I have been looking at Skip Barber & Bondurant racing schools on the web for a Xmas present to me. I would not mind doing their school and then racing in their series a little. It doesn't look like it all that expensive to get started racing with them. Does anyone have any experience with them or offer any suggestions? I would like to do it at VIR.
Racing schools
- Thread starter Mopar488
- Start date
Have gone to Bondurant and quite a few other schools, and frankly the best out there is the school at Miller Motorsports Park in Toelle, Utah. Cindi Lux is the lead instructor , is fantastic, and the Mustang GTs are great school cars. The track is absolutely the safest major track in the US , and yet quite technical , so one learns alot. Very easy going group out there, tons of track time, and though a Mustang is definitely not a Viper, it is torquey enough that the driving style will convert over to a Snake quite well.
Run Panoz, Berti-Roos, Bondurant, Bragg-Smith ( Corvettes ), Derek Daly, etc. ( some have been sold or changed management ) , and Miller is tops. Feel free to give me a ring if you have any questions, and I guarantee wherever you go, you will have fun and learn plenty.
Bill Pemberton
Woodhouse
1-800-889-1893
Run Panoz, Berti-Roos, Bondurant, Bragg-Smith ( Corvettes ), Derek Daly, etc. ( some have been sold or changed management ) , and Miller is tops. Feel free to give me a ring if you have any questions, and I guarantee wherever you go, you will have fun and learn plenty.
Bill Pemberton
Woodhouse
1-800-889-1893
ViperGeorge
Enthusiast
Road Atlanta or VIR would be my top choices for tracks to take a school at. Miller is beautiful as well but Road Atlanta and VIR have significant elevation changes that Miller does not have. Laguna Seca would be awesome as well but I've personally never been to that track so I don't have real experience there.
I prefer a school in a car that is somewhat transferable to the Viper. The open wheel cars that Skip use are not really similar. Panoz used to do a school at Road Atlanta in a Panoz GT custom made, closed wheel, race car. That's where I first went and it was awesome. The Panoz GT looked a little like a Viper but not as fast. The Mustang GT would be another good choice.
Make sure you check deductables on damage that you may cause to the track or car. Some schools have a deductable that is around $5000 or so. That means you pay the first $5000 worth of damage for each incident. They do this to encourage you to drive within your limits. Skip had a much lower deductable.
All in all I would go for a closed wheel car like a Mustang, Corvette, or Camaro. It would be more similar to a Viper than an open wheel car. Well that's my 2 cents.
I prefer a school in a car that is somewhat transferable to the Viper. The open wheel cars that Skip use are not really similar. Panoz used to do a school at Road Atlanta in a Panoz GT custom made, closed wheel, race car. That's where I first went and it was awesome. The Panoz GT looked a little like a Viper but not as fast. The Mustang GT would be another good choice.
Make sure you check deductables on damage that you may cause to the track or car. Some schools have a deductable that is around $5000 or so. That means you pay the first $5000 worth of damage for each incident. They do this to encourage you to drive within your limits. Skip had a much lower deductable.
All in all I would go for a closed wheel car like a Mustang, Corvette, or Camaro. It would be more similar to a Viper than an open wheel car. Well that's my 2 cents.
VIPER GTSR 91
Enthusiast
The best rated by MANY including Skip Thomas favorite (of Viper Days) is Spring Mountain Racing School just outside Las Vegas. They have Corvettes inc. the ZO6. Give them a call and visit their web site. Lots of track time with excellent instructors.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
GTS Dean
Enthusiast
I've done Bondurant's 4-day school and Panoz 3 day with the Woodhouse bunch. Best performance money you will ever spend, and you can take that portable upgrade to use in every vehicle you ever drive from now-on.
I am checking on reservations at the Lodge @ VIR for this should be able to get them this early. I usually went to VIR in the past for Viper Days, but they did not have it last year and I did the SRT Experience there in July. I have checked with Narra about renting a car, but it looks like you have to run your own. I will have to work something out in the mean time. At the very least, I will be a spectator there at VIR if I cannot rent a car and try to do one of the other schools mentioned in this thread that supplies cars. I really do like VIR, especially since I drove it a little in the SRT Experience.
Check out Bertil Roos-www.racenow.com. They will be at VIR in March and June next year. They will have their 5 Day Race School on the South Course during these months, and it is excellent.
I have been to 2 of their 5 Day Schools some time ago and have raced in their series for 6 years. It is interesting talking with folks who have been at Barber and Bondurant schools and compared them to their Roos experiences. To a person, they have all said that the quality and learning value of the Roos schools exceeds what is offered by Barber and Bondurant. I have not been to either Barber or Bondurant and can not give a personal opinion on this.
Suggest you check out Roos' web site and call Dennis Machio or Don Fewkes at 1-800-722-3669 before you make a decision. I can say this-if you do Roos' 5 Day and come race with us in the Series, you will have more fun than you ever thought possible!
I have been to 2 of their 5 Day Schools some time ago and have raced in their series for 6 years. It is interesting talking with folks who have been at Barber and Bondurant schools and compared them to their Roos experiences. To a person, they have all said that the quality and learning value of the Roos schools exceeds what is offered by Barber and Bondurant. I have not been to either Barber or Bondurant and can not give a personal opinion on this.
Suggest you check out Roos' web site and call Dennis Machio or Don Fewkes at 1-800-722-3669 before you make a decision. I can say this-if you do Roos' 5 Day and come race with us in the Series, you will have more fun than you ever thought possible!
FrankBarba
Enthusiast
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Mopar488....Email me with your needs.....
I did the 3 day Barber school. I did the open wheel cars but you can do Miatas too. The open wheel cars are something you probably won't get an opportunity to drive anywhere else so take that into consideration. It's very pure driving. I thought the Barber school was great and like any other class, you'll get out of it what you put into it. The license you earn is recognized by most sanctioning organizations and you can do the arrive and drive thing if you have some money you want to spend.
