they have 2, and sometimes 3 COS (or 2 + 1 Cadillac) classes running simultaneously. On the days they have multiple COS classes, the Base & Z51 cars usually use the West course and the GS & Z06 cars use the East course to keep the cars somewhat performance aligned – you drive exactly what you own, so in our class there were Z51’s, GS’s & Z06’s all in both A8 & M7 configurations. I got to meet many of my fellow drivers and their spouses (yes, 2 of the spouses were husband’s) during breakfast (served from 6:45 am to 7:30 am daily in the clubhouse – consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, cereals, breads, yogurt and fruit (same for day 2). It still amazes me that the school brings together people from all over the USA and Canada (3 drivers) but not unexpectedly, all were truly nice people with a love for the Corvette.
Day 1, consisted of signing the forms during registration (in the administration building, which also houses the swag shop (lots of very nice Spring Mountain clothing)), followed by Rick’s orientation and then the classroom instruction by former Indy Car driver Richie Hearn, which led to alternating sessions of in-car time and class time with different instructors. Richie is super-personable and does a great job of running the class room sessions. The class room sessions are very informative, covering both driving and the features of the car. The class was split into two groups of 10 & 9 persons for the remainder of the school, although the people in groups 1 (9 people) & 2 (10 people) changed between day 1 and day 2 based upon how well each driver did during the day 1 car activities (one group was more proficient (faster) than the second group). Before lunch, we did braking and steering (including feedback from an in-car instructor), slalom course, ABS use, plus a trip on track with a lead follow session to learn the line. Lunch was an hour (12-1) at the clubhouse, and was a very nice buffet (salad, grilled chicken, vegetables, pasta and meatballs, fruit and cookies for desert (it was similar for day 2)) that was quite good. After lunch, it was more classroom and track activities that included wet and dry skid pads, plus another follow the instructor track session (which is done splitting each group of 10/9 into 3 groups (4-3-3 or 3-3-3) each with its own instructor in the lead car that would communicate with its group of 3 (or 4) via 2-way radio. The track sessions on day 1 were very cool, but significantly slower than what they would be on day 2.
The school day ended at 4:30 pm; and after that there was happy hour (from 5-6 pm) at the Clubhouse and lots of questions with a ZR1 trailer set up in the parking lot by the Clubhouse. You were on your own for dinner. Pahrump is a smaller town (35,000) with about 30 restaurants – the school gives a list of 15 that they recommend. Several of us ate at Symphony’s at the Pahrump Winery – it is New American cuisine (steaks, seafood & Italian) that was excellent (you need reservations, as it is the go to place for many at SMMR) – it was not inexpensive (about $45 per person for a salad, steak and glass of wine), but would be a real bargain compared to what we pay for a similar meal in NYC.
Day 2 was similar in timing to day one, with class room and driving from 8 am to noon and 1 to 3:00 pm, with an outside class photo (participants plus instructors) between afternoon sessions 1 & 2, followed by certificate presentations (which includes you’re being asked to provide (in hopefully limited verbiage) feedback on your two days – the day ended at 4:05 pm (meaning you can easily make a 8 pm flight from LAS home). Present for day 2, was a professional photographer (James) who photographed track lapping activities – it costs $150 for a memory stick with 20-45 photographs of each driver (mine had 43) and the class photo (everyone gets a memory stick with the class photo for free). They use a high-quality Canon camera, so the photo quality/clarity is first rate. If you have the money and want some photos, it is worth it.
Day 2’s morning session by two on track follow the instructor sessions of about 25 minutes each, with classroom activities between each session. I should note that the classroom sessions were very informative and covered a myriad of topics from C7 features, to picking your line on a race track and many things in between. The morning session’s last activity was a ride along with an instructor – which was eye-opening for all of us, as they were so smooth (and faster than I was) through the technical turns. The feedback the instructors gave during the time you were following them was helpful and positive (those guys (and gal) know how to drive and to coach). All of the C7’s (Z51, GS & Z06 as 2017 or 18 models) have PDR’s, and if you bring your own or buy one ($20) at the school (16 gb or 32 gb – bigger cards don’t work unless formatted FAT32) SDHC card, you are able to record all of your sessions (including activities, ride along and the 6 track sessions). I recorded everything (10 total items) and used about 40% (13 gb) of a 32 gb card. In looking at my PDR’ed track sessions, I can see where I could have been a little better. Imo, for those that track their C7’s, the PDR is a must have option – it shows a clear picture of what you see out of the windshield and adds in throttle and brake levels, mph, gear selected, rpms and steering wheel angle; all of that allows you to see your line and that of the instructor in front of you as you lap the course.
Day 2’s afternoon activities consisted of the class photo, a class session on track corner management for the esses (slowing more in ess 1 to get a faster exit from ess 2) and one in the garage going over maintenance of the C7, two lead-follow track sessions, and the graduation ceremony.
