Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which work?

[DougXKindCoffee]

I have only been an Autocrosser but would like very much to become qualified to Track Race. Watkins Glen is my closest track and that is probably where I will look but does anyone have any experience with any schools in the NY,NJ,PA area that they would like to comment upon? I really do not know what the usual progression of school/license/rating is. I want to get the car on the Track but I am not sure yet what hoops I must jump through.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Skip Barber operates out of Lime Rock Ct which is not far from NY. Bertil Roose operates out of Pocono which is in eastern PA, also out of VIR which is a wonderful facility and offers more weather flexibility. Go to the New Jersey Motorsports Park site and see who operates out of there--maybe no one yet-but in any case you have several choices.

 

[aeronca65t]

Try the VRG race school (for vintage) at NH in mid-May 2010.

~Click Here~ to see the 2009 form (the 2010 form will be very similar).

You do not need a fully vintage legal car to enter this school.

Sometimes, people have wondered if vintage racing is *real racing*?

Just ask me or Michael.

 

[DougXKindCoffee]

I have no doubts as to its "realness".. any racing where the cars are tryong to share the same piece of track at the same time is real enough for me. That sounds interesting.

 

[Michael Oritt]

Nial is correct in that this is one more path onto the track and it will cost much less than the schools that supply you with a car. My son did the VRG school at NHIS this past Spring and is now able to participate with all the usual vintage organizations, but he had the use of my Elva which is set up for track use and will pass tech.

Another friend's daughter did the same school in a Porsche without bars, fire supression equipment, etc. and though she did pass the school portion she could not participate in the balance of the weekend's race events because the car would not pass tech for the race sessions (her father would not loan her his Ginetta G-4!).

So perhaps Nial's suggestion is the best of both worlds and if you have access to someone's car that will pass race tech you could do a school with VRG (VSCDA also offers one I think) and then move right along into racing, though that would certainly be a relationship-tester!

As to whether or not Vintage racing is "real racing" it is certainly plenty real to me and lots of others.

 

[DougXKindCoffee]

Well... Scott raced 2 years with the car in EMRA events and was at Pocono,NJMP,and other tracks so I am assumingt the race tech passing is a moot point...as long none of it breaks between now and then.
It doesnt need a thing (other than a qualified driver). I would enjoy the school that would put an instructor in my own car with me.
Does the VRG school method put the instructor in my car with me?

 

[aeronca65t]

The VRG school is similar to the EMRA school.

If you have a seat, you can take an instructor along. If not, you do "lead-follows". Both ways work fine if you have a good classroom session mixed in.

I've taught at EMRA race schools and was the RaceChair of that organization for a while. VRG has always had excellent classroom sessions. EMRA was weak in the classroom area, but they have a new Chief Instructor who is a good guy. I expect he will probably improve the classroom quality of their schools.

I just talked to the president of VRG and he said they *may* allow cars with flares to run "conditionally". That is: you could try out an event with VRG to see if you like the group without changing your flares. If you like the group, then next time, they'd want you to have normal-sized fenders. This is not official, but he's trying to get the VRG Board to accept the idea.
When Scott ran with EMRA, there was just one other British sports car to run with if he was lucky......almost all the cars he ran with were Hondas, Golfs, etc. I know. I ran into the same thing with EMRA. Even this past weekend, with a very small turnout due to weather, I had 6 other Sprites and Spitfires to play with. On a normal vintage weekend, I'd have close to 20 similar cars to run with. Makes it much more fun.

 

[Monkeywrench]

SCCA will not recognize an EMRA license. They do recognize NASA, PCA, BMWCCA, SVRA, HSR. Keep this in mind when looking as it may limit where you can run. A SCCA license is recognized by every organization that I know of.

 

[aeronca65t]

Bob is correct.

The SCCA is the most recognized license. But you can tell they are getting concerned about other groups, because they have started to recognize the NASA license (and the others you mentioned) in recent times. This is for regional events only, I'm pretty sure.

By the way, most of the vintage racing groups (including VRG) are part of the Vintage Motorsports Council and recognize each others vintage race licenses.

