Has anybody done a Phil Wicks school? I was thinking of signing up for one of the days at Talladega Grand Prix Track.

 

I did one at AMVIV last year. It was my first track experience and it was ok. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't super impressed either. I think for a first timer that might be nervous or uneasy about the experience, this is a good route. I wanted a little more expertise from my instructors and couldn't seem to find one that could offer that. I am not saying ALL of the instructors weren't expert racers, but the two I had did not seem to have much advice to offer to someone who had just started tracking his car. I forget exactly what happened, but the day started with some sort of organizational problem that made Phil and his helpers a little uneasy. I enjoyed watching the NAMCC racers and hanging out with other Mini owners. If you are looking for an intense day of race school, this is not it. I think its a good starting point though. It was certainly a great time!

 

Yes, I've done one. Next year I'll be doing this instead.

 

I did it last June at Summit Point Raceway. It was a good day of fun, my first time driving on a racetrack. I agree that the instruction was minimal. I would probably have had just as much fun driving it alone. For me it was worth the money.

 

I have several customers who have done it, I hope to get more involved in the next year or two myself, and already have some track experience. You WILL become addicted, and seek out more track/club events to participate in. Have fun...
--Dan

 

Talladega Gran Prix won't be as challenging or exciting as Barber but is still a huge amount of fun. There is very little elevation change but some fun spots. Some great little turns. Plus it is always extra fun to do track with lots of MINIs. Last time I was there I ran the classic Mini. They resurfaced last season so we'll get to check that out. About 75% odds that I will make the Wicks event at Little T.

Here's a sig I've used off and on from a day at TGP in little Celeste.

 

I'm not sure about this now it's about the same money as a 2 day BMW club event or a NASA event. I've signed up for the NASA event at road Atlanta and there are several at Barber's. So I'm going to give this a little more thought.

 

Roach,

As Dan said, it really is about track time. The instructors have a least driven a Mini Cooper so they understand the under steer and handling of the suspension. I did Phil Wicks at CMS this past summer. I simply enjoyed track time with a bunch of Mini Coopers. It’s nerve-racking to have yahoos in M3s and Vetts barreling down on you at every straight. Another nice thing about the Phil Wick series is being able to talk with Mini owner about every modification available for the Cooper. I literally saw every tire, shock and sway bar combination in one event. It was fun, plus Phil is a hoot!


DJD

 

i did one Phil Wick's driving school at sebring in the past year. it was a good social event (w/ 65 MINIs), but lacked as a driving school. too many cars on the track, no differentiation w/ regard to experience level, and too few instructors. only one in four cars had an instructor. one session in four w/ an instructor is not enough, particularly if you didn't get one until the final session. most instructors had no MINI experience. that is not necessarily a bad thing, IMHO, as they were qualified instructors. i have since done two HPDE's w/ PBOC at sebring and homestead. i found better instruction (one instructor for the whole weekend), more track time per $$$, and a very safe venue. i will continue to run w/ this group. we had 8 MINIs at homestead (including two instructors). it was too much fun. check out:http://www.motoringfun.com/ for some videos of the weekend (poor porsches). i will be with PBOC in sebring again in january. can't wait...

 

Got any photos of your MINI? I was there too. Pretty much in agreement, not enough instructors and I got one that knew the car 1st session and one that knew the track last session. The latter drove a boxster so he helped me get the most out of the corners and relatively low hp for Sebring. At times it was over crowded, and I know a few never even had an instructor the entire day (and these were people without any track experiance) tech inspections were glossed over the day before, 30 min of "classroom instruction" after the first session basically covered the meanings of the flags. Great social event, but utterly lacking as a driving school and safety procedures.

 

Motor On: i was the only royal gray at the event. i'm photographically challenged. i defer to my friend at Motoringfun.com for the best pics of my car: http://www.motoringfun.com/downloads...-1280x1024.jpg. before my first PBOC event, i was worried about the M3's, porches, etc. when i figured out that they couldn't hang w/ me, the drive became much more enjoyable. i've since moved up a class, but can still keep pace w/ much "faster" cars. p.s. i hope the chicago winter ends soon for you so that you can get back to the track.....

 

Amazing how much the experiences differ!
I did the class at CMP last year as well and had a blast both days. My wife was there in her's as well and it made a huge difference for her too. Maybe part of it was the excellent instructor I had and the others I managed to steal from time to time. The classroom part was very informative and it really helped that 99% of the instuctors were Mini owners! We must have also been very fortunate in the number of instuctors available, seemed to not be a shortage and most were 1 per 2 cars if not 1to1. When I needed mine he was there and when I wanted to run solo he went and helped others. Also Phil did me a real favor by reccomending that I not start in the Novice class but in the Advanced. Diane was very happy in that class and will be in it again. It worked out very well for me, I am totally hooked now and plan on being there in April (both of us).

For a Mini owner I would highly reccomend it as a starting point to learn the capabilities of yourself as well as your car.I had no Idea just what my car was capable of until the first hot lap with David behind the wheel insted of me! I have not seen the class promoted as a racing school, so I am not surprised that it wasn't. Matter of fact, would not have taken the the wife with me to that! But boy was it a fun weekend!

If you already have track experience, take the Advanced class, if not, discuss with Phil the idea of taking the Novice the 1st day and the Advanced the 2nd.

and queenB, you both had better bump those odds to 99.9% !!

I went back to CMP 2 weeks later and did a weekend with Turn One and it was a blast as well. Much more speed / perfomance event, again not in the DE class. I met some really cool people that weekend too and plan on going back there seveal times this year!

