Feedback for Skip Barber school please

[MHQC]

Did a search and got some good points, but nothing that makes me say "jump in and sign up"! Already chatted with the fellow at Skip Barber (who was very nice by the way) and went over the highlights of the 2 day driving school. Sounds cool. I would really like to be able to track the car, but there is no place up here. So I will more less have to stick to drag racing, which is fine. The price tag is heavy even with the VCA discount, running around 1000$ plus airfare + hotel etc...but, if it costs 2000$ to save your life in this car it is obviously worth it. Sure would like to be able to race the car like Chuck does, just reading his posts make me want to move to Florida. You guys/gals are so lucky to have race tracks.

Got a little scare on the weekend when I shifted from 3rd to 2nd, locked the wheels just a wee bit and the car jumped out a couple of feet. Nothing major, but not a nice sensation.

Seems to be quite a few opinions on this driving school. Sure would like to hear em'.

thanks

 

[K Adelberg]

Sounds like you would really enjoy a few days at one of the schools and certainly benefit. The scare you had sounds like an improper downshift, the transmission and the engine were not synchronized. Heal toe downshifting would help this.

All the schools are good, the best being Bondurant or Skip Barber. My $0.02 is the most benefit is to be had with a "skid-car" program incorporated into your school's agenda. In addition, you will only benefit by signing up for as many days as you can afford.

Isn't there some school at the "Monte Treblanc" (Please excuse the spelling) race track? I think that is near you.

 

[Janni]

The initial Skip Barber school is fairly basic - but VERY GOOD. It teaches you things that you can apply to EVERY car, and every dirving situation - I say it's more of a street safety / accident avoidance couse as opposed to a high performance driving school. Henry and I took this way back when, when we first bought Viper #1. You spend very little time in a Viper - that time is used as a "treat", the majority of time is in a Neon and a Dakota.

Then, if you can, fairly quickly after, find a driver's ed event near you where you can bring the Viper. Maybe Hoosier Daddy can help? maybe at Watkins glen? it is very important that you get to drive in your own car so that you can start to get the feel for how the car is going to react in certain situations and where the limits are - you can do this safely in a driver's ed event - maybe Hoosier is instructing?????

That will help you gain the experience and confidence you need to keep you safe.

 

[jkracer9]

There is another school, not saying that Skip Barber is not worth or good but you need to Look into the Panoz racing school. Once you finish their 3 or 4 day school you can show up at any road coarse where they run and for a price and RACE their car. They will provide you with a Panoz car delivered to the track ready to run. You can also bring and drive your car but the Panoz car is close to a Viper set up minus some HP but still plenty fast.
The school is one of the most intense schools around and once you finish, your driving ability on a road coarse takes driving to a whole new level. Once you have enjoyed the Panoz school your street driving becomes a series of apex's.

 

[Tomer]

I took the basic one day Skip Barber school, and aside from all the Viper folks and the fun
caravan to Laguna Seca, I agree with Janni, the one day school is more about fundamentals,
and being safe in your car...Not soo much about how to go fast in your car, as in the one day we
did drive their GTS's on an autocross course, but that was not the majority of the time, and no
time is spent in your own car during the one day school...

I think the fundamentals really sink in from the one day...To this day (I took the class last July if
memory serves) when I do a little fun driving on the twisties, I always think (without trying) about
the weight transfer issues, loading and unloading front/rear wheels, do your braking/shifting in
a straight line, etc...I think it helps...

Oddly enough, couple months after the course I did a no-no and moved into the lane to my right
with a little pressue on the gas...I thought there was plenty of room to zoom ahead of the pokey traffic...

Somehow a slow poke merged into this middle lane, going VERY slow, especially since I was accelerating...
Well, onto the binders I went...Before I knew it, I was threshold braking (non ABS car) just keeping the
braking at a level where I could hear little chirps but not more...I slowed in a hurry, and avoided ramming
the car by a slim margin, but a margin nonetheless... I attribute this to the class and the thoughts being
with me...The old Tom might just have locked up the fronts in a panic..At least that is what I think, it
could all be in my mind...

Tomer

 

[Stephen Yap]

www.lecircuit.com is the website for Mont-Tremblant just north of Montreal. Call them and find out if there are any car clubs that use it and maybe you can joing them too. Mont-Tremblant also has the Jim Russell driving school.

 

[MHQC]

Thanks Janni. Always great info from you. I think I will go for it. I still only have 2000 miles under my belt; and during this short time I have realized that this is not an ordinary car...far from it. You mentioned Hoosier Daddy a couple of times. I plan on taking 3 weeks off this summer, and I would love to drive down stateside with the Viper to one of these events. I shall PM him.

