Chuck S

I've been looking for a high performance driving course I can take with my S2000. Still want to learn the car/tire limits without ending up in the trees.

Criteria:
Reasonable drive from Richmond.
Street oriented.
No roll bar requirement .

Anyone taken such a course? Mid-Ohio has (had?) one similar to this but that's an 1100 mile round trip and I'd like something closer. Not sure if they still permit the S2000 without an aftermarket roll bar. I have a current motorsports (not motorcycle) helmet if needed.

-- Chuck

lookstoomuch

I'd recommend finding a well run DE group which has an instructor and classroom program, that frequents the tracks in your geography. Roll bar requirements are track and organization specific.

I'll be attending Pitt Race with Chin weekend of May 26th / 27th which is closer than mid-Ohio, they make you sign an extra waiver if you want to drive a convertable. Looks like the novice group is sold out but you could get on a waiting list.

There's also the SCCA "Track Night" events but it's kind of a watered down track day.

Chuck S

Thanks, I'll add the venue to the list.

-- Chuck

BlueBarchetta

NASA HPDE 1 at VIR , Summit Point, or Dominion. Or NASA southeast at Roebling or Carolina Motorsports Park

Both would have a combination of classroom with on course instruction.

summitrider2012

autox imo is your best bet. inexpensive and safer than the track. cone marks can be taken off with a clay bad. wall marks on the other hand may need a little more to fix. autox drivers make good track drivers but typically not the other way around. its definitely not the same feeling of being on the track nor the same amount of seat time but its safer to push the car past its limits so you can get a feel for how far you can actually push it.

roel03

An autocross "school" would be a great learning experience before jumping on track. I've never done a track driving school, but I did several autocross schools when I was a teen.

NASA DE1 is a great program as well. Request a S2000 driver and they'll know exactly how you should drive the car.

If you want, you could also go to a NASA/Chin/etc event and one of us could give you a ridealong as well. I won't be in your region until the October VIR event, but I'll be at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

engifineer

Autox schools are great (And cheap) as mentioned. Also, if a local club does practice events/test n tunes, you can get TONS of runs for a small price, and most clubs have instructors or members happy to ride along and instruct. Low risk and typically under $50 for an event. If there is a local club, get on their forum, tell them what you are looking for and I bet people will volunteer to ride along and help. I know most autocrossers are pretty helpful people in that respect.

For track events you will have to figure out their rules for roll protection. I know that Track Night in America (not the best for learning up front since no instructors to ride along) accepts the factory roll protection in the S2k for example, but big tracks will have their own rules to abide by.

I honestly think autox is MUCH better for really learning how the car handles. While track driving is great, you are only going to push the limits so much at 100mph with potentials for hitting walls. On a well designed autocross course, you get comfortable with really pushing the car since you do not have much worry over it going wrong. If you spin out, it is likely at 60mph or less and you hit some cones. Some locations do run on tracks, so there may be chances of "going off" but still ,is likely MUCH less risky than at big track speeds. Plus, autox kind of puts the car through some of the things you see on a street, aka very abrupt maneuvers, elements that sort of resemble things like emergency lane changes, etc.

freq

SCCA TNIA provides no, as in 0 instruction.

blueosprey90

HPDE Presented by Mazda - Mid Atlantic Region - National Auto Sport Association

NASA Mid Atlantic might be a good bet. Use the link above, then the "contacts" key and send an email to the regional director or the HPDE director (bottom of the list) and ask what the mid-Atlantic policy is towards the S2000 in stock form.

NASA-NE does permit the S2000 in stock form.

Just a warning - Even if NASA says yes, VIR does not, I'm told.

engifineer

Yep, thats what I was saying