Best driver training out there....

I'm sure some will have their favorites for one reason or another.

If you came into some money, and decided you wanted to get some of the best driver training in the U.S., where would you go?

Now, I race a door car and never plan to get into wings and things. So, if I were to go to skip barber...for instance, I would do their new miata school rather then the open wheel cars.

Now, aside from the schools we already know about...I have also considered driver coaching.

I know there are some really fast guys out there, like Jim Daniels (at least I think he does <_< ) offer one on one coaching.
I dont know how much this kind of thing costs...but might be worth it?

I&#39;m just trying to get the absolute best race training in the U.S....

Where do you guys think I should go?

Get a shifter kart and hire the services of an experienced shifter kart coach.

Richard Petty Driving Experience?

I probably wouldn&#39;t attend one of the schools and instead hire a driving coach. If I had the money, I would have someone that is an excellent driver and coach get in the passenger seat with me. Maybe Borris Said, Randy Pobst, Eric Curran, and since you said lots of money, why not go with Michael Andretti.

Team MER is starting to do some small (5 person) 2 day classes in your own car, MX-5 Cup car, or SM. Who are they? Dominated the MX-5 Cup this year, Jason Saini won the series. He and one or two other guys (I don&#39;t recall but they&#39;ve taught for 15 + years) with a great past are doing the classes. The guy can drive and knows his stuff. Caddell (&#39;06 SM Champion) drove for them in &#39;07 and finished 2nd in MX-5 Cup as well. The cost is very reasonable, much cheaper than any other option I&#39;ve seen and the instructors ability is proven. I plan on doing it next month.

I&#39;d shy away from the stock car experience-type schools. They aren&#39;t designed to teach, they are designed to tell you enough to keep from tearing up their equipment, yourself and the fellow "students".

They are great gifts for the Father, Father-in-law, crew help or whoever you want to share the fever with, but don&#39;t want driving your race car.

I say shifter kart because they are very physically and mentally demanding. They will make just about anything else you ever drive seem slow reacting and therefore &#39;easier&#39;. They are easy to transport, easy to store, practice time at the track is cheaper so you can afford a lot more of it. There is a reason many of the pros condition in them.

Here&#39;s my recommendation. Hook up with a local hotshoe who has instructing experience. Offer to let him race your car every weekend you&#39;re at the track. ECR&#39;s are great for this. In return you&#39;ll get one-on-one coaching. There is absolutely nothing that beats it. If you have DAQ in the car, all the better. Costs you nothing outside extra wear and tear on the car.

Okay, pretty much confirmed my thoughts about personal driving coaching.
From pm&#39;s I&#39;ve got and your responses on here, I think that is the way I will go.

I plan to have Data acquisition in the car in time for this....I think I will get the DL1.

thanks for all the advice.

If you want the best driving coach that you can actually hire and get, Ian Carpenter, icarp.net period.

I say hit the autocross scene for a season. Most guys who do well in autocross transfer nicely to road racing. You get great knowledge of car control and can run at the limit without breaking/hurting anything.

Then do some DE (driver education) events with some really good instructors - pick one you like who can deliver knowledge. SCCA, PCA, SCDA, EMRA, PDA are all good in the NE

Then do a Skippy school. This is a cost measured way of improving - autocrosses are less than $40 bucks for the day for about 6-8 runs. DEs get you tons of track time for about $250

A three day Skip Barber school is in the $2500 range - money well spent. On day is around $800. This may be higher since I did this 10 years ago.

I also recommend go karts, but I have an off road track with a dirt kart at the house. (no neighbors) Track time is the best teacher.

Cheers,

Ben

hey ben,
yeah, I did start out auto-x&#39;ing, back in the eighties.
Won the FL region champ. in ES back in &#39;91....then pretty much stopped. Got too busy with college, career, etc.

Got into motorcycle road racing (CCS) in 98, and did that a couple of years.

I&#39;ve only been racing my ITB car for a couple of years now...and not all that often...averaging about two races per yr.

So, I know that I havent put in enough track time to become really proficient.

but, I still feel like I&#39;ve hit a wall with my driving. I cannot see how I can go any faster.

Now, this is without data acq., so it is really just a guessing game so far as that goes <_<

I really dont plan to put anymore money into the car (unless a motor blows), until I&#39;m certain I am getting absolutely everything out of it possible.

So I am going to get some DQ and get a real wheel man to drive my car, or do some lead follow, or whatever...

At this point, I know I have some improvements to make. I just feel that they may be rather small things...little tweaks, so to speak. I&#39;m decently quick now. Just want to find that last 5% or so.

You&#39;ve got experience - going for some data aq and working with a top coach is the best play.

I never give up looking for the extra - there will always be somebody faster so I always keep pushing until I damage something, then I buy more speed!

The best thing I did was spend a LOT of money on training with pro coaches.

Read and re-read the Pobst Position articles in Sportscar. Then hire Pobst for one on one instruction at your favorite track, then your least favorite.
When you find yourself several seconds faster, consider hiring Pobst to coach me to show your gratitude :D

I am 100% convinced that video gets you the &#39;chunks&#39; of improvment and data acq gets you the last little bit.

We do a video review after every session during test days. It will show two of the most key issues - the line and where you get on the throttle. Most guys run too fast through the MIDDLE of the corner and sacrifice corner exit speed. Video is an easy way to hear and see what you need to. But just like DA, you need a fast guys input to see whats up.