Well I had my day with Don on Thursday. While reading Brian's excellent write-up made the day sound fantastic it really didn't do the day justice; it was FANTASTIC

The day started meeting Don, having a cup of tea and a general chit-chat about what we wanted to learn from the day. My view was the limits of the Impreza were so high I was concerned I'd loose it and have a "big one". I got a knowing grin and a "uh-hu" from Don (who's a really nice guy!).

We went with Don and laid out the cones at Bruntingthorpe. The course laid out was a mix of violent lane change and sweeping curves. Don took us through (in my Impreza which became the training car for the day) and explained what he wanted us to do. He then got me to drive and the other "student" sat in the back. After a couple of slow laps he asked me to do a quick lap to get a baseline to measure my improvement. I was shocked that I put in a 50s lap as Don explained that he's really pleased if people leave having done a 50s lap!....... (Don was doing 47s at that stage) Well I've got to admit to a bit of a head swell Don kept egging me to go faster and faster. A couple of laps later and I had a "big one". On the violent lane change I lost it and before I new it I was doing a very nice piroutte on the grass. At the time it happened so quickly and so violently, going in a semi-straight line and then suddenly going 90 degrees to it!

Then it was my turn to sit it out while Keith (the other student) had a go in his Exige.....

It was my turn again as we did a couple of laps and had Don asking "What's the car doing now? What's it feel like is happening?"....... I was that inundated with sensations I couldn't really articulate WTF was happening, it just wasn't going round the corners

We then went through some of the physics of the tyres and the basics of steering. I wont spoil it for people but I learnt things I never new nor realised were happening to the car. It was worth it just for that!

Then I had to do another couple of "hot" laps. I'd gained a lot more confidence in the lane changes but I really was loosing time badly in the sweeping turns. Then I had another "moment" when the back of the car snapped round on me (and this is a 4WD Impreza!). Suddenly I was facing the way I'd come and I had absolutely no idea how I'd managed to end up there!!!

We then using this as an example to delve into the physics of weight transfer and the effects of it on the tyres..... and then had another bash. Bloody hell, it was amazing. The corners really seemed to be coming together but more importantly the car was behaving as I would expect it to! I'd got my times down to 47s but Don had dropped to 45s!!!

Break for lunch......

Over lunch we were having a general chit chat. I started thinking about one corner combination I couldn't get right. I explained to Don I was wondering about that corner and I got a bloody good telling off. Don's philosophy is that you should be thinking about what you want the car to do, not how to take the corner fast. If you can control the car on the limit then you'll take the corner the fastest (OK he clarified this that you need to know the line round the corner but that's simple compared to the car control!).

Back to the track......

Well things were really starting to come together now. The car was really starting to flow round the track, I was starting to get the front-back balance cracked, and slowing the car down was starting to make sense ( ). We did a couple of quick laps....... At the same corner I'd spun at earlier the back end went again.... Brain wasn't engaged though Don and I had enough time to have a brief conversation about doing a bit of steering and I caught the slide and brought the car under control! It was really amazing, an event in the morning which had seemed to happen in an instant had really taken nearly a second to come to completion! As Don explains, it only takes a moment for a human to become scared (fight/flight response) but an accident, even at 90mph, can take such a long time that you can avoid it!

Now as the penny was really starting to drop, the course was being ran in slow motion, everything was hanging together and Don and I did a couple of fast laps. Not having state of the art timing our times were identical!! I still don't believe it and I think Don was just trying to make me feel good!

Don decided it was time to really have a bit of fun. He tightened the course so that the turns were taken at a much higher speed. This had the effect of really having to bring the front-back balance into play. It was absolutely awesome, I new where I wanted the car to be and by when and at what angle, with a couple of prompts from Don it was all happening.

It was a real car ballet

At the end of the day I had a grinning Don sat beside me and I now know why he's been christened Obi-Don.

Now I've tried to steer clear of discussing the actual techniques that Don coaches you. The main thing is that you really have to have somebody sat with you who knows what they're doing and explain what it is you're feeling the car do.

What did I learn? Well the limits of the Impreza are high, but they're easily breached. On the limit the Impreza is wonderful as you can go over the limits front and back with ease and the car doesn't bite (if you know what it's going to do). However, what is more important is that I learnt that a car can be controlled and that if you know what the car is telling you a nasty incident may be avoidable. As Don says, "Get frightened later, but avoid the accident now!"

A truely awesome day, and one that I cannot recommend enough. For the price of a high-spec audio system, learning how to control the car is very cheap! I want to do it again, and again, and again.

But I'd take my quells with me next time, and clean the side windows

 

Another great report. Thanks, Andy. Glad you had a good day. Looks like Don will be becoming a site sponsor then

If you can tell us more, or go into more detail about what you learned, please do.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ade
[B]Another great report.

 

I've got to say Andy that having read yours and Brian's accounts of this course it sounds really good. I reckon you're going to find a real benefit in your daily road driving which will also have a knock on effect on track day times. This sounds like the sort of course you should do BEFORE you go to the track!

 

CT to be honest I wish I'd done this course when I'd just got the S2000. The course isn't really about the track, its about what a car (any car!) is doing at its limits. Once you understand what the limits of the car are, Don shows you how to bring the car back under control.

I took the course thinking it would be track biased. Its most definately not. If you travel on the motorway in excess of the legal limit but below the license loosing limit this course could save your life. I kid you not. I went off the "motorway" at speeds in excess of 80mph. I would have tee-boned the armco. All I did was swerve to avoid a virtual obstical. And this was in a "safe" 4WD

Not wanting to sound like the Don Palmer's fan club. But I honestly believe that everyone who drives at high speed on a motorway should take the course!!!

If I'd taken the course in the S2000 I'm sure it would have been a much harder wrentch to sell it Now all I can say is that the Impreza is such an impressive, compitent motorcar that I can't imagine selling it (car jackers and all )

 

As a matter of interest did Don pass any opinions on the S2000?

 

He said it could be a bit of a bitch, but if you knew what you were doing it was one fantastic motor.....

Unlike the Exige which I wont pass on his comments

Interestingly Don recommended a Capri as being one of the best track cars. He personally uses a first series M5!

 

LOL. No surprises there then. Perhaps that should be a banner running across the top of each page on S2ki

 

There's a real benefit on road driving as well. Today, I was out with an NSX. I won't tell the tale, but suffice to say if I hadn't done the course with Don, I'm sure I'd be writing this after an accident between my S2000 and the NSX.

Andy: I'm glad you got everything I did out of the course.

It really is that great.

-Brian.

 

Sounds like a great course to go on.

What is the waiting list like?

Often.