contango17

Anyone done this school? I'm looking to do a 3 day at laguna seca and options are limited now. Skip barber no longer offers at laguna. Would love to hear feedback if anyone has been.

CosmosMpower

Interested as well

ProCoach

I know Allen (and his talented boy) and I think his program is terrific.
He was one of the first to invest in top-level data acquisition (MoTeC) and also has GoPro video in the cars. What's better is that his staff USES these tools to accelerate the progression of their drivers in an objective way. This is more valuable (IMO) than, but also in addition to, the normal "school" subjective evaluation and speeds improvement.

Allen is a serious guy and hands-on. It's a good approach and you'd enjoy it.

fsts2k

Are there pre-reqs for the 3 day?

Class looks solid; is it run well (e.g. are logistics tight) or is there a bunch of standing around?

contango17

i called him to inquire more. No pre-reqs. For the 3 day, he said 2 hours of track time each day. I did a skip barber 2 day high performance at road atlanta and the only actual track time was during the second day. So i think 2 hours is fair?

ProCoach

Yes, more than fair, considering the feedback and information delivered outside of the car.

fsts2k

I did the three day skip barber school and thought there was enough driving. I wish I could remember how much per day but I was exhausted at nights. If 2 hours a day compares that could be good

audipwr1

What's this cost? Do they walk you through their data coaching aspect? More of an intro school or finding the last tenth?

ProCoach

This is not a powder puff school...

ProCoach

You should call him and talk to him. I haven't been through the program, but based on my conversations with him, the level of other people who have gone through his three-day programs who gave favorable reviews, I think the education can rise to the level you're capable of...

My993C2

Yes ... when Allen operated his school up here in Calgary AB.

In 2009, my first time ever driving any sort of car on a real race track was with Allen Berg's Racing School. Basically I wanted instruction on how to drive my newly purchased 993 on a race track and Allen did offer instruction on driving our road cars (more on that in a bit), but he somehow convince me to do a day of instruction first with his Formula Renault program. Yeah it cost me tons of money, but what a blast driving a real Formula car even if I was on grooved tires and had engine RPM limits enforced. The morning started off mainly as a classroom session with some minor track time with very controlled, very goal oriented instruction. Then as the day progressed, the students were allowed to open things up a little at a time on the track. Expect this sort of thing on your first day of three days, but for sure day two and three you will be allowed more freedom. Oh and Allen's Formula Renault cars are all equipped with Motec as well as GPS. So data gathering and analysis is very much part of the instruction after each stint.

The Formula Cars were a blast to drive but they were also expensive and since I wanted to learn how to drive my 911 on the track, I enrolled in another similar program that Allen's school offered where you show up with your road car. The morning is mostly classroom with some track time with the instructors in a very controlled environment. Then in the afternoon the students were allowed to open things up. After that, as a graduate of his "Road Car School", I was allowed to just show up for afternoon, pay for a slot and do open lapping sessions with his school. I did that 4 more times in 2009, about 10 times in 2010 and another 10 or so times in 2011.

In the 2011, Race City Speedway here in Calgary was permanently closing and Allen was making plans to move his school to the USA (your guys gain, my loss) I scheduled one more Advanced Driver Day in one of his Formula Renault cars. In the Advanced Day there is no class room session or controlled laps. It is basically just open lapping in the Formula Cars all day long followed by data analysis after each stint. Expect this in day two and three of your training. Not surprisingly I had shaved a good five seconds off my lap time from that very first time in the Formula Renault and this day thanks to the 40 or so open lapping days I did in my 911 with Allen's school as well as the PCA club and another club. Allen was good to me, but he also did not slack on me. At one point during this final day driving the Formula car and after analyzing data he pulled me aside and slapped my wrist (in a good way) telling me "You're not driving a 911 now, you are driving a Formula car and what works in your 911 will not work in the Formula car".

Then in 2013 I got into Kart racing and just before this I scheduled another day with Allen's Kart racing school. Allen's wasn't around for this, but he still employed experience instructors who taught me tons about how to drive a Kart.

Allen Berg is a professional. He finished 3rd to Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundell in the 1983 British Formula 3 season and he is only one of three Canuckleheads in the modern day era to ever race in F1 with the other two being Villeneuves. Of course a 4th Canucklehead is poised to join this group. I have no idea what sort of changes Allen has made to his school since I did my training with in between 2009 and 2011. I know his schools are not cheap and I have no idea how his schools compare to others. But just know that Allen knows what he is talking about. I still see Allen every once in a while in the summers as his son is now racing Karts with the Kart racing club I race with. Oh and one day I got to ride as a passenger with Allen around the track. Not surprisingly he was taking the same lines I take (why shouldn't he, he and his instructors trained me how to drive at that track), but the biggest difference between how he drove the track and how I was able to drive it was just how much smoother he was going in and exiting the corners. It was a treat.

Oh and at the end of the 2011, Allen did offer me the opportunity to use one of his Formula Renault cars in a full blown Formula Renault race. I had enough track experience with him and his school where he was going to help me get a race license, put me on slicks, turn off the engine governor and have him and his team act has my pit crew. But it wasn't the four or so thousands dollars it would cost me for the race weekend that scared me away. It was the fact that I was liable for all damages to the car regardless of who's fault it was. It would have been a blast, but I simply cannot afford to replace one of his Formula Renault cars. Allen also told me at the end of that 2011 season that I should get into Kart racing and he was spot on with that advise. Kart racing is awesome and my DD2 Kart is just like a mini formula car.

contango17

Thanks for the feedback c2. I'm likely going to pull the trigger. It's not cheap but not much more than what skip was when they offered 3 days at laguna. Sounds like it's comparable

shannonevo

I did the 3 day class at Laguna Seca with Allen Berg last year. It was an unbelievable experience. Make sure you get there early every morning for track walk with Allen. I want to go back later this year again. IM me if you have any more questions.
Also Allen is a really nice with a great group of instructors.

dennis macchio

Bertil Roos still the best school around.....and they give travel discounts.......of course I am biased.....feel free to call the school, or check us out at racenow.com........Dennis ........"doing it right"

fsts2k

Signed up for Allen Berg for Aug at Laguna.