Skip Barber 3 day school
09-10-2007, 09:45 PM
#1
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Skip Barber 3 day school
I am attending the Skip Barber 3 day racing school at Road America. It is my first time at Road America. We are using the 2.2 mile course used for the school.
It was cold here today and it rained all day long. We were all soaked and cold but it was a good day. We got a lot of experience in very wet conditions. I have never been in an open wheel car before on a track so that is a great new experience.
The day started with a classroom talk about car basics and dynamics. The school assumes you walk in with no experience at all. We then did an autocross in the car followed by a little more classroom and then a shifting and double clutch exercise. After that we spent the rest of the afternoon lapping in the rain and learning the dry line and the rain line.
The weather is supposed to clear up tomorrow and the next day. I will be happy to post more if people are interested. I know there has been a lot writing about schools and skippy here before…..
LJ
It was cold here today and it rained all day long. We were all soaked and cold but it was a good day. We got a lot of experience in very wet conditions. I have never been in an open wheel car before on a track so that is a great new experience.
The day started with a classroom talk about car basics and dynamics. The school assumes you walk in with no experience at all. We then did an autocross in the car followed by a little more classroom and then a shifting and double clutch exercise. After that we spent the rest of the afternoon lapping in the rain and learning the dry line and the rain line.
The weather is supposed to clear up tomorrow and the next day. I will be happy to post more if people are interested. I know there has been a lot writing about schools and skippy here before…..
LJ
09-10-2007, 10:10 PM
#2
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Do they put on dedicated rain tires or, one type for all conditions?
09-11-2007, 08:02 PM
#6
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I just finished the 2nd day of the 3 day skip barber school. Here are my thoughts in no specific order.
Before I signed up I read reviews about the instructors spending a lot of time selling other skip barber services. This has not been my experience at all. Obviously, you are in an environment where everything is skip barber but they are not over the top in anyway.
The day started with a classroom talk on threshold braking and more technical talk about the line and the proportion of cornering, braking, and accelerating in corners.
Next was a threshold braking exercise that was very good. It teaches you about the limits of the car. I spun once trying to push the car through turn 8 at Road America. I was able to stop it with the two front wheels off the pavement. Spins have not been that common in our class. Maybe that will change tomorrow
After lunch we spent more time lapping and working on threshold braking and refining the line. The instructors have done a good job of rotating responsibilities and the feedback mechanism they use for each lap works very well for me.
The weather was awesome today, albeit a little windy.
Overall, I am having a great time. So far, I recommend it highly.
To answer a question, no, they did not change tires for the rain as they run street tires on the cars during the 3 day class anyway. These are good tires to learn the car. They did have to change a few tires today because of the flat spots after the threshold braking drill
Cockpit of the cars we are using
Pit and staging area for the class. We are split into two groups. 6 cars each.
Picture of the garage area. These are the cars that are used in the advanced class. They have different bodies, wings, and an sequential gearbox. Same engine and suspension.
Car entering corner
My spin after turn 8 -
Before I signed up I read reviews about the instructors spending a lot of time selling other skip barber services. This has not been my experience at all. Obviously, you are in an environment where everything is skip barber but they are not over the top in anyway.
The day started with a classroom talk on threshold braking and more technical talk about the line and the proportion of cornering, braking, and accelerating in corners.
Next was a threshold braking exercise that was very good. It teaches you about the limits of the car. I spun once trying to push the car through turn 8 at Road America. I was able to stop it with the two front wheels off the pavement. Spins have not been that common in our class. Maybe that will change tomorrow
After lunch we spent more time lapping and working on threshold braking and refining the line. The instructors have done a good job of rotating responsibilities and the feedback mechanism they use for each lap works very well for me.
The weather was awesome today, albeit a little windy.
Overall, I am having a great time. So far, I recommend it highly.
To answer a question, no, they did not change tires for the rain as they run street tires on the cars during the 3 day class anyway. These are good tires to learn the car. They did have to change a few tires today because of the flat spots after the threshold braking drill
Cockpit of the cars we are using
Pit and staging area for the class. We are split into two groups. 6 cars each.
Picture of the garage area. These are the cars that are used in the advanced class. They have different bodies, wings, and an sequential gearbox. Same engine and suspension.
Car entering corner
My spin after turn 8 -
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09-13-2007, 07:02 AM
#10
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3rd day
I finished up the 3rd day yesterday at Road America.
Rolling start practice
- After a discussion on passing and starting procedures we spent the whole day on the track
- I got a little over 2 hours of pure track time yesterday in 30 minute increments
- I made a little contact with the car in front of me as I was working on threshold braking for the 1st corner on the short course. Total damage was like $44. They were very cool about it and kept me out there lapping. In fact, during the little graduation session I was presented with the broken nose cone as a token and a joke.
- The instructors were Paul Brand, Steve Weck and Duck Waddle. They did a very good job. The crew did a very good job too and was there for us taking care of the cars.
- The activity on the third day was awesome. We practiced two rolling starts, a restart and did a lot of open lapping sessions.
- I think it was an excellent school and certainly worth doing if you get the opportunity. I am signing up for the 2 day advanced course in November at Sebring.
Rolling start practice
09-13-2007, 07:04 AM
#11
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09-13-2007, 05:16 PM
#13
Intermediate
Wow, Duck Waddle is still there?!
He was one of my instructors at a 3-day school about ten years ago (IRP in Indianapolis). We were doing a lapping session that included threshold braking to a dead stop as we came to one of the corners, under Duck's watchful eye. As I pulled into the pits for feedback, a crew guy put the wakie-talkie down to my helmet, and Duck loudly informed me that skirts were on sale that day in the ladies' department if I was interested. Apparently I wasn't braking hard enough for Duck's taste. The crew guys had a good snicker over that.
He was one of my instructors at a 3-day school about ten years ago (IRP in Indianapolis). We were doing a lapping session that included threshold braking to a dead stop as we came to one of the corners, under Duck's watchful eye. As I pulled into the pits for feedback, a crew guy put the wakie-talkie down to my helmet, and Duck loudly informed me that skirts were on sale that day in the ladies' department if I was interested. Apparently I wasn't braking hard enough for Duck's taste. The crew guys had a good snicker over that.
09-13-2007, 10:57 PM
#14
Three Wheelin'
Wow, Duck Waddle is still there?!
He was one of my instructors at a 3-day school about ten years ago (IRP in Indianapolis). We were doing a lapping session that included threshold braking to a dead stop as we came to one of the corners, under Duck's watchful eye. As I pulled into the pits for feedback, a crew guy put the wakie-talkie down to my helmet, and Duck loudly informed me that skirts were on sale that day in the ladies' department if I was interested. Apparently I wasn't braking hard enough for Duck's taste. The crew guys had a good snicker over that.
He was one of my instructors at a 3-day school about ten years ago (IRP in Indianapolis). We were doing a lapping session that included threshold braking to a dead stop as we came to one of the corners, under Duck's watchful eye. As I pulled into the pits for feedback, a crew guy put the wakie-talkie down to my helmet, and Duck loudly informed me that skirts were on sale that day in the ladies' department if I was interested. Apparently I wasn't braking hard enough for Duck's taste. The crew guys had a good snicker over that.
Duck called me a ***** for not locking up the brakes on the first try!!
