Driving Schools (long) part 1

[George Roffe]

This is being sent to the list in two parts since apparently SE-R Approval
is no longer a valid address.  Sorry Larry.  I'll conform when it's fixed
agian. :-)

Brady Dohrmann wrote:

>I agree that no school can substitute for real world experience...
    <snip>
>You learn a lot of basic concepts (and some complicated ones too) at
>driving schools that you can/will apply when you start racing.. stuff you
>would have never thought of before.

No doubt you will learn a lot and be able to apply it right away.  That
alone is worth the price of admission for most everyone.

>He looked at me and told me to take that money and go to some driving
>schools instead because it would make a bigger difference.
    <snip>
>I've heard it from several other people too, all of which were faster than me.

I pretty much agree.  But, not always.  Depends upon experience and a lot
of other factors.  For the vast majority of people, that holds
true.  Certainly though, there is always something to learn.

>Well for the average Joe who can't afford racing, lapping days are a
>cheaper alternative.

No question.  It is a chance to apply techniques from driving to
set-up.  When I finish building my 944 for ITS, I will for sure be going to
a DE event to learn to drive it (I haven't seriously driven a RWD car in 20
years) and learn to set it up.  Whether for racing or just to drive near
the edge, DE events are not only fun, but give you a safe environment to
try new things.

>Lapping days aren't exciting 100% for everyone.  Heck, races get boring
>sometimes too.. you're not always in the middle of a 3-wide pack going
>into a corner.

No doubt.  To be racing alone can be boring as hell.

>Well first off, I've done my share of motorsports stuff including
>Karts.  A few years after I went to Bondurant, I bought a Karting setup
>and raced for about 3 months and wasn't all that interested in it.

Yep.  Everyone is different.  Some people just don't like it because there
is no suspension, no gearbox (gearbox karts are *not* for beginners), or
they and/or their friends cannot relate.  Then, of course, there is the
fact that so many professional racers - especially F1 drivers, not only
started racing in karts, but many, Michael Schumacher and Paul Tracy for
two good examples, still race karts because they are fun and they keep them
sharp.

In my case, I no longer had interest to keep spending money on karting.  I
raced them off and on for about 8 years and got out of it what I
wanted.  It was time for me to move on.  If I was beginning again, I'd do
it again in a heartbeat.

>Nothing against Karting, but it wasn't for me.

Totally understood.  There is *no* "one size fits all" in this sport.

>Secondly, I have friends who got into racing without any previous driving
>experience and no driving schools... it took A LOT longer to get the hang
>of things and even after a year a friend of mine is still trying to grasp
>basic concepts that you don't really learn by lapping all day.

Absolutely.  But, the point you are missing that I'm trying to get across
is that with only one season of karting *most* drivers would be better off
than him.  Would they be better off than someone who has only gone to a
racing school?  Hard to say.  On one hand, karting will better prepare
someone for racing wheel-to-wheel for sure.  On the other hand, karting
doesn't do much for teaching someone to deal with suspension or
heel/toe.  Again, this is where I say go karting first and then go to
school (sell the karting stuff if need be).  You may disagree, and that's
cool.  It's just the simple fact that used karting equipment can be resold
for little to no loss that makes it a no brainer IMHO.

>He's a fast driver, but he doesn't have his ass covered in all areas,
>which is basically something they teach you at bondurant.

You're over selling again IMHO.  It will help, but not help with
wheel-to-wheel racing.  That is a *major* difference.  You *have* to be
comfortable in close quarters IMHO.  It takes experience.  You can get it
in cars, but it comes quicker in karts.

You could take someone who does nothing but DE events and sets lap records
and put them in a Speedvision Cup car and most likely they will not be able
to deal with close quarters and attendant bumping and banging.  Do not
underestimate this.

>The point of driver's schools is to learn how to drive better <snip>, not
>show up a bunch of beginners.

True.  But the higher up the curve you start, the bigger advantage you will
carry with you.  That doesn't mean someone cannot improve beyond you, but
it's like anything in life - try to get as much head start as possible.

Also, it *is* important at many schools.  Many schools have scholarship
programs.  At Spenard, the best student at each school (usually the
fastest)  got invited back at the end of the year for a scholarship
run-off.  That alone is worth about $700+ up front and could be worth more
if you win additional scholarship.  FWIW, I don't think I would attend a
school that *didn't* have a scholarship program.  You never know where it
could lead.  Hell, David Empringham got his start *exactly* this way.