 

[tr8todd]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

EMRA and COM time trials are a great way to get your feet wet. Time trial events are not as strict with their car prep rules, so it gives you a chance to get on track with a safe car. You get some instruction, and a decent amount of track time. The on track experience will go a long way if you decide to go and get the SCCA license. COM is out of Mass, but they do run at least one event at the Glen. That event usually has low attendance resulting in increased track time. The biggest factor in going SCCA road racing would be to make sure your car is built to class rules. The SCCA road racing program isn't a run what you brung type of situation the way time trials are. Attending a SCCA driver school and getting certified really isn't that big of a deal. The ordeal starts after you get the license. You need to have a plan on what car you want to run, what class you want to run in, how you are going to get your car back and forth to the track, who is going along to help at race weekends, etc.

 

[aeronca65t]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

Todd is correct. Some of the track day events run by groups like COM (Corvette Owners of Mass) are a good way to get started tpp.

You might also want to look at ~C.A.R.T.~ for some good, low-key track day events,

I've run two C.A.R.T. events (in my street Miata) in the last year. Good folks.

 

[DougXKindCoffee]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

Thanks Everyone... much good information here and I appreciate it all. I really hope to hit a school/track day that would put a very good instructor in the car with me...figuring that would be the most effective.
I guess since I am close to the Glen, checking there track schedue should let me know who runs what there and how often. I wouldnt be averse to going further for a really good school though. Track time is kety as well I know,nothing beats it

Do any of you autocross as well or is that kind of low key after wheel to wheel racing?.
How bout hill climbs, I imagine there must be quite a few in Pennsylvania.

 

[aeronca65t]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I've autocrossed the Miata with C.A.R.T and our local SCCA, but not in about 4 or 5 years.
It's fun but the amount of actual seat-time is too short for me.

Hillclimbs scare the you-know-what out of me. Too many trees, drop offs and guard rails. No room for error.

But if you're interested, ~Click Here~ for the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association Forum.

 

[tr8todd]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I started off autoxing, moved on to time trials, and finally on to SCCA road racing. Once the kids came along, I just couldn't spend the money required to continue road racing. Now that the kids are getting older, I am thinking about getting back into it. This past year I have put a ton of time and money into building a BMW 2002 for vintage racing. I still have the TR8 SCCA car ready to go as well. As much as I used to enjoy autoxing, I have only gone a couple of times since I started road racing. Standing around in a hot parking lot for a day just to get 3 or 4 minutes of seat time completely lost it's appeal. The car control skills gained autoxing carry over to road racing very well. It will give you a jump on the non autoxer competition. The opposite can't be said thou. I have seen many experienced road racers try autocrossing for the first time and make a complete fool of themselves.

 

[Twosheds]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I have seen many experienced road racers try autocrossing for the first time and make a complete fool of themselves.

I have noticed this as well. I always wonder what makes it so.

Maybe it's because cones mean different things to road racers and autocrossers:

Autocrosser - where to go

Road racer - where not to go

 

[aeronca65t]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

John:

I've seen the same thing.

I think it's because of "the line".

In road racing, you often take "the line" that give you most exit speed.
In autocross, you often take the shortest line which is quite a different thing.

 

[Twosheds]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I was trying to make a joke, Nial.

But I see your point!

 

[aeronca65t]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I was trying to make a joke, Nial.....

LOL.

When <span style="text-decoration: underline">I</span> do that, people tell me to keep my day job!

 

[Twosheds]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

I was trying to make a joke, Nial.....

LOL.

When <span style="text-decoration: underline">I</span> do that, people tell me to keep my day job!

One good thing about being a teacher - the students have to laugh at your jokes!

 

[Gearhead]

Re: Care to recommend NE Driver's Schools..which w

Bertil Roose comes to NJMP at least once a season maybe twice check track schedule also VRG SVRA EMRA NASA CART come here too or the SCCA route if you want a track day the various PCA events come here often along with a BMW club event many ways to hit the track if u can