I've only had the chance one time to do a track event. Phil Wicks in Nashville. There aren't too many choices around this area for tracks. The only other event down here is a BMW event. But at $400 for two days and you get a bill if you touch the gravel. I have to pass on that one.

The time I was able to run Phil Wicks was in my stock MCS on street tires. I learned a lot about my abilities and gained more confidence in myself. I started out sweating bullets but by the days end I was running faster and smoother than I thought possible that morning. Granted I wasn't the fastest MCS on the track. My instructor did mention I did very well at running the same lines each lap and how smooth I was. Maybe I was smooth because I was so slow.

I want to be able to get more track time in this year and hope to find some good tracks. I like the road course layouts with at least a little elevation change. Any ideas around the southeast?

I don't plan to mod my car to the max and I plan to run the track on my street tires. I want to take to the track what I drive everyday so that if a situation arises, I've got the same car on the road that I learned at the track with.

 

More and audible warning. All tires give some indication before they completely give it up. As you get more experienced and you begin to slide through corners you no longer need to hear that you're approaching the limit, you simply feel it. Streets have a broader run up to breakaway. Some Rs, notably Hoosiers will let you know they're not happy and if you don't straight away honor what they're telling you, well...

IMO, there's really a simpler reason behind running street tires for the first year or two. If you can't drive streets to there limit, then what's the point of going to Rs? Sure you'll go faster, but now it will be harder for you to learn to drive at the limit as the speeds are higher, the edge is narrower and consequently more dangerous. By spending time on streets its easier to explore the limits of your car more safely.

In the brake upgrade department mentioned previously, if you can afford it, I'd hightly recommend Castrol SRF. Its expensive, but has a far higher boiling point than any of the other fluids mentioned here (all of which are good, but SRF is great). Since going to SRF, I've seriously cut the need to bleed. While the inital cost is high, it will last a full season wth a couple of bleeds. If you're lazy like me and don't want to bleed your brakes every day, its well worth the cost.

 

I attended a BMWCCA driver school at the Glen a few years ago in my old BMW 535is. With the guidance of my instructor, I had the opportunity to gradually push myself as my skill/confidence level increased over the weekend. Ultimately, I felt I gained a lot of knowledge about how to be a better driver and realized I have a long way to go to get there.

The only mods to the car were ATE super blue brake fluid and Pagid pads. Otherwise the car was bone stock with over 200k on the clock. Could I have run faster with some mods or a quicker car (ie M3 or MINI), of course, but that's not what these schools are all about. Learning how to be a better driver is and you don't need any mods to accomplish that (at least starting out).

During my last run session on the second day, there was an E36 M3 running in my group (novice "D"). As the session progressed, I noticed that I was catching up to the M3 more each turn. He was able to out accelerate me down the front and back straights, but I kept making up more ground in the turns (especially the boot) and eventually he gave me the point by to pass on the front straight. What a great feeling. While I know passing is not the object here, it proved what the instructor was saying - smooth equals fast.

Finances and a hectic schedule have kept me from doing more driver schools up till now, but I'm hoping to get back to one again this coming summer.

 

Road Atlanta & Virginia International Raceway. Both have lots of elevation change. Both offer a lot of opportunity to improve your skills while you have a blast. Road Atlanta does demand some self-control since the run-off is not especially generous, but that's more or less true everywhere. And, it's a trait you want to develop as a driver anyway.


Couldn't have said it better.

 

Pretty good advice here for anyone curious about running in a DE. The PCA schools I've been to all say much the same -- don't worry about buying $$$ go-fast parts until you've worked on your own skill. The instructors all say

1. Attend driving schools to build up your skills
1a. Get on a diet and exercise regime
2. Clean brake fluid and upgraded pads

Most n00bs don't realize just how much they have to learn and how much their cars can do in what is pretty much showroom stock form. Once you start to approach the limits with things "stock", then look at tires, suspension, engine upgrades. For going fast, your best return for initial investment is to go to the driving schools

 

One of my favorites here in the southeast is Carolina Motorsports Park http://www.carolinamotorsportspark.com/ It is just a bit northeast of Columbia, close to Kershaw, SC. It is about 5 hours for us from Knoxville but well worth the drive. Phil Wicks usually does more than one school there per season. Some elevation changes but not as much as RA......but plenty of runoff space if you make a mistake.
He usually does TGP too, closer to you, flat but still a fun little spot. I've done it with the classic Mini.