Real Driving Experience - Track/Driving Schools

[Ka3ax]

While playing amazing Forza 4 today and racing BMW M3, I stopped for a few seconds to think about my experience at BMW Performance Driving School this past January. 2.5 days of pure excitement, speed, sweat, great cars, lots of driving and... just a little time in an actual classroom.
The point of this thread is to share Your experience/stories of track days, driving schools etc.

I can start with a few pics and videos.

more here http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibayazit/sets/72157625715002351/

Videos:
BMW M3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDE1s_dJ6uI
BMW M5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oajfyi0ryPw

 

[Lamboseeker01]

Is that Driving school hard??

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

I was also wondering how many other gamers in here have actual road track time or autocross time under their belt. I started with some autocross experience about 12 years ago and then graduated to full lap road track events. Gingerman Raceway and Grattan Raceway are the 2 tracks I have attended the most.
I already built a 69 Camaro Pro Touring car for road tracking but I am also working on a 67 Fastback Mustang for road track.

This is my current Pro Touring / road track 69 Camaro. Most of the stats are in my sig.

I have hundreds of videos but here are just a couple videos from Grattan.

2. Chasing down a Porsche Boxter (video)

2. Chasing down a MR2 (video)

Gingerman raceway is a good beginner track. 11 turns, is fairly flat with little to no elevation changes and 2 straight sections that are 1/4 mile long each. Faster vehicles can hit about 100mph on the 2 straights.

Grattan raceway is simply amazing. 12 turns, many elevation changes, many blind turns, and a jump. This Michigan track is the ultimate test for a vehicle in my area. Faster cars can hit around 130mph on the 1/2 mile straight.

Also had a Porsche Cayenne driving test event about 6-7 years ago. Ran through an autocross and then did some offroad. Free and fun.

Attended another driving school but that was so long ago I hardly remember the name of it.

 

[Moglet]

The only track time I've done was in a Gallardo. It was awesome though, so much feel through the wheel and the combination of being thrown back in your seat with an explosion of sound is so addictive!

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

I actually took one of the members from GTP (Yssman) out onto the track with me in my 69 Camaro. Trying to talk Joey D into going out there too. I think eventually he will make an appearance. He might even bring his Neon out there sometime.

 

[Scaff]

I haven't been out on track for a while, but in a few previous jobs working for/with manufacturers most of my time was spent on track.

In the UK it mainly focused around the proving grounds at MIRA and TRL between which I've logged a few hundred hours. I've also worked at proving grounds in France and Germany, the names of which I have long forgotten.

Also spent time at Castle Combe, Silverstone and Truxton, again working with manufacturers.

This thread has made me once again long for jobs that wouldn't pay the bills but had great perks attached (however trying to explain to the boss how you nearly wrote off a pre-production Clio V6 I don't miss).


Scaff

 

[MagpieRacer]

Some Kart racing in 200cc Karts in local team events, done some off roading at Devils Pit in a Discovery. Other than that. Nope.

Did get a passenger ride in a Rage buggy once though, that was bloody terrifying!

 

[SkylineObsession]

I haven't done any driving schools yet (closest one is five hours north?), mainly due to cost.

There's one up in Christchurch where you pay $500+NZ and get to drive a Series 5 (or 6?) RX-7 (possibly a series 1/2/3 too?) and a Formula Ford (?) for the day.

Hope to do that one day, but again its quite expensive.

 

[lubetek]

Mountain roads are my school and I've been racing my sportbike around those twisties for many years.

Here is a picture of me up on palomar Mtn.

and another:

 

[johnn34]

Can anyone tell me about cheapest driving school in USA and which car is best in Ferrari or BMW M3?