For their high school graduation, I want to send my kids to a high performance driving school, but don't know what school. A little background on their experience:
-Got their first go kart at 6 years old
- Autocrossed a 100cc kart in Formula JR for 3 years and one two regional championships (one each year, and the one that didn't win came in second).
- Attended Drive Team driving school before getting driver's license.
- Autocrossed an STR CRX for 2 years.
They are now almost 19 years old with no tickets, accidents, or incidences of any kind. My goal is to get them out on a road course, learn some things, and have fun. I've attend a few BMWCCA schools at Mid-Ohio, but that's really my only reference. I'm thinking about doing the Mid-Ohio school, but from what I can tell from talking with them it is highly concentrated on low speed stuff with only a little on-track time (and at regulated speeds). I'm not sure that serves my purpose, but maybe it does. Anyway, I'd appreciate any suggestions. I can't afford a high dollar school or travelling far away, but it also doesn't have to be Mid-Ohio.
Does your local club have an HPDE program with a beginner level or first-timer class? That might be a good place to look.
If it doesn't have to be on a "big track", the Evolution Performance Driving School (for autocross) is excellent, I've taken that one when they came through Packwood.
BMW club's a great place to start.
Did you have them do the "Street Survival School" or the "Advanced Driving Skills School (ADSS)"? The ADSS used to be required before they let you on track, not sure if that's still in effect.
They'll get four 20-25 minute sessions on track with an instructor in car, plus one or two classroom sessions. Costs are ~$200-300 depending on the track & local chapter. I'm sure others on the board (GPS) can give you more details.
In reply to Dashpot:
It doesn't say anything on their website about needing any prior experience. I know the first time I did it, which was back in the early 90's, my only experience was kart racing and autocrossing.
Dashpot wrote:
BMW club's a great place to start.
Did you have them do the "Street Survival School" or the "Advanced Driving Skills School (ADSS)"? The ADSS used to be required before they let you on track, not sure if that's still in effect.
They'll get four 20-25 minute sessions on track with an instructor in car, plus one or two classroom sessions. Costs are ~$200-300 depending on the track & local chapter. I'm sure others on the board (GPS) can give you more details.
Having completed the Street Survival school, I think that it probably a little bit redundant for their credentials but not a bad deal at all for $75 if they want to brush up a little bit.
Here is a list of SCCA acredited schools: http://www.scca.com/clubracing/content.cfm?cid=50864
Thanks for the info, guys. Anyone else have any recommendations?
I'm going to 2nd the BMW club but I have only raced with the Buckeye chapter so I can't speak to the schools.
I have instructed for the Northern Ohio chapter and that was pretty well run.
BMWCCA tends to mother hen students a bit which for a first school at a place with as little run off as Mid-O is probably a good thing. The advice I usually give is to start with them for good solid basics and then when comfortable solo look for a place that suits your favorite version of rules. (pass-with-point, open passing, TT, w2w, etc).
NASA Mid-Atlantic runs a tight ship too but you are pretty far outside their coverage and I'm not familiar with the midwest and great lakes guys. I'm sure they are fine.
I did the One day HP school at Mid Ohio many years ago so they may have changed it since then, but. The morning was taken up with a little classroom time, then we went out, were devided up into groups and did a round robin kind of thing with the different exercises. One of the things we did was the autocross and your time in that event dictated what group you were in when we got out on the track.
Once on the track there was an instructor out front with everyone lined behind. I was in the medium group and had never been on a track before, so to me we were moving and the fast goup flew by us.
I got a lot out of the day as a whole but then your kids have more driving experience than I do.
Bravenrace is this a reward for fun for their good behavior and graduation or is this more to expand their experience at higher speeds for future competition goals? Or possibly to improve their street driving skills/safety?
Having attended McKamey/Evolution phase 1 and 2, Bondurant 4 day GP road race school, local SCCA autocross schools and regional competition licensing schools they all offer something but different value and benefits depending on what you are looking to achieve. The best value and biggest improvement overall came from Evolution school followed closely by the SCCA competition licensing school.
Okay, I looked into the BMW club event. The problem is that my kids will be in college by the time they have it. Anyone have any experience with the PDE's at the Pittsburg Int. Race Complex?
The information you have shared is helpful in improving our knowledge. I hope you continue sharing the good information from your experience. 
Ohio Driving School
