Yes, the Mini handles great. However, where do I go to learn the handling limits of the vehicle? I would like to know how to weave through cones fast and smoothly, how to perform J-turns like a pro, how to take turns as hard as fast as possible. I don't really want to attend racing school since I doubt I'll race my naturally aspirated Clubman.

Many reply "advanced driving school". Where do you look for this list of schools? Many actually mention that too many places use "advanced driving" loosely. I've tried Mini dealers and local driving schools and none provide such classes.

I'm located in Racine,WI(15 mins south of Milwaukee)

 

The BMWCCA runs such courses, you could visit http://bmwcca.org/ find your closest chapter and see what courses they offer.

Here, our local MINI dealership organizes a similar annual event - maybe your dealership does something like that?

 

"Advanced driving schools" can mean track time, but track time isn't necessarily "racing". Most BMWCCA chapters have both HPDE (High Performance Driving Events) on tracks (which are NOT racing schools, but designed for you to feel and explore the capabilities of your car) and autocross. Autocross events often take place in large open areas such as abandoned airports and are courses created by setting series of tight cones to create various turns, slaloms, etc. I'd say autocrosses would be a good place to start.

Don't be afraid of HPDE as they're aren't about power, but teaching you about you and your car. There's one guy I've seen in a just-a-cooper at our track events that runs circles around MCS's! For newbies there is sometimes a discount, e.g. Boston BMWCCA will sometimes have full-day driving schools for $100 for first-timers. It's the best $100 you'll spend and it will introduce you to other events that your local BMWCCA chapter provides.

One of the best autocross school's out there is the Evolution Performance Driving School. They have a great little intro video on their site: http://www.evoschool.com to give you a feel for what autocross is and what you learn at a school.

To find out what's in your area, first find your local BMWCCA chapter and secondly make a post in the NAM forum for your region.

 

The St. Louis BMWCCA does a Street Survival school that is mostly exercises. Your local chapter might, too. Don't forget the Chicago club. You may also want to look into the Audi and Porsche clubs. They do driving events too that may be to your liking.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

you might find something close to u here...http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html

 

It's sometimes called Motortober or OctoberFast and not all dealership's have them, although Ian and I are lucky to be near a dealership that has a small autocross every year.

If you're a DIY kinda guy/gal you could always watch this great intro-video to car handling and then go try it yourself at your local super Wall-Mart parking lot:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7789779849418629011

DISCLAIMER: Completely kidding! Doing this would be against NAM's bylaws and is the reason to find a professional school so that you can learn safely! Notice Tiff is on private roads, not public!

 

For your area BMW CCA region is Badger Bimmers http://www.badgerbimmers.org/main/index.shtml

It's 40 bucks to be a BMW-CCA member and as a MINI owner you are welcome.

The 2009 Track Schedule is located here http://www.badgerbimmers.org/uploads...ntschedule.pdf

Check with your local region, it looks like they also run events along with the PCA. For your first event I'd stay away from NASA as frankly they are racers first with DE sessions tossed in to fill the day. Usually BMW CCA and PCA DE's are lot more focused on being teaching type events and are better for folks new at this.

You are in an area with some great tracks. Road America is one of those bucket list tracks for me.

The tracks usually offer their own schools as well. Blackhawk Farms in South Beloit, Illinois offers track days. Skip Barber runs out of Road America but they use their own cars and are usually a bit more expensive.

 

As many have mentioned, BMWCCA chapter events (track schools and autocross events/schools) are probably the best way to get started. They're far less $$$ than professional schools like Skip Barber, so you can attend a few a year and gain that much more experience and get closer to feeling and understanding YOUR car. Things like J-turns, although they look somewhat cool, involve skidding and purposely going beyond the control/limits of your car.