Compared to early 2015, the program has improved in many ways. Day 2 is now pretty much just all track time (in 2015 it was 3 lead-follow and now 4), they have done away with the live demo of launch control, which imo was a waste of 30 minutes (it is now a 5 minute part of a video demonstration in a day 2 classroom session), they have reduced the time spent in braking and shifting, which also adds another lead-follow (2 total on day 1). The PowerPoint presentations for the classroom sessions that Richie has put together are really polished and informative; and the one on using the PDR and Cosworth Toolbox was really good, especially for those who don’t have PDR in their own cars. The ride along with the instructor in your own car type and being able to PDR it to overlay with your laps when you get home is just fabulous.
A handful of observations that are in no way criticisms of the school. The attending class was diverse in the sense people were from about age 30 to 70 with most in the 50-65 age bracket (pretty close to the C7 buyer demographic) with 14 males and 5 females, 12 of the 19 cars used were A8’s: 4 of the 7 GS’s, 1 of 4 Z06’s, and 2 of 8 Z51’s being M7’s. The skill levels and comfort with the car, track and speeds varied far more than I would have ever thought (much more so than in 2015), and Day 1 was as much about sorting the drivers by skill level as teaching to allow better track sessions on day 2 (let’s just say more than 1 driver didn’t reach 75 mph on the front straight compared to 105+ I saw on day 1 (and 115-121 on day 2 with my GS). The instructors did a really good job in sorting drivers by ability, creating a slower group of 9 and a faster group of 10, and then subdividing those groups into slow, medium & fast sub groups of 3 or 4 cars. I was part of the fast subgroup of the faster group (1 Z06 + 2 GS (all M7’s) – yes the other 3 Z06’s were slower), and the three of us were pretty equal in speed and lap times (our best lap times were 1-2 seconds faster than the two instructor ride along laps that I PDR’ed (which were them not going all-out (70-80%) compared us pushing hard). We didn’t get very many all-out laps during the track sessions because our group would consistently catch the slower groups in 2-3 laps despite giving them a 15-20 second lead by stopping on the main straight. For those who have extensive track experience (which I don’t have, but I do okay for a novice) and are fast, the Level 1 program might be better even for the $3,500.
It is definitely worth the $1,000 cost and a big thank you to GM for paying the other $1,500. They tell you gratuities are not required but greatly appreciated (done by leaving the money at the lecture podium after lunch on day 2). Imo, the instructors earned more than a reasonable gratuity - which is split among the entire instructor staff. I gave $150, and about 7 other people gave from $40-150 each – frankly I was a little disappointed in the other 11 or so who gave nothing: if you can afford a $60,000 plus toy and a trip to the SMMP COS ($1,500 minimum including travel, hotel and food), you can afford to and should give some bonus/tip money to the instructors.
Thank you so much for it, and the feedback, which I’ll surely pass on to Rick and the rest of the team!
04-23-2018, 07:01 AM
#11
Melting Slicks
Leaving tomorrow to do the class on Wed. and Thursday, 4/25-26. Looking forward to that and then 4 days in Vegas.
Great write-up.
Looking forward to it after 75 miles of fun on the Corvette Museum track in my 2017 GS a few weeks back at a charity event. Actually they let us run pretty hard in the corners and slowed us down on the front straight. Saw 85-90 on g-meter consistently and a high of 1.02!
Great write-up.
Looking forward to it after 75 miles of fun on the Corvette Museum track in my 2017 GS a few weeks back at a charity event. Actually they let us run pretty hard in the corners and slowed us down on the front straight. Saw 85-90 on g-meter consistently and a high of 1.02!
05-11-2018, 11:35 PM
#12
Excellent write up, I just completed the course May 7th and 8th. I can not add anything, you covered it all. I am glad I got the opportunity to attend the school, and I honestly think I walked away knowing I am faster than before the class. The instructors are experts and really want to teach you. The facility is top rate in all areas. The class also was very detailed to explaining the c7. I am a zo6 owner and learned so much from their instructors. I also have a greater respect for the Z51, and GS even though I did not drive one, I could tell it is indeed a trackable car as well, especially when the instructors drove it. Don’t get me wrong I love my zo6 and know it is a step above on the track, I just have a better understanding of its little brothers. Anyway, I would recommend everyone that wants to better their self in a c7 this is the place to go!!
01-25-2019, 06:46 PM
#13
Thank you for the detailed summary
I can't believe the level of detail you put into it
You have an incredible memory
I'll be heading out the end of April.
I'll have to read your post again as the time approaches, I already forgot most of it
I can't believe the level of detail you put into it
You have an incredible memory
I'll be heading out the end of April.
I'll have to read your post again as the time approaches, I already forgot most of it
01-26-2019, 01:10 AM
#14
Melting Slicks
Great overview of the SM experience... One thing I'd add is to record the practice "nanny sessions" on the PDR... PDR use wasn't covered till before taking the track in June of 18, and having those videos for reference later is YUUGE... doing the exercises is much like drinking from a fire hose, and being able to review them later is a plus...