Spring mountain- experienced racers?

[BimmerFan]

I'm having second thoughts about spring mountain, wanted to hear thoughts from folks who've been, who are experienced track drivers (racers, hpde, etc.). The corvette experience is a lot of basic stuff for people who have never been on track, like how to set options, check oil, use abs. I'm not sure if the cadillac experience is any better.

I'm an experienced hpde driver, instructor, and solo 1 racer. The flights, rental car, etc. are all more expensive than I had planned, plus I hate to fly these days, and I'm wondering if it's worth it.

Thoughts?

 

[rubberduck]

Like everything in life it depends on what your objectives are going into it. I look at the total experience, besides the track, the most enjoyable part was meeting and talking with a lot of nice people.

Since you’re going all the way out there, might as well take a tactical shotgun course as well.

 

[BimmerFan]

Tactical shotgun? That's a new one for me.

 

[savethemanual]

The instructors said it’s very similar to the corvette course. So if you didn’t like that it’s going to be similar but in a blackwing.

 

[BimmerFan]

The instructors said it’s very similar to the corvette course. So if you didn’t like that it’s going to be similar but in a blackwing.

Thanks.

 

[rubberduck]

Tactical shotgun? That's a new one for me.

Perfect. When you get bored at the BW school you can do something you’ll suck at. They’re right down the road from Spring Mountain.

Prairie Fire

www.prairiefire.com

 

[BimmerFan]

Perfect. When you get bored at the BW school you can do something you’ll suck at.

Yeah, well, that's a long list.

 

[Yalferd]

yeah, been looking at the costs of flying, car rental, parking, etc. and trying to decide if it's worth it for me. Right no3w, it's a toss up between flying and driving. I love to drive, even for 7-10 hours straight. I've only got 7 track days over 3 years, so I'll definitely benefit from the practice, if nothing else than from my big issue which is braking too soon.

 

[rubberduck]

Yeah, well, that's a long list.

I relate. I’m in the boat where I have a lot of hobbies I’m fair at and not many I’m exceptional at. Long range shooting is my real passion, much more so the automobiles. With vehicles in the past I seem to spend more time modding than driving. - I finally gave up on that bug with my last two cars.

 

[Deneed4spd]

I'm having second thoughts about spring mountain, wanted to hear thoughts from folks who've been, who are experienced track drivers (racers, hpde, etc.). The corvette experience is a lot of basic stuff for people who have never been on track, like how to set options, check oil, use abs. I'm not sure if the cadillac experience is any better.

I'm an experienced hpde driver, instructor, and solo 1 racer. The flights, rental car, etc. are all more expensive than I had planned, plus I hate to fly these days, and I'm wondering if it's worth it.

Thoughts?

you can gift the class to someone. Since im the first one to mention this, I call dibs!

 

[BimmerFan]

you can gift the class to someone. Since im the first one to mention this, I call dibs!

You should be able to get in, since you bought it within the past 12 months. Or by gift, do you mean my scheduled date? I'm scheduled for Feb 12, 13.

 

[Deneed4spd]

You should be able to get in, since you bought it within the past 12 months. Or by gift, do you mean my scheduled date? I'm scheduled for Feb 12, 13.

Meaning if u decide to cancel, u can just have someone use your credit to get the class for free.

 

[jbawden]

I'm going next month, 2/21-22. I have thousands of laps on west coast tracks on two wheels, but very few in a car. Now that my beard is gray, thinking 4 wheel track time is in the future. I'm taking this course as an intro to track days in a car. I think my moto experience will pay dividends on lines and the overall track experience, but I still want the education/sensory input.

 

[Andi]

As an advanced driver and instructor, you might not learn that much as it’s not 1on1 race coaching but rather lead and follow in groups of 3 or 4. That said, me and my buddy @quikag went last winter and had a blast and basically could go as fast as we wanted to in our group. The instructors are pretty laid back and once they see you’re fast and experienced they give you a longer leash.

IMHO definitely worth traveling out there for the free track time in someone else’s car and you never know you might learn something.

