You made the following statement. "I went for C7 and first day was always classroom only." Only means only, not some or a lot. So, that statement was BS because it is untrue and you know it.

But, so as not to get into an argument with you I will tell you what I know. Day 1 has some skills driving (figure 8 skid pad, threshold braking exercise, serpentine) and two track sessions. There are three track sessions on Day 2 as well as autocross, a tech session, launch control exercise, electronics talk (explaining all the various drive modes, what they do and how they are used) and video analysis.

Rick Malone has been the Chief Instructor at Ron Fellows since 2006 and since that time there has never been 'classroom only' on any day. Rick's philosophy is that "the best classroom is on the track." In fact, based on feedback from students, the C8 Corvette Owners School has even less classroom time than the C7 COS.

I seriously doubt they would allow anyone to skip day 1 and then show up for day 2 without the foundation they need to do the track time. That said, why would you want to deprive yourself of any skills training? The skills exercises are worthwhile because they refresh your skills, even if you've done it before. You might even learn something new, unless you think you know everything about car control there is to know.

You do a disservice to the school and to your fellow Corvette owners when you make an untrue statement that is likely to discourage people from attending an EXTREMELY worthwhile and valuable experience. The best improvement any Corvette owner can make with regard to his or her car is to get training in performance driving. Ron Fellows puts on an exceptional program, with knowledgeable instructors in a positive learning environment. You will leave the school with a better understanding of your car's abilities and limitation, as well as your own.

 

I have gone to the Spring Mountain school six times since 2007 (first time) I have done level 1, level 2 and Owners school. My first time was before Rick became head instructor. There was never a class day that we did not get on the track - not an exercise - on the track for some track time. Even the times I went to level 2, a two day class, I also went to the day three of level 1 to "knock the rust off". Track time is king.

 

I made the statement earlier yes and next post I corrected myself "Day 1 does have times in the car, but it's just exercises mostly and no "track times" You quoted my correction but still did you read the quote? because you are still in square one and still talking about my mistake. It's been 4,5 years since I went I don't remember all the details, I just remember day 1 was boring since I had done the same thing before,(I had recordings and notes from the first time that I went and it's kind of the same) And after that I remember the details where day 1 did have times in the car and I corrected myself yet you still in square 1.

Thanks for the detailed info about the 2 days, that's very helpful I think I will attend both days for C8

I agree Rick is an awesome instructor, all of them are the facility is great, faculty is awesome too.

I also seriously doubt they would let people skip day 1 if it's their first time there or in general for tracking, but I was talking about when I went I met people who only went on day 2, they went many times before they said,( I think they do a lot of track days/HPDE), and I might also skip that if there is no track time on day 1. (I was stating a fact/observation, I wasn't telling people what to do, actually again I was trying to get some info and decide what I should do, did you read my other posts? I don't have time to keep doing this) But weren't you just there you could have asked them if people can skip day 1, I was telling about the people I met and what they said, instead of making assumption on what school would do, why don't you base it on facts. OK I stated a fact that I met 2,3 people who only showed up on day 2, and you assumed school won't allow students to do that and called my fact BS/lie, that sounds pretty ridiculous, almost BS I would say.

I didn't say anything of that sort, I was telling about the people I met and what I observed, and weather I might or might not copy them based on the info I gather here. But yeah for the people going for the first time, both days are great and you must go, the instructors are top notch, food is great, the track is great, the discount is great too. Usually you need to pay around 3400 I think instead of 1000 if you don't have a vette.

(It's like in Vegas and I am on my way to Spring Mountain COS, on the way there I drove through the strip, I saw topless showgirls, I saw people not wearing masks, I saw drivers speeding, and when I shared my spring mountain experience (not strip exp) and all of a sudden I get called a pervert, an anti-masker, a speeding demon, I think tha'ts kind of ridiculous and almost BS like.)

For the C7 COS I went in 2017, day 1 was mostly exercises in car with classroom too, skid pad, braking, downshifting, figure 8 etc. There was one track time at the end of the day but speed were limited at 40 or 50mph, instructor just wanted us to get the line correctly and get a feel of the track. Maybe every year or once awhile they change it up a bit?