K. Adelberg, you are referring to Mont. Tremblant. It is about a 4 hour hike from my place. This is my last resort due to the distance, but definately a good point.

Stephen, thanks for the link.

JK, do you have the link for the panoz?

 

[jkracer9]

Try Yahoo "Panoz", "Panoz racing shool" or maybe www.panozracing.com. I know one of these can be found, good luck and enjoy your event.

Found it
www.panozracingschool.com
Rohn

 

[SapphireGTS]

I did the Skip Barber school back when they offered formula fords (I think they offer open wheeled dodges now)

It was really fun. They put you in the car the first day and kick you out on the track. You think you are a good driver until they put you in an open wheeled car.

Pretty awesome. It was at mid ohio. I reccommend it to anyone that wants to swing the cash.

 

[Clifton Viper]

Going on a bit of a tangent here but...

How does the "Rookie"-level instruction at Viper Days compare to Skip Baber racing school?

I planned on doing Skip Barber sometime this year but would have liked to use my own car.

Thanks.

 

[Saleen-Explorer]

You can also bring and drive your car but the Panoz car is close to a Viper set up minus some HP but still plenty fast.

Do the Panoz race cars still use the dohc modular motor from the Cobra? I love that engine, sounds amazing.

I'll have to look into the Panoz school, never knew they would do that, but I have also heard from other people that that school is pretty much top notch.

A few months ago while college was in session, my friend drove up his ACR Viper to Daytona to go to the Skip Barber school, he said it was a really cool experience. They gave him a plaque and certificate/papers to take home. The funny part was he's only 19, and this was his 1st time on the track and he put a whooping on the other drivers there that were more experienced, and even hung with a few of the instructors.......they've had their ACR Viper scince 2000, so I guess driving it that long gives you some good skills lol. The instructors asked him how many times he'd been on a track, and he said this was his 1st time. He did spin out once in the Viper though, got a little to throttle happy in a corner and was soon facing the direction he came from

 

[Janni]

ViperDays will give you a much more Viper specific and higher performance driving flavor than Skip Barber. You should have a reasonable comfort level in your car, but the in-Viper instruction with instructions that drive Vipers is invaluable. You will also get more high speed / high performance time and experience, not to mention that tremendous learning that you can get just from hanging out in the pits AND mooching some rides with other drivers.

 

[Joe Dozzo]

I've had the good fortune / pleasure of doing all 3 over the past two years, Panoz school at Sebring, Barber school and ViperDays at MidAmerica.

ViperDays rookie experience was far and away the best. Downside - IF you want to call it that - is you use your own car. In my opinion, that was the BEST part. I got top flight instruction in how to drive my car.

Panoz cars were a lot of fun, but a very far cry - in one rookies opinion - from a Viper. Much lighter and felt more nimble, superb brakes but WAAAYYY down on power and for the novice in a Viper - again in my opinion - it's all about learning how to handle that power.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I did a search on www.chasinracin.com for tracks in Quebec. Is this one near you? www.atlanticmotorsportpark.com Looks like a fun track.

If you ever decide to bring your Viper down here I'd be happy to hook you up on some tracks. Sebring, Homestead, Moroso, Road Atlanta, Roebling Road. Gotta travel to get to all of them but at least they're all in a day's drive. It's a shame you don't have more tracks in your area. Good luck.

 

[GaryA]

A couple of years ago I went to Skip Barber's driving school at Laguna Seca. It was a blast! A lot of what I learned I had been practicing for years, but never knew the "science" behind it.

My only "complaint" (and not much of one) was that the instructors seemed to contradict each other on techniques. During the course you switch instructors for the various exercises and the consistency was off a little. I don't think this is really all that bad. It was well worth the time and effort for a beginner.

 

[Vipermed 97.01]

A couple of years ago I went to Skip Barber's driving school at Laguna Seca. It was a blast! A lot of what I learned I had been practicing for years, but never knew the "science" behind it.

My only "complaint" (and not much of one) was that the instructors seemed to contradict each other on techniques. During the course you switch instructors for the various exercises and the consistency was off a little. I don't think this is really all that bad. It was well worth the time and effort for a beginner.

Skip barber is a great school however i aggree with Gary as far as the contradicting goes.........Viper days is the best.It is amazing what you THINK you know about driving your Viper until you learn from the professionals.These schools in my opinion are the best,most important and should be the first Mods you do.Learn to safely handle the power you have before you add to it.