My name is Jon and I'm a "C list" driving instructor. You have never heard of me. I've never test driven any cars for a magazine or won any racing series. In fact, you may be a better driver than me all together. Im not an expert. But... My side job is pretty freaking Awesome. Im a pastor by day and driving instructor on Saturdays here in Florida.
Yeah, I'm cool and normal... and a pastor... Believe it or not... But that is another story for another day.
I have been really lucky to get the chance to do what I do. (Both on and off the track) My role as an instructor is for both rally instruction and HPDE Instruction at a motorsports park. This thread will be my attempt at giving you a taste of what it is like to do what I do and get a chance to see the cars I get to drive and instruct in. I hope to share stories, share experiences and even tell you what cars I hate and like. So follow along. It should be pretty fun. Unless its not and then you can go back to pinning things on pintrest.... Ask questions, disagree and enjoy the ride while I try to do the same thing. (Only im normally white knuckled in the passenger seat of super car with a doctor who has no idea what he is doing... yet) LOL
lll be posting about twice a month after the track days and Rally Intructions Mid week (these are rare but pay more than HPDE so I jump on them when I can).
PS. YES pastors do work during the week.
Here are some of my favorite cars I have instructed in lately.
The 3 wheeling fiero. The owner has done AutoX for a while and lots of Karting. He understood where to be on the tack very quickly but we had to work a lot of his hands. By the end of the day he really got it all sorted and was looking more and more comfortable pitching the car into turn 1 coming off the straight. This car was lightly modified and on stock suspension. The newly mounted RE-71s really made this thing stick... AND roll. It was very odd being a 240lb passenger and being lifted of the ground in the corners. It made for quite the ride. Driving the car first to show him the line and braking zones was fun, It was my first time in a fiero. It made me want to listen to the 80's hair band music that is required in a machine such as this. If the A Team had been chasing me in their van it would have been the perfect scene.
Next up are two cars that I have really enjoyed driving and instructing in. While the S2000 and the Quadrifoglio are two completely different machines they both offer a equally wonderful and rewarding driving experience that couldn't be anymore different from the other.
The owner of the S2000 purchased the car because his friend "bought one and well I had to have one too." They wanted to do track days together and found the track that I work at online. He had never done any type of High performance driving and it really showed early on. But, after lots of on and off the track and back to the "class room" it clicked. This guy now attends our track days most weekends and has dropped his lap times by more than 15 seconds over the past few months. I am madly in love with the s2000. It has officially made it on my "must own at some point" list.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is some kind of machine let me tell you. The interior reminds me of a many of the C class Mercedes that I have been in and the engine screams and garbles in ways that automatically increase your testosterone levels to something of a steroid infused Russians power lifter. There is something about this car that just feels like it shouldn't be allowed to do what it does how it does it at its size and weight. The paddle shifting was far more crisp and snappy than our outdated Lamborghini Gallardo in the pictures above. This car was awesome. I will never... I repeat... never make enough money (im ok with this aspect of my life) to afford a car like this. But I must say, if I could, I would. **Funny story about the TWO Alfa's we all assumed that the owners new each other and planned to be there at the same time when we saw them sign up on MotoSportReg... But they didn't know each other and came to the firm completely independent of one another. What are the chances of that?
One Thing I have learned is that 911's are incredible machines... One that are pushing 770ish HP must be respected. This car RIPPED. (At some point Ill share the story of the plastic surgeon that almost ended a few lives in a 911S.... NEVER LIE ABOUT YOUR TRACK EXPERIENCE)
The BMW was great, I have driven many since the recent release. Again, Big car, Big power... not really my style but I get the allure.
And finally. The most ludicrous car that I have ever driven and instructed in... the 800Hp Ariel Atom. This car was mind numbingly fast. It wanted to fly... I normally wear an open faced helmet while instructing so that my students can hear me more clearly. In this car however that was not so wise. The moment we got to about 130 on the straight away my left eye lid rolled over on itself .... We quickly went in and I changed over to my full face. What a day that was.
Meet my Love hate relationship: our Lambo for the exotic car experience. Her name is "The Porcelain Pony" It's only cool for a little while as a driver. Seats are brutally uncomfortable and at 6'1 with a helmet on I drive with a bit of a "pimp lean." But how can I complain really? I mean who gets to say they drive a Lambo for work... It's so fun to see the joy that it brings people. It is honestly one of the best parts of my job to see people filled with adrenaline after they go for a ride in one of their dream cars at well over 100mph.