 

My trip in a C7 was in 2013. First class with the C7 and first class on the East track. The Chevy Sales people were on the other track. No telling what happened between 2013 and 2021.

 

I went on March 10-11. Our instructor was Richie Hearn who raced professionally and was a 1st class instructor. This was my 3rd time and each time, it was better. Why anyone doesn't go is beyond me.

Below is a brief write up on Wikipedia:

He ran in the Toyota Atlantic championship for two seasons, winning the title in 1995. In 1996, he began driving for John Della Penna in both the IRL and Champ Car ranks. He won an IRL race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to cap off the year and was the highest finishing rookie at the Indianapolis 500, finishing 3rd.

Hearn moved full-time into Champ Car in 1997 for Della Penna with high-profile sponsor Budweiser but failed to post significant results and by 2000 was surplus for sponsored driver Norberto Fontana. He contested a few more Indy 500s, with a best result of 6th in 2002. In 2005 following the Indy 500 he retired as a driver and started Hearn Motorsports LLC that ran in the Star Mazda series. He planned to move the team into Toyota Atlantic competition in 2006. Hearn returned from retirement to qualify on Bump Day of the 2007 Indianapolis 500 in a car jointly entered by Racing Professionals and Hemelgarn Racing.

Hearn is currently a driving instructor at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch's Ron Fellows driving school.

I learned to listen and follow everything the instructors' tell you. They watch you and tell you what you did wrong. I missed too many apexes and braking points. What can I say? I'm an old guy. My girl friend Sallye was faster than all the men in our class except 1.

Below is the video of me almost going off into the gravel and Richie called me out., too. I felt honored!! I was too far away from the apex on the right and the track dropped a lot in that area, so the car lost some traction. The car's active handling saved me!

Fast forward to about 15:20.

 

@RussM05 Thanks for sharing your video. I watched the whole thing. I see the issue you were having there. You were apparently focused on the car in front of you and following them, rather than focusing on hitting the apex correctly. Most of your turn-ins were okay, but you were wide of the apex, which caused problems on exit. I saw improvement as the video progressed.

It takes a lot of focus to get it right and it can be really fatiguing when you’re just learning because you’re concentrating so hard. I bet you improved, too, as you got more experience with each session and got more familiar with the track. When you get a corner right, like you did in some in this video, no one has to tell you. You can feel it. It’s actually pretty satisfying, right?

Not sure if you track your car or plan to, but if you do you’ll get better and better and have a ball doing it.

 

You were on my favorite SM track. I like it much better than the east track.

 

I was embarrassed. I knew better. The C8 can be driven extremely aggressively but I proved it can be over driven.

This was my third trip there including one in a C7 Z06 and I was in the fastest group. I definitely was cocky. On the next drive, the last of class, I was demoted to the 2nd fastest group. But one of that group’s students left early, so there was just 2 students behind the instructor. I focused more on the hitting the apex and turn in cones. The long sweeper where I almost when in the gravel has a dip and that dip is greater the farther you’re away from the apex. Yes I was trying to catch up the the cars in front of me. The lead car was driven by Sallye, my girlfriend and I am so proud of her as she was the fastest in the fastest group. She was only 1 second slower than when the instructors drove laps. It was also her 3rd time there. She listened better than me to the instructors. By the way, that instructor also drives in the Saturday NASCAR group.

 

My wife and I both took the COS for our C7 when it only cost $2500 for her. With the new price for the second driver, we’ll pass.

 

Which NASCAR group? Lots of NASCAR on Saturday and Sunday - including Cup and Xfinity. Justin Jackson (JJ) used to drive the Truck series until the team he drove for folded

 

If it isn’t a financial deal breaker it’s worth it even at the new price. My wife wouldn’t even consider driving the C8 without me on board before the course. After completing the course she is now comfortable enough to grab the fob and take the car without me should the need arise.

On our drive West from FL I made sure she got a couple hours seat time every day (we took a leisurely 11 days to get there). That helped before the COS.