 

+1 on gnatsters comments, BMWCA also has the Car Control Clinics for around 100 bucks and in some regions you need to take it before the Advanced Driving School course and yes they do welcome MINIs. As for the Street Survival, I was under the impression it was sorta a car control clinic but for teens only? Also checkout BMWCCA Autocross School that is only 1 or 2 times a year. There is also Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy, just make sure you get an instructor for all your sessions. Then after you get your feet wet on track and get hooked you may want to give NASA HPDEs a try. Evo schools are..ouch, an arm and a leg $1,200-3,500 for auto-x school, a bit steep if doin it for fun-if competitive and looking for contingency $$ might be worth it, but BMWCCA has $100 autoX school.

 

Street Survival is for Teens. http://www.streetsurvival.org/index.php

 

Do a search on "gyminikhana" and see what the Pittsburgh-area club does. Or... come see us in Pittsburgh on 2/22 for our Wintry Driving Refresher at BeaveRun. Or.. check www.beaverun.com.

From Racine, you should give Road America a call. Just talk to their office staff and ask them, there are likely some options there.

Good luck - and kudos for asking!

 

thanks for suggesting the BMWCCA. Hopefully I can make their May 15th Driver School in CT, if it doesn't conflict with the firecracker's gaggle of girlfriends all getting married next year. at least I get to drive the Mini to Tennessee and Maryland

 

The Windy City Miata cluib does events and often invites the Chicago Mini Motoring Club to participate. They do autocross and car control clinics. There is also a VW club in Chicago that does a one day car control clinic that I'm going to send my teenage daughter to with her VR6 Jetta, and they said I could bring the JCW MCS along too. Seems like a friendly bunch.

 

My MA mentioned last week that the local dealership is thinking about hosting a track day in the spring, which sounds like a lot of fun. I'd love to do something like this, but one thing gives me pause: my combo of age and gender. I know younger women do these events, and some more mature men, but what about women over (ahem) 40, or even (gulp) the next milestone? Would it just be too weird for a middle-aged woman to turn up for an HPDE-type event?

 

http://www.minidriving.com/academy.asp

phil wicks driving school. they do them all around the country.. i did one at the nashville speedway in my z06.. wow.. it was a blast..

 

Absolutely not weird AT ALL. Especially in the mini club around here, we get (and enjoy) all kinds. Besides, you're a Mini owner - pretty much by definition you're comfortable in your own skin! Who cares when that skin was born? Just show up and have fun!

 

Did you see this one... https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...y-for-her.html ...it sounds like you have a little way to go until you catch up to her!

Don't fret at all; the events that I've been to hosted by my dealership are completely inclusive with a diverse set of attendees. Besides you'll probably listen better and learn more than the rest of the people there. I could only wish that my mom would want to go to an driving-school event with me!

 

Thanks, guys! I had suspected that my MA wouldn't have volunteered that info out of the blue if he hadn't thought I could do it or be welcome, but I thought I'd check.

I've "loved the corners" since I learned to drive, notorious for going miles out of my way if there's a stretch of twisties on the map. It's so wonderful to finally have a car that allows me to do well what I enjoy most about driving. Can't wait to learn how to do even more!

 

No big deal. There are some regulars here in TX in the same demographic and instruct too.

 

OH GOOD LORD, WOMAN!!!! Seriously!? You are WOMAN, You can do ANYthing!!!!! I was one of five or six women in the last Phil Wick's class in VA -- I'm only in my early 30s, but at least two other women were older than me, and one of them was in the "advanced" class and an avid racer. (I was in intermediate.) Go for it!

 

SO true... I'm sure we all feel like we're better drivers than we really are! Like Lake Wobegon, where all the women are pretty, all the men are handsome, and all the children are above average...

 

+1 for the BMW CCA schools...the BEST bang for the buck out there! The instructors are superb and you'll get all the teaching you need to become one with your car.

 

Well, you know that, and I know that, but does everyone else?

 

SHOW THEM!

 

You bet! If my school's autumn break ever coincides, I hope to make it out East for your club's autumn event. Looks like so much fun! I used to go through western PA several times a year, and would enjoy driving out there again, especially in a car that can really handle those roads.

(Sorry if I hijacked your thread, Izzy!)