I'm already thinking of what I can get rid of to justify tires, wheels, track time....

Tim

 

I will do my best to make TGP Tim. I'm glad to see you and Diane return. I've a lot on my plate this spring with MME. Plus I have some tracks I am ready to visit again that Phil doesn't go to. Road Atlanta for one.

Lotsa MINIs on track is a beautiful site.

 

My first experience tracking my MINI was with Phil at Gateway in St. Louis. While a little chaotic at the start (the Prelude club was a part of the first day) It was a great experience. I ended up working with two instructors and really learned a lot. Each instructor's style was different but they really helped me to learn the limits of my MINI (or better yet, me). I was comfortable enough to co-drive in an SCCA event the next weekend. If you are just starting outI would recommend Phil. In fact I'm trying to figure out what weekend will work so my wife can come out too.

 

I'm not totaly sure about this, but I believe this is video from some of last years Wicks driving school. I could be wrong, but I thought I saw Webb on it at the 1 min, 50 sec mark.
http://video.google.nl/videoplay?doc...95539059738855

 

 

On another day I might be able to find a bit of humour in the posted video. Today, especially today, I feel like it demeans and diminishes the efforts of those of us who have traveled great distances and worked very hard in this program. I'll try again tomorrow.

 

I think he missed a gear and posted the wrong vid. Must have something to do with sponsorless race cars?



http://video.google.nl/videoplay?doc...95102135473664

 

I did Putnam Park with Phil in June, 2005, in my Cooper CVT, and later, in August, at Autobahn. I enjoyed both sessions, but prefer Putnam park as fas as the Cooper goes. Both were learning experiences and made me hunger for more track days.

I bought a new MCS Memorial Day weekend and took it to the track as soon as my break-in period was over. This time, however, I went with BMWCCA to Putnam Park in June. I also went with them to Mid-Ohio in August and October. I went with BMWCCA was because of schedule conflicts I couldn't resolve with Phil's schedule last summer.

Phil's schools are great and are a safe way to really get excited about tracking one's car and still being able to drive it home at the end of the school. I'm really happy to have met Phil and take his schools.

 

Stay in the damn car!
Unless, it is on fire.

 

Our Florida Weekend was not the standard from what we were told.

in our case we had 65 MINIs on the track - Phil was informed upon arrival that we were going to have to share the track with the NASA event so Novice, Intermidiate and Advanced all were on the track together. This made for a huge amount of headaches - Some people were first timers on the track and truly had a good experience, others of us had been on track before and wanted to put our MINIs through the paces with an experienced instructor riding shotgun. The logistics really screwed up the expierence for most and most that I have spoken with would not attend again it again, but have decided to go other routes, PBOC, NASA etc. All of us would agree on this - get to the track with your MINI, track time is the safest environment to see what the car can do - be it Phil Wicks or other, track time is good no matter.

 

LGNnf, I have to say that sounds like not much fun at all! I would imagine whomever double booked the track would have gotten an earfull from lots of folks, not just Phil. I am even more grateful that our experience was soooo much fun,safe, and educational. Really looking forward to April. Also looking at several other schools and venues too.... See what they started!

The 2nd track event I did at CMP few weeks later (Turn One) was an absolute blast too and I was the only MINI there. Running solo with the Vettes, M3s, Porches, RX7s etc was a ball! Anyone want to be a tire sponser? LOL Really glad Wicks was my 1st event, great MINI education!

Tim

 

Greg,

That is a LOW BLOW ... But Funny Video, I love the driver that falls out of the Bug, crazy

THE TRUTH ABOUT PHIL WICKS MINI DRIVING ACADEMY:

Phil Wick's School is a great opportunity to learn how to handle the MINI on the track and a social event for MINI owners to be proud of. An advanced track driver will be a bit out of place in the instructional classes, but the race and instructor class is a hoot to drive in.

Instruction is "loose" and requires that you make sure you get it, since the number of instructors is not as many as a typical BMW or NASA event.

I have been to 4 of the Wick's Events and have instructed at the last one.

I tried to be diligent with all my students, some took off without me onto the track, as I was just exiting the track in another students car, or in my own; always wait for your instructor if you want to learn.

FWIW, The drivers that ended up flipping their car or runnning into a tire wall were out there WITHOUT an INSTRUCTOR at the time of their mishaps at Laguna Seca, and none were instructed by me.

Phil Wicks HAS TO charge more because the turn out is very small in comparison to a NASA or PCA or BMW CCA event. He loses money on most tracks.

Keep this in mind.

Phil M.

 

It's kind of the catch-22 thing. Folks don't want to pay the fees because they're "high", so Phil needs to charge more because people don't show up. On top of that Phil shoots for a MINI track day, but not enough MINI's sign up so he has to go in with another group to get the money to pay for the track. So MINI people don't want to do the track day because the Porshe club is there too, but I'd like to think that if more MINI folks supported these events that they would become an all MINI event. Lots of fun

 

I have done Phill's and PBOC driving schools and agree with most people that either school is a blast and a great opportunity to learn about your limits and the car limits as well.

Phill Whicks: It's awesome being there with so many MINIS, Personally like it better than being mixed with other cars. Phill is a great guy so is his wife.

I think the instruction side is very limited due to the few number of instructors. I believed the more support form the community the better for him and those joining in the future.

I personally like the fact that you get different instructors and get to run alone a few times. Would I do it again?? Absolutley, if the schedulle allows me.