I realize this has been recommended frequently, but I thought a few comments were worth it anyway.

I took phase 1 and 3 last week. Phase 1 is basics but helped me a lot. I can't say it identified anything new in concept for me, but it identified things I didn't realize what I was doing (sawing the wheel in turns, over working throttle, late turn in on slaloms,...) I learned most from when the instructors drove, which made me realize that the car would do more than I thought, as well as lines to get more out of it. Instructors were G. H. Sharp and Andy Hollis.

Phase 3 is newer. It also did me a lot of good, though not necessarily in the stated focus of the course, which deciding on the correct line. It was interesting to look over and drive alternate lines on maneuvers including alternate direction slalom and keyhole pivot, plus wide open decreasing and increasing radius turns, but I had the right idea pretty much from the start. The value for me was instructor feedback on a much more open course. 60 foot slalom and simlar speed offsets. 50-55 mph into keyhole pivot. Decreasing and increasing radius turn wound out in 2nd at the fast end. I got more experience and coaching on my phase one faults at higher speed, and learned even more from instructors on techniques, and on how much the car would do. Learned other issues that did not come out on phase 1 course such as overusing brakes, especially in recoveries.

Instructors were Andy Hollis and Rob Faulkner.

A note on instructors. Andy and G.H. drive a lot alike: smooth, tight on cones, and early inputs. Approach the edge from below and never get in trouble.

Rob is much more aggressive, later on slalom inputs and not as precise on car placement. He does go beyond the adhesion limit, but is very good at recoveries without a major event. Willing to toss car if necessary to recover. I doubt if many were noticeable to spectators, but I was surprised at what he got out of. But actually I learned a lot from him not so much from intro, but by riding then asking questions, especially on early power and recovery with minimal time loss.

Anyway, the schols are definitely worth it.

 

Heh, Rob was one of the instructors at the Phase 1 I took in Atlanta a few months ago...I would agree with your assessment that he enjoys getting the rear of the car to hang out a bit. The first time he took mine through the sweeping rights before the Chicago-box, he was ass-out and crossed up the whole way through and spent the rest of the run giggling like a little kid with a new toy .

 

Gregg,

Whatever GH saw in your car he liked - he got in touch with me about giving him a ride for the Ayer Tour.

I've had Nick Leverone (of Evolution Dialin School among other things) take a few rides in the car. He was amazed at how good the car is right out of the box (I do have a blade adjustable sway bar, JDM wheels and Hoosiers). He called it a go-cart. He asked me this past Sunday if I was going to Nationals (looking for a ride I imagine). He's hanging out in AS with an M3 - but I still can't touch him.

Etgar