Driving school recommendations

[denverizzles]

Can anyone recommend a good driving school located in the Chicago area? Obviously, with this car I'm looking to learn how to drift properly, but would like to start at ground zero, just to ensure I have no developed any bad habits.

thanks,
D

[Lee358]

Travel a little go to a skip barber school

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Lee358

Travel a little go to a skip barber school

AFAIK Skip Barber doesn't teach drifting.. I have no idea who does though.

[Lee358]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

AFAIK Skip Barber doesn't teach drifting.. I have no idea who does though.

They dont but they teach the fundamentals of driving properly which i feel you need before you can go out to a school and learn to drift. Op also stated he was loking to learn to drive then drift.

[Dave-ROR]

True.. expensive for what you get. Seat time at DEs with good instructions is a better value IMO but :shrug:

[Lee358]

How would one go about getting seat time at a DE

[denverizzles]

what is DE?

[ATL BRZ]

Originally Posted by denverizzles

what is DE?

http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/

http://www.pca.org/Activities/DriverEducation.aspx

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Lee358

How would one go about getting seat time at a DE

Find local groups that run there.

For the OP, he's very close to Autobahn Country Club (which is a fantastic track) and within an pretty easy drive of Putnam Park (IN), Gingerman (MI), Grattan (MI) and Road America (WI).

You can check out track calendars or just call the tracks and ask for a list of clubs that run there.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by denverizzles

what is DE?

Links already posted, but it's an HPDE is a High Performance Driver Education event. Basically an event that allows you to run your car on road courses. If you are a novice you'll get an instructor until you are eventually signed off as a solo driver.

They are a ton of fun.

[sickmint79]

Originally Posted by denverizzles

Can anyone recommend a good driving school located in the Chicago area? Obviously, with this car I'm looking to learn how to drift properly, but would like to start at ground zero, just to ensure I have no developed any bad habits.

thanks,
D

of course you already have bad driving habits, they started teaching you them before you even got into a car. 10 and 2 ?

i haven't done any private schools, have done private track days (there's a link to an autobahn south one hosted by ams already posted on this board) and have done bmw club days. in chicagoland the clubs do a lot of autocrosses (bmw, audi, vw, miata, salt creek) and also a fair amount of hpde (high performance driving experience) days. these typically cost more than a normal track day. bmw has a great reputation for them. audi has really held a lot more in recent years. dunno if vw or miata do nearly as much among them.

bmw will have you go to class for a session, drive for a session, then rest. in class you talk about how to do things. in the car you'll (always) have an instructor, and you'll be both plugged into something so you can talk easily to eachother. it's a really good way to do your first on-track event. there are novice, intermediate and advanced classes and i think they do a good job about slotting people.

mvp track time and i think some others are private schools out there. never done but are probably pretty good.

open track days (like the ams one) don't do the class thing. there will be an intro thing for novice but it's not nearly the same. instructors are available, but at bmw club you probably get a guy who has been instructing for a decade and has a race history record. at private days like this it seems more likely you're getting someone that has just tracked a decent amount. they are not as plentiful and they certainly aren't required to be with you each session, although i think it is good to have one for a novice. the classing is self selection so it can be a bit choppy, ie. guy who has never driven on a track before says i think i'm pretty fast, i've modded my evo too - intermediate! then they go up there and range from being a roadblock to being a danger for themselves and others.

gingerman is easy to get on with their weekday 6-9 test and tune. i will probably take my brz there after i pick it up soon enough. i haven't been on the new layout or tracked much in recent years. i believe this track was originally designed for motorcycles? it's fun and known as being pretty novice safe. it's a fun track.

i believe the same guy designed autobahn, which is divided into south and north loops and can be combined for full. the upcoming day is for the south - most private organizations seem to get south. i think it's more fun so that's cool. occasionally you can get on full. it's a wider track and also pretty novice safe too.

[ubersoph]

Here's a Chicago area HPDE

http://www.amsperformance.com/cart/a...-8th-2012.html

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by sickmint79

i believe the same guy designed autobahn, which is divided into south and north loops and can be combined for full. the upcoming day is for the south - most private organizations seem to get south. i think it's more fun so that's cool. occasionally you can get on full. it's a wider track and also pretty novice safe too.

Yeah they keep North for the members and rent south to clubs often. We've run events there at south and full.. I greatly prefer the full course.

[icemang17]

I am not familiar with your area......and only a little bit with drifting...my experience is mostly with DE (drivers education) & racing......my home track Thunderhill in northern CA offers LOTS of drifting events...... Many offer lessons where you rent one of their cars & they water down the skidpad.....great guys and offer a great event.....I have seen the improvement their new drivers make 1st hand, since my shop is right across from the skidpad..... in the morning, its quite funny....lots of sad drifts and spins.....end of the day, sweet drifts and hardly any spins

If you are interested in a trip to cali...I can give you their contact info