I am taking delivery of my S2000 (red) this saturday. I still have time until I brake it in nicely, but I wanna be ready when the car is. I Live in Louisville, Kentucky (2.5 hrs south on Indianapolis). Anybody knows or recommends a good Performance driving school around here? Are they really worth it?

3 Days for Delivery.

 

Putnum Park in Indy. I don't know what club you should go. But, always check do they allow open top cars. Most of car clubs do not. For example, BMWCCA will not allow open top cars unless you have a SCCA rollbar. Your best chance will go with Porsche club. They have much more Boxters than 911. Otherwise, you are too far south to get into my tiny brain for track days.

Good luck.

 

Yikes, another Red S2000 in my general area! Sigh...at least its not like Cary, NC where you see one daily.

My suggestion: check for spacers in the springs- Neil Huffman Automotive group didn't remove mine. (though it was their Clarksville dealer)

I'd also suggest parking in a garage until about mid March. The S2000 doesn't like these Kentuckiana wet/cold roads and when you drive over that salt on the road you'll hear it hit the wheel wells in the back- very unsettling.

As far as driving schools- there is the driving school of hard knocks I too was looking for something local, but didn't find anything. I'd drive it for a while through the break-in period and get used to the handling and then spend some time on back roads. I took a few trips through the mountains of North Carolina...very fun.

If you find a driving school, or even an open track or skid pad you can rent time on, please let me know. I've thought about looking for some parking lots or truck driving schools and asking if I could spend some time on their parking lot course getting used to the handling.

-B

 

no idea about what schools are in that area.

"are they worth it?"
yes. totally. completely. best money you will spend.

 

I heard a friend mention the Mid Ohio School of Racing. But they teach you to drive open wheel racing cars. Must be fun, but, is that the same thing people here talk about? As I undertood from the Forum, people actually take their cars and learn on them, am I rignt? Will that make any difference? Which one should I take? (probably both, he, he).

bguernsey: whatever I find, I'll keep you posted. Please do the same.

2 Days for Delivery

 

I checked the Mid-Ohio's web site and its not only open wheel racing: http://www.midohioschool.com/

They apparently train you in Honda Accords and are SCCA accredited. I also believe if you spoke to them in advance they might be willing to do some training in your own car...they have a contact page on the web site where you can send email.

-B

 

Actually, I just saw that they will let you use your car on the course...in fact it is cheaper :-)

"Morning Session-
Classroom sessions discuss the physics and dynamics of driving
Wet braking drills
Cornering drills through a series of turns on the racetrack
Car control exercises with the skid car
Skid car drills

Afternoon Session-
Single-file, full-course lapping
Autocross competition
Cost:
$600 with your car
$725 with the Honda Accord"

Looks like a decent school and the track seems pretty cool.

-B

 

bguernsey: Excellent!!
I guess I'll wait 'til the weather warms up some. I have to wait to break my car in anyway. Thanks man.
If you plan to do it now. let me know how it went. If not, I'll let you know. Otherwise we can go together.
Will tell you when my beauty is ready.

2 Days for Delivery!

 

Well apparently the first session of classes don't begin until April and March.

They offer 2 and 3 day High performance driving classes. And apparently you can also just come and do laps for a fee. The 1 day classes are for learning accident avoidance.

I didn't notice the different options, but the 2 day courses are around $1200. The 3 day program basically adds a day of lapping for about $600. I'd check out their site...

-B

 

I'm still interested in do something like this - around here, it's the Skip Barber school at RoadAmerica in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin that's available for a variety of classes.

At first I thought that I wouldn't consider any course unless I drove my own S2000. But gradually, the more I thought, I decided I'd rather experiment on THEIR vehicle, pushing it as hard as my inexperienced skills could go, letting their vehicle absorb whatever abuse I generated. Then, after I had learned some finer points of high performance driving, put those skills to use on my car. It seemed to me obvious that that is the way to go. I've only become more convinced I'm right with time.

Still haven't taken the course, though. Looking for a sugar daddy to post the tuition.