First is anyone isn't sure about going, go. It is an absolute blast. The instructors are great and getting to meet everyone that comes out was amazing. We had a couple of guys from Canada, GA, TX, CA, MI, ME and I'm sure other states as well. Everyone was super nice and very easy to get along with. After the first few runs they start to break up the class in to smaller groups of matched skilled drivers which really helps. That way you're not feeling like you need to push yourself to keep up.
The first day you start out just learning the basics. When to start your turn ins, looking through the corners and getting use to feel of the car. They do braking exercises where you fully lock up tires and swerve to avoid cones and also make figure 8s with your windshield covered to make you look out the side of the car. After that they take you out on the track and do acceleration, shifting up and down and breaking drills. Once all that is done you start running the track. They do start you out slow but build you up quickly. Once the see how everyone is running is when they break up the groups. From there you build up your skills.
The second day is more of the same. You start out on the skid pads doing figure 8s on wet tires to get a feel of under and over steer as well as catching the rearend as it gets away from you. You also run a oblong oval just to get the turnin points down. Then it back on the track. They do push you a little but you fall behind they slow down and if you keep up they speed up.
At some point they have an instructor get in your car and drive you around the track. I felt like I was pushing it pretty hard until that point and I found out I was nowhere near the point for breaking loose. This cars have and insane amount of grip and really hold their line on a track.
This was my first time ever on track. Here are my best laps

You Tube

 

Thanks for sharing this. It looks like you had a great time!

 

Thanks for the review of the school. It is definitely on my bucket list.

 

It is an intro to track days so expect to be pushed a little but well worth it.

 

Really cool to hear the instructor. Looks like a blast.

 

Yeah it helps a lot. They see everything and let you know it. LOL

 

Here is the instructor driving my car

 

I was there two weeks ago. Your group used a different track than ours. Great time.

 

Yeah they split us up based on skill set. Some of the other guys that had track experience were running a different track.

 

I went back in August and can echo your comments. It was an amazing time!

 

Glad to see people enjoying the car in the proper environment

I find it strange they do lead-follow vs putting the instructor in the car but I guess that's the only way to manage a large group. I instruct part-time and need to be in the car to physically feel what's happening. Clearly these folks have a big advantage of knowing the car / track combo in inmate detail.

Notice how specific the instructor is when she drove... all those tiny details - that one-on-one stuff is priceless. People are always shocked at just how capable a car really is. Your maybe at 40-50% of it's potential after just two days. Even after YEARS of doing this I am still running around at 70-80% just because the commitment level required is beyond what I am willing to risk. The whole experience gives you a new appreciation for professional drivers. And of course all this makes "aggressive" street driving seem like a joke.

 

I agree 100%. I think they also use spotters. No matter where we were on the track compared to the instructor he knew what we were doing.

 

Yes there are various spotters talking to the lead instructor as he takes you around the track, they tell him what you're doing and he tells you.

 

In addition to sharpening my skills and expanding my comfort zone in the car during track time, the ride with the instructor was jaw dropping... He got in the car with a cup of coffee and drove the demo laps explaining his techniques while pushing the car well beyond my expectations and sipping his coffee...

 

I had the same experience! I was in the fastest group of three for our 2-day session and the instructor that took me on a ride along didn't use rev-match in the M7 Z51 but heel-toed it while driving with one hand talking to me. He did a lap that way that was 3 seconds faster than my best lap and hit 10mph more on the long straight because his line was so much better coming off the corner preceding. That ride-along showed me I wasn't using nearly enough of the car's capabilities for braking or turning and I knocked a second off my times that afternoon just because I was a little braver. It was amazing to me that the instructors are driving gen6 camaro 1LEs (not ZL1) or Z51 stingrays and even those of us driving Z06s couldn't catch them no matter how hard we tried, even in the straights with a 200hp power advantage. They just stayed comfortably ahead of us the whole time so that tells me that the average Joe after a 2-day class still isn't coming close to the full potential of the car. It was great fun trying though!

 

Bingo. Its a humbling experience the first few times you get on track. I've been passed by so many "slow" cars over the years. Then occasionally the roles get reversed, for example I'm pretty sure the Mclaren I got around a few months back did a double take. I managed to keep ahead of Viper using my 350Z, when we got back to the garage I apologized for holding him. To which he remarked that he couldn't get around me since my line was better thru the corners.

There is a reason those guys are professional instructors - they are really that good. You've got no chance against them. Even in a Miata they would stay ahead on such a twisty course.

 

Awesome now I have some video of the West track to study for my March 21st, and 22nd class.