I attended the two day PDA HPDE School this past week at Watkins Glen. All I can say is wow what a blast but scary at the same time! Just before I attened I got BC coilovers and new Parada Spec 2's installed. My car is just a Cooper and with the lowered suspension it did well on the track. I didn't know what to expect but or what my car is capable of but now I know. I'm mostly a city driver so taking turns at 60+ mph and being sucked into my seat from the G forces was amazing! The first day I was like a deer in the headlights but by the second day I was more comfortable with the track, my instructor and the routine of the school. At first everything was intimdating because I didn't know what in the world I was doing but as I progressed everything everything was coming to light, when to brake, when to accererate, when to shift, and when to turn. On numerous posts I have asked about mods and the veteran MINI drivers have all told me take a driving class before you start to modify the car. You know what? They are right! Know the limits of the car, your confidence level, and how to drive correctly before you spend thousands modifying a car. I think I will be back for another class next Spring. The old saying "its more fun to drive a slow car fast then a fast car slow" never was more true.
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07' MC R56 CR w/ reverse colored viper stripes | Premium Package | Sport Package | Cold Weather | Thule roof rack | red head & tail light trim rings | BC adjustable suspension | 17" TZ10's w/ Parada Spec 2's 15mm spacers | "redbaron"
redbaron, this sounds like a great experience. Even though I've enjoyed the heck out of my MINI thus far, I see the danger in not having had that driving class that does exactly what you said it did. Though certainly no substitute for the driving school, many years ago a state trooper came to talk at my place of employment. When he started talking about accelerating through curves to help keep control of the vehicle, I thought I heard him wrong. When I tried it, I got the feel for what he was talking about. Now, with the MINI, it works even better. Still, much as I grin when driving the MINI, I realize I still have to expect the unexpected, watch for kids and animals, etc. Strange as it sounds to me ('cuz I never would have dreamed I'd be saying this), I think I'd love to go to a driving class like the one you attended.
Yes, accelerate OUT of the turns, to be more precise. There are several driving schools and most cost about $280 a day or $480 for two. I attended the PDA (Performance Driving Association) School (nice people and well organized). Trackmasters, Sports Car Driving Association, Skip Barber, BMW CCA and Chin MotorSports are some others. Check the schedule of the track you want to attend. You need an inspection done by a NYS mechanic prior to the school, a SNELL 2000 helmet (which they can rent to you) and numbers on the car (tape will suffice). Be prepared to take everything (including floor mats) out of the car that is not bolted down because they do a tech inspection prior to going on the track. If your not prepared to go fast, beat your car up a lil' and burn a couple of thousand miles off your tires then this school is not for you. For most people attending the car they bring is their extra car that they just tinker around with and race. About half of the cars weren't street legal and came in on trailers.
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07' MC R56 CR w/ reverse colored viper stripes | Premium Package | Sport Package | Cold Weather | Thule roof rack | red head & tail light trim rings | BC adjustable suspension | 17" TZ10's w/ Parada Spec 2's 15mm spacers | "redbaron"
