Hey guys, I'm looking into getting into autocross this spring with my new S. I've never autocrossed before (always been a big drag racing fan). Anyways, I was wondering if anybody has taken Skip Barbers Intro to racing class before? I'm planning to take the class in the spring and had a couple of questions.

Has it helped with you autocrossing? Do you feel more confident with the S after taking the class? and has helped improve your enjoyment of the S? Although this isn't my first Rear wheel drive car, it is my first rear wheel drive sports car. I've heard a lot of horror stories about inexperienced drivers getting into accidents that could have been avoided. I'm not saying i'm a bad driver but I would love to learn how to control the S2000 in high speed cornering, and how improve my overall driving experience with the S. Can't wait till spring to begin a new sport.... Autocrossing!

 

if you're geared more toward auto-x then i'd recommend going to an evolution course. awesome instructors and it's definitely geared toward auto-x. good luck

http://autocross.com/evolution/

 

Before you shell out the money for an Evolution school, look into whether any of your local clubs offer autocross novice schools. Locally we have these for around $40, and they're a lot more useful for autocross newbies than the Evolution schools since the latter are intended more for people who have been racing for a while.

Steve

 

Second the local novice school. Lots of seat time and totally dedicated to autoX and the newbie. I've taken, errr, about a half dozen of them

If after a season, you've still got the bug, then I think I'd recommend the Evolution course. I haven't taken one but am looking to do so next year.

Last would come something like Barber. Again, something I'm considering, but pretty different than autoX. And a lot more expensive, though it has its own attractions.

 

I'm going to the Skip Barber Intro to Racing Class on April 5th. I'll let you know how it is if you PM me and remind me in April. It supposed to be excellent, but I'm not so sure it would help too much specifically with AutoX. I attended Skip's 2-day Driving School when I was much younger. It was a very valuable experience for me as I was 18 back then. It's the type of stuff everyone should be require to prove they've learned to get a license: Skid Control, aggressive breaking, understanding contact patches and oversteer/understeer. The average Joe/Jane doesn't think about these things.

I've heard great things about the Evolution Schools.

Can't say I've heard a lot of AutoX horror stories. It's not really that big of a deal, just driving around cones. Lots of skill required to be good but not terribly dangerous. Personally, I suck at it but for $25 it's good cheap fun in the cockpit...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PedalFaster
Before you shell out the money for an Evolution school, look into whether any of your local clubs offer autocross novice schools.

 

I've done several schools...Skip Barber, Bondurant, Russell and they're all good.

Bondurant is in Phoenix and while you get lots of seat time, its hotter than hell and really detracts from the experience.

I did Barber once while they were in Sears Point, then later again at Laguna Seca. They have a 3 day racing course in Formula Dodge cars...fantastic. You're in the car within an hour of getting there, car control, racing lines, cornering, braking, drafting and passing are all taught and practiced and there's tons and tons of seat time. I can't recommend it enough. Its about $2800 and gives you and your woman an excuse to go to Monterey...its' a pleasurable experience, to say the least. But only do the three day racing school....otherwise, you spend a lot of time in a Neon.

With this experience under my belt, I did some autocrossing and still refuse to own anything but a RWD or AWD car to this day. Next is a drifting school, where you frequently have to extend the limits of the car and your ability...with this, you should be good enough to piss off just about everyone who drives near you. ;-)

 

What are you guys referring to when you talk about the "local novice schools" or "local clubs"? How would I find these?

 

Use this to find an Auto-X club in your area:

http://www.autocross.com/autoc/clublist.htm