I am cosidering taking a performance driving school this winter, and the Vegas schools be easier to sell to my wife. So, I am absolutely not considering anything else for now.

Options were either Derek Daley academy, which uses BMW Z3 or the new Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch which use Z06's.

http://www.springmountainmotorsports.com/

http://www.derekdaly.com/


Has anyone taken either of these, or know any other's close to Vegas. Thank you.

 

There was a good thread on Bragg-Smith's Corvette Performance Driving School posted this summer over on the GT-2 GT-3 site. That school has changed hands and is now... Spring Mountain Motor Ranch as I recall.

 

Thanks for that, a search led me to more info's and opinions, and you are correct about the change of names.

 

I did the Daly school twice ( a 5 day and a subsequent lapping day). It was a great experience (convinced me to buy a open wheel car in fact.) I'd recommend the formula car school over the Z3's. My impression was that the Z3 based course was really directed at making you a safer street driver while the formula car school is more about track driving and race skills. The formula cars have Stack data systems and after every track session you review you data with the instructor. All the lessons you'll learn in the mid engined formula car apply nicely to a rear engined 911. Plus the formula cars are far more fun to drive than a street car IMHO. If you've never driven an open wheel race car, you owe it to yourself to try it out. Believe it or not, they'll make your C4S feel sluggish.
I have no experience with the corvette based school.
P.S. The usual track is the outside road course at LV motor speedway. Lots of runoff. Only one corner with a wall. A pretty safe place if you screw up.

 

I did the 4 day Daly course too, two days in Z3's and 2 in FC's. I liked it enough, and at the price it was when I did it I think it was ok value for $$, but it is a lot more now. Their school is about 25 mins from the strip heading north.

I know that the Pahrump track, and I think maybe the 'vette school, has been bought by Radical West, and they are planning to add a Radical school, so you may well want to ring Pahrump and find out what's going on over there. I honestly enjoyed my little time the Radical more than the pretty rough old Forumla cars that Daly runs. (nb: just my opinion!) Pahrump is about 55 mins from the strip with a Valentine One!

 

I have taken some lessons from the Daly guys and I believe, at least right now, they have better instruction. The outside road course at LVMS is a little bit better and is closer to Las Vegas.

Pahrump they run Z06's and Radicals. I also do enjoy the Pahrump Spring Mountain course though it is about 70 miles from the Strip. Pahrump is famous for its legal brothels though, so that may influence you one way or the other. - Both would be good choices.

 

Do they have data aquisition, or is the instructor in the room with you? Sorry - couldn't resist.
Do they offer lapping days in the radicals? Russell lets you run one session in their Mazdas at the end of their intro school, that was a blast.

 

A little closer to Ohio
http://www.panozracingschool.com/


Road Atlanta rocks

 

Or just run the Mid-Ohio school! We use it, here @ work, for driver training... (www.midohio.com)

Then again, not quite the same extracurricular activities nearby as Vegas, and as I recall, you were looking to head over w/ wife in tow... I'm watching this thread with interest, as my wife's threatened to send me to a proper race school myself for my 30th, and a joint trip to Vegas and Daly might work well. OTOH, I've heard from another IT guy how much he preferred getting instruction in the Panoz GT's (at Road Atlanta in his case). OTOOH, the data acq in the Daly cars is appealing to the engineer in me...

 

Jeeva,
I would have liked to have driven with you again on Sunday, but I was beat! I'll bet I did 300 laps during the weekend from 1 seat or another. As Greg suggested, riding is easier than describing, and another ride with me might have helped answer some of the specific questions. I was turning 1:44. with a student passenger, in an essentially stock 993 (with PSS-9) on Kumhos
I did the DD school in Las Vegas a few years ago. The track is mediocre, but the instruction was very good, as was the Stack info available. Open wheel driving is fun too, but your car is really very capable, and you will learn how to drive it better if you use it for the school. You might consider the Mid Ohio School, because it will teach you the track you will go to most, and you can use your beautiful car, which is very sad, by the way, that you didn't take me up on my generous offer to exercise it this winter ;-).
You really did well this weekend, and I hope to see you there next Spring.

 

Chuck, good to hear from you. That's right, 1:44 with a student, I stand corrected, you were awesome.

The specific problems didn't even occur to me until I started visualzing sunday night, and this being my last DE, I just wanted to just go out there and have some fun the lasy day, my actual learning has to wait till next year, and thats a loooooong time, and thus my other post.

This other guy who took you as the instructor on his last ride said he will shave atleast another 2 or 3 seconds because of your coaching, I know...I know I should have taken you or another instructor out with me on sunday, but as I said having solo fun, won over learning..not that learning is not fun, but you know what I mean.

Chuck I am glad you liked the DD school, I will take it this winter, I am hoping to see you and LEARN from you again next season. Hopefull I can learn to rotate my car like you so eloqeuntly do. (That reminds me, rememeber that severe over-steer that you had at the carousal, was that intentional, if not, did you know all along you will be able to bring the car back to control so beautifully as you did, it was scary and asolutely thrilling and awe inspiring all at the same time.) Thanks again for your wonderful instructions.

 

Jeeva,
Thanks for all of your complements. If I got a little loose in the Carousel, I usually do a little, and I like to drive that way, but too much isn't the fastest or the most economical as far as tire wear goes. I don't remember our particular session, but remember that it was fun, and that I was trying to be smooth so you wouldn't get uncomfortable.
Your car is a little softly suspended, but is a fantastic vehicle for the road AND for the track. I was very impressed by the stability of the C4S, as well as the AMAZING brakes. You really picked up things quickly, and the difference between the morning and the afternoon was dramatic.
The Mid Ohio tape is really good. Watch it again before you come back, and you will be able to pick up where you left off.
I'm sure you'll like the DD school. It is all useful information and training, and a welcome experience in the middle of the winter, which is when I took it. Nice perks, too...

 

Skip Barber formula car school at Laguna Seca. http://www.skipbarber.com

Laguna Seca makes the Derek Daly track look like a second-rate go-kart track. Plus it's a rare wife that would say no to a Monterey, Carmel, San Francisco vacation.

If you have time left over you can zip up to the Russell school at Sears Point.

 

I agree with pig4bill's comparison of the 2 tracks. I got much more in car time at DD than I did at Skippy school at Laguna Seca. But Laguna Seca is so beautiful, and so dramatic, it is worth serious consideration. Driving there is a great learning experience, and their instruction was also very good. I was extremely frustrated by the small amount of in car time, though. Perhaps my experience is not typical. Maybe they just had an unusually large class, and had to cut our experience back. At DD, our class was much smaller, and we were in the car driving much more.

 

How much seat time do you get at Skippy School at Laguna Seca? I'd like to try Laguna Seca some time. Has anyone here done the Russell School at Sears point? How much in car time did you get? I think I can probably talk the wife into either one of those sites.