(Edit) you can also gift the class to friends/family I’m pretty sure. When I trade my BW for a new one I’m going to have my fiancée take the class.

 

[99sport]

It is very basic. Only cost me a tank of fuel and had a fantastic time.

You get to set the pace for 3 laps 3 times, plus you lead 3 laps in one learn the track session. So that's 9 laps flat out. The instructors will let you go as fast as you want / can when it's your turn to set the pace. If you try to fall back when slower cars are in front of you (ie not your turn to set the pace), the instructors will call you out and ask you to stay with the group - but that does vary by instructor. But you'll end up in the fastest 3 car group, so the other 2 drivers won't be that slow.

Your lap time in the learn the track session at the end of day one determines which group you start in on day 2, so make sure your PDR is on (my instructor forgot to tell us and no one in my group got lap times - I asked to be moved up, but wasn't - until my first timed session the next day got me moved to the fastest group)

The wet figure 8 is a blast (8 minutes). You won't get much out of the rest of the sessions. There's also a demo lap where you are a passenger while the instructor drives, but my lap times were faster than my instructor's demo lap. (I think for liability they aren't trying to set a super fast lap with a passenger). The cars are prepped perfectly, so if you have any doubts about your car's setup, it's worth it to see how the car works with everything dialed in.

On a pure cost analysis, if your trip is expensive, you can certainly find ways to get more / better track time for less money. On the other hand, at the school you have no tire expense, don't have to pay to prep your car with Castrol SRF and $60 diff fluid change, and you get free insurance (which is $700 per track day if you track your car at your local track) so at the V club prices (which they occasionally offer, and assuming you paid your own way and had no travel) I think it's good value. Also, you'll get to experience a new track. Finally, you bought a 100k car, so you might as well get the full ownership experience.

If you're looking at $1000 travel expense, I'd definitely go, even though it's not a ton of flat out laps. At $2k travel expense I'd still go (once), even though you can get more seat time for less money. Just tell yourself you're going for the overall experience - not just the class sessions.

Note that the above applies to someone with extensive track time. Everyone else should go regardless of cost.

 

[RRG]

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I had about 25-30 laps going as fast as I could(my first time on any track) Very nice accommodations and meals. Even learned a few things

 

[bloominguez]

Factor in a night in Las Vegas, checking out a Golden Knights hockey game, going to Hoover Dam, seeing the Grand Canyon ... that all made it more than worth it for me.

 

[FLYARMY]

Having never been on a track, I found that I did learn some stuff about the BW's. After taking the course, the one thing that I would add, is that they do have an instructor sit in the passenger seat as you drive the course. That one on one for even a few laps would have made me a drastically better driver. After two years of ownership, there is still a bunch of stuff that I need to learn about the operation of my 5 BW. My Challenger (2014) 5.7 HEMI , basically has two things to do. #1. Push the "sport mode" button and #2. Turn off traction control. Then push the gas pedal all the way down !

 

[Erving Rodriguez]

Meaning if u decide to cancel, u can just have someone use your credit to get the class for free.

I’ll take it if someone cancelled. Just bought a 4bw less than 30 days. Can I bring wifey along?

 

[Erving Rodriguez]

I'm having second thoughts about spring mountain, wanted to hear thoughts from folks who've been, who are experienced track drivers (racers, hpde, etc.). The corvette experience is a lot of basic stuff for people who have never been on track, like how to set options, check oil, use abs. I'm not sure if the cadillac experience is any better.

I'm an experienced hpde driver, instructor, and solo 1 racer. The flights, rental car, etc. are all more expensive than I had planned, plus I hate to fly these days, and I'm wondering if it's worth it.

Thoughts?

I’m with you but I’ll like to learn all features about the 4bw track edition and learn track setups or just sent it the way it came? since I’m going to do track days with it. I’m an experienced driver as well as well as full competition licensed for over a decade have and currently sprints and enduros racing southeast series with SCCA, NASA, WRL had race Randy Pobst few times , ChampCar