Z06Vette.com - Corvette Z06 Forum - OT Question regarding Racing School, but I figured a bunch of you have been....

Argeiphontes · 12-17-2002, 09:35 AM

Apologies it is off-topic, but I'm trying to figure out what 3-day racing school is more widely preffered.

I'm getting a gift certificate for someone, and the two I'm looking at now are either Skip Barber at Laguna Seca or Jim Russell at Sears Point. I'd like the school to be in California.

Just wondered if any of you had gone to either, or know people who have gone to either or both, and what your/their opinions were.

I'm sure both are great, but I know different shcools tend to put their empahsis in different places (track time, classroom time, etc.)

Thanks in advance.

DJWorm · 12-17-2002, 09:38 AM

There is one around Las Vegas that uses Corvette's and Camaro's
Boundurant also has a good west Coast School. Russel and Barber are also first class operations.

CarToys · 12-17-2002, 09:57 AM

I've been to Bondurant on several occasions. They're in Phoenix. First class operation. And they're going to have Corvettes starting in 2003...

Subdriver · 12-17-2002, 10:53 AM

Probably dating myself here, but I went to Jim Russell when it was at Laguna Seca...and Ontario Motor Speedway...and Riverside. Also been to Skip Barber at Lime Rock and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Also been to the Winfield School at Paul Richard. They're all great!!!

Seriously, I don't think you could go wrong. I'd pick either based on location, car type, or follow on desires.
If all you want is the three day school, then location may be your dominant desire.
However, as mentioned above, you may want to go to Vegas and drive the Z06.
Or, you may want to spring from the three day school into a racing series. Most of the major driving schools have follow on series you can participate in. I have done Jim Russell and Skip Barber. Both were very similar series.
Which ever way you go, have fun.

DJWorm · 12-17-2002, 12:09 PM

Bragg-Smith is the school in Las Vegas and of course one of our supporting vendors, Justin Bell runs one in Florida using Z06's and Camaro's also.

phil385 · 12-17-2002, 05:25 PM

Yep Justin Bell all the way! I've been twice~

http://www.justinbellgt.com/

mark.gomez · 12-17-2002, 10:41 PM

I have heard lots of good things about the Bragg-Smith school outside of Vegas. (I know someone who took the Skip Barber class at Laguna Seca...he thought it was okay....not great....just okay...)

**FRC Tom** · 12-22-2002, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mark.gomez
I have heard lots of good things about the Bragg-Smith school outside of Vegas. (I know someone who took the Skip Barber class at Laguna Seca...he thought it was okay....not great....just okay...)

I heard that B-S is losing their GM cars.

capn37 · 10-15-2003, 11:40 PM

I went to Skip Barber at California Speedway on the July 4th weekend, and it only cost $2995, which is considerably less than their other classes. And on top of that, their were probably half the people in a normal class so we got like double the track time according to the instructors. It was awesome.

DGP · 10-17-2003, 10:23 AM

Subdriver, since you've been to the Winfield School, were you driving an F1 car? If so, how was that experience? I know there are other places to drive an F1 car, just wondering how you liked this experience.

DarkHelmet · 10-17-2003, 11:21 AM

any Bertil Roos (sp?) alumni? Good school?

FirstGear · 10-17-2003, 11:51 AM

I wnet to Bragg-Smith for the 3 day school...VERY VERY nice....at the time they had Camaro RS and Corvette Coupe as well as Z06.

I understand that right now they only have Z06 cars...which is plenty. I would highly recommend B-S.

Justin Bell according to many postings on this site as well as others has declared bankruptcy so there is no choice there.

B-S owns their own track and cars.

my 2 cents.

Subdriver · 10-17-2003, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Subdriver, since you've been to the Winfield School, were you driving an F1 car? If so, how was that experience? I know there are other places to drive an F1 car, just wondering how you liked this experience.

I wish I was driving an F1 car, but unfortunately, I was a couple of steps below that.
I went to the Winfield School the summer before joining the Navy... more years ago than I want to admit.
At the time, they were using Formula Renaults which were a few years old. The Formula Renault was a step below F3 at the time. I have no idea whether that series still exists. Been out of touch for too long.
I did have a great time at that school. Can't beat a week on the French Riviera driving a racecar during the day and spending the evenings on the beach...

Skip Barber and Jim Russell are Formula car schools that I also found excellent and they are a little closer to home.

EBZ06 · 10-19-2003, 04:14 PM

I've been to Bondurant and just finished the Level 1 course at Bragg~Smith (Oct 13-15). I think that Bragg~Smith is a better school. 6 students in my class, each in a Z06. Had more than 320 miles in the car over 3 days; almost 150 miles on the 3rd day - much of that driving as fast as I could handle.