The Phil Wicks Driving Academy has the following upcoming events:

Jun. 25 Talladega Gran Prix Talladega, AL
Jul. 16 & 17 Memphis Motorsports Park Memphis, TN
Jul. 20 Nashville Super SpeedwayNashville, TN
Jul. 23 & 24 Autobahn Country Club Joliet, IL


Which one is the Nicest, best course, best oppurtunity ?

I consider them ALL good choices, but I haven't been to any of them, yet ...

 

I'd email Phil and ask him. :-)

 

They are getting ready to completely re-work the entire track at Heartland Park in Topeka next month, I guess so they can have everything optimal for the runoff's in 06. So, when the track re-opens, I think in October, that track should be an exciting new playground for our Mini's. :-)

I guess the REAL answer is, as many tracks as you can visit!

Maybe Phil Wick will book an HPDE there next season hopefully!!!

 

of your list, i've only been to nashville... however, autobahn is a brand new track that is in a country club format. so it promises to have excellent facilities. if i had to pick just one, i'd go to autobahn for sure!

check it out:

http://www.autobahncountryclub.net/

hope to see you there!

 

This is the one I'm hoping to do for my "make up" class, depending on my calendar.

 

I hope to be there as well !!! I hope we get to use the North AND South tracks ..??? That would be sweet

EDITED 06-21-2005:

Phil Wick and his Website NOW claim North Course on Saturday
SOUTH COURSE on SUNDAY !!!!

Course features include:

North Track: 1.46 Miles
South Track: 2.10 Miles
Total Track: 3.56 Miles[/font]

 

Our (not MINI) club ran a high speed autocross and a W2W race at Autobahn north over the Memorial day weekend. I could not make it. The comments I heard were;

There is no shade in the paddock, bring some shade and drinking water.

Pay attention, some of the runoffs are not the best. We had two cars totaled on runoffs.

HOWEVER;my wife and I have taken the Phil Wicks MINI Schools at Blackhawk Farms. In the Novice, or the Intermediate classes there is no excuse for running off of the track!

Our club is using the south track on October 1 and 2. I plan to be at that one!

John

 

Crikey! What kind of track event was that?

 

There were two days of events, I think the crashes were both on Day 1.

On the first day, they had "High Speed Auto Cross." This is timed trials on road race courses. On day two it was regular Wheel to Wheel road racing.

One of the cars that was destroyed was a $100,000 (U.S.D.) Viper.

I don't recall what the other one was reported to be.

The fun part is that with our sanctioning body, STOCK cars can run time trials with just a helmet, and signing your life away. It is after all just a "one car at a time" track day.

Once you modify the car out of the stock class you have to have a roll bar or roll cage. For the Wheel to Wheel stuff you need roll cages and more.

I stay in the stock class.

John

 

As an instructor for Phil, I can tell you that we have had very few problems with ANYONE leaving the track during our track days. We drive no more than 8/10th with the goal of learning something, having fun, and not damaging our cars. We also strongly discourage any form of timing. The few problems we have had is when people with street cars push to 10/10th and go off the track.

We also had a Viper totaled at Gateway two years ago. They went way too fast and deep into turn 1 and hit the tirewall hard. Vipers are notorious for being tough to drive and also easy to get into trouble.

I have done over 10 events with Phil and have enjoyed every one, with not a scatch on my MINI.

Autobahn should be awesome! Come on up and join us!

Aaron

 

I agree with Redbird:

In my opinion, at a Phil Wicks HPDE, there is less risk than on the highway getting there.

John

 

For sure! I am always more scared driving to/from the track than on it. The drive up I-55 from STL to Joliet is no picnic safety wise. At least I have the car control to get away from all the idiots out there!

 

i second that agreement. can anyone who was at autobahn when the incident occured give us more details? what turns were involved? what kind of cars? what experience level were the drivers? any additional information you can provide would be appreciated.

thanks!

 

I'm signed up for the Sunday class at Autobahn — WOO-HOO!

 

It is important to remember, this was not a school, it was Time Attack / Auto cross, time trials compettion. (SCCA calls it Solo I). The cars and Drivers were equipped for this. The drivers were pushing hard.

I was not there, but my reccollection of the description is that durring practice laps, one car lost its brakes, and went off a turn very fast.

The viper simply came in way too hot, it went into the gravel car trap, but still rolled.

This Sunday I will be with some people that were there, I will see if I can get more information, turn numbers etc.

John

 

According to my source...

The Viper went off of turn 4.

The Mustang lost its brakes and went off of turn 6.

John

 

autobahn was awesome. i can't wait to do it again!

 

Having to drive a different course each of the two days was an experience as well as a treat that just doesn't come around often. I'm so very glad I drove over for Phil Wicks Academy at Autobahn. For a new course, it's pretty nice, even though it needs more shade. I heard some instructors say it needs some hills, too, in order to make it really interesting.

 

MID-OHIO!!!!!!! You're lucky to be closer than me to my favorite track. Mid-Ohio is a blast!

 

There is a BMW CCA event there in August

 

There's one at Elkhart Lake in Sept.

 

And a Chicagoland Audi one as well if you don't want to give up your weekend!

details are here

 

Also Watkins Glen (in my former stomping grounds of Upstate NY). Hm; I've gotta go home and see Mom, anyway... :-) Road America is a TON of fun. I was there on my SV650 last year for Reg Pridmore's school after the superbike races. Turn 6 still brings a big smile to my face.

Can anyone join BMW CCA? My instructor at Autobahn this weekend indicated that I could join and take part in Porsche club events (they go to Putnam Park), but the PCA site says you have to own a Porsche to join. It seems to me, too, that the Indy BMW CCA chapter intimated "no MINIs" (although I can't verify that on their website, now; maybe it was a different club).

I think I'm going to try to do the Phil Wicks school at St. Louis in September, but Road America would be cool (at twice the driving distance, however).

 

If you live in Cincy you've gotta go to M-O; it's practically in your backyard. Tons of events held there--BMWCCA, PCA, NASA, etc.

I run there with the Allegheny, Ohio Valley and Northern Ohio PCA regions and they don't require you to own a Porsche; some other regions don't either. And I'd be shocked if the BMW chapters didn't allow Minis.......

Gary