[Zack46]

I've never driven a car on a track before. But, I want to learn. It looks like a lot of fun..........

A Few Questions:

1. Are There Any Good Performance/Track Driving Schools In Ohio?

2. Skip Barber Driving School?

3. What are some things I need to master while learning to drive on a track?

4. How does car insurance play into track driving? If you wreck or damage your car while on the track, are you still covered?

5. How does the Camaro fair on the track versus other performance sports cars?



Thanks!!




Need Advice....

[JeromeS13]

1. Mid-Ohio Driving School: http://www.midohio.com/school
Also, if you're looking to learn in YOUR car, look into NASA HPDE: http://nasagreatlakes.com/Schedule.aspx http://nasagreatlakes.com/DriverGroups/HPDE.aspx

2. Not sure.

3. Seat time. Just drive as much as you can. You'll learn. Be patient. LISTEN to everything your instructor says.

4. Most regular insurance policies will not cover damage at a track. However, there are specific policies that you can purchase for track weekends.

5. 6th Gen does pretty well.

[TimmyTurner]

One word....
Talladega Nights.


In all seriousness, I went to Summit Point in west virginia and drove around in some really, really fast cars. Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari 458 Italia, and Lambo Huracan. Got the videos somewhere...I must say...it was a rush and man it made me want to buy a supercharger and headers and turbo and NOS warp-speed for my 2016 Camaro.

My wife bought the race package, thinking that it would kind of squash the inner feeling of wanting to go faster...but damn....it made it worse. Hah. Nothing like driving a super-machine on a track and putting the pedal to the floor.

[00 Trans Ram]

For the first few times at a track, an instructor will really be able to help you. You do NOT want to pick up bad habits and then have to unlearn them.

If possible, try to request an instructor who is familiar with your car. Perhaps not a 6th-Gen specifically, but something with RWD and high-hp.

Also, modify your goals for track driving at first. You don't want to see how fast you can go. The goals are to learn your car, and learn the track. Going fast will come if you can do those 2 things.

As for learning your car, also try to make some autox events. Among many other great lessons to be learned there, you learn what your car feels like when it's a) about to lose grip, b) losing grip, and c) has lost grip. I drove the same 4th gen chassis (different cars, though) from 1995-2010. By my 2008 road race season, I could drive the car by feel and smell.

As has been stated previously, get as much seat time as you can. Eventually, you may want to invest in dedicated track brake pads or tires, but for now, don't do that. Just drive the car as it's driven on the street.

Lastly, if you are worried about wrecking, remember these words - "Slow in, fast out." Basically, slow down more than necessary for a corner (I mean 5-10mph slower than you think you should - not 30mph slower). This allows you to take the corner safely without fear of spinning out. But, it also allows you to point the car exactly where you want to exit.

Not only is this safer, it's faster! After all, would you rather carry an extra 5mph through a 100'-long turn, or an extra 5mph down that 1/3-mile straight?!!

(Srsly - look up those NASA events. I'm a PCA-certified instructor, and we do the NASA events here at NOLA Motorsports. They are great people!)

[MiamiBlueCamaro]

Good info here:
https://youtu.be/xsMMPHMEtL0

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by Zack46

I've never driven a car on a track before. But, I want to learn. It looks like a lot of fun..........

A Few Questions:

1. Are There Any Good Performance/Track Driving Schools In Ohio?

2. Skip Barber Driving School?

3. What are some things I need to master while learning to drive on a track?

4. How does car insurance play into track driving? If you wreck or damage your car while on the track, are you still covered?

5. How does the Camaro fair on the track versus other performance sports cars?



Thanks!!




Need Advice....

This came to me highly by Becky. She loves this track and praised their instructors. Good enough for me as my wife has been wanting to do this. So I have signed her up for May. She will be in the novice class (requires instructor) and includes a lot of seat time. She is wanting to learn to drive the car better and improve her skills. Maybe it will be the start of something fun for us, but all I know, she is looking forward to it.

It's Gingerman Racway in MI. is where they run. https://cgimotorsports.configio.com/...uctlist&srch=t

[jaymsu]

1/2. Performance driving school in Ohio: Mid-Ohio has driving school with Acura/Honda cars, like Jerome mentioned. If you are not after getting comp. license, you don't really have to go to school though - most of track day organizers provide novice class lesson with instructors. They will teach you all the basic manners/rules you need to follow and basic car control on track.
A few groups that are not too far from you:
3ballsracing.com (group I go to track with most of time. fantastic group)
www.1010thsmotorsports.com
http://www.cgimotorsports.com/
Or NASA's HPDE https://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/
Those are just a few examples.
Also there are several tracks not to far from you (Mid-O, PittRace, 3 tracks in MI - Waterford, Grattan, Gingerman.....)

3. What you need to master at track: You'll learn all you need to learn from your instructors/peers and from your experience. Don't set your goal too high for first event. Just go out and enjoy a day. You'll master driving techniques gradually as you get more seat time.

4. Most of car insurances won't cover you on track I believe. There are insurance specifically covering HPDE days. However, they are quite pricey (a few hundred dollars per day I think...) so many (if not most) track rats run without it.

5. Camaro fairs pretty well on track. It's a heavy car but very well composed, and behaves well overall.
BUT, "How competitive Camaro will be" is not what you need to think about as novice driver on track. I've passed 458 Italia on track and been passed by beat up C4 Corvette on same day. It's not what your car can do. It's what you do with the car.
If you start thinking, 'why the hell can't I keep up with that piece of junk, when my car should be faster?' that's usually when you start pushing over your limit, and do things you would regret.

Your car will do great on track - make sure you get brake fluid flushed before you go to track, at minimum. Most of us won't be able to see true 10/10th of these cars' capabilities. As us track rats say "Best mod you can do to your car is to the nut behind the wheel"
Just leave your ego at home before you go. You'll have ton of fun as long as you bring the car home in same condition.



If you want further advice, PM me. I'll be able to give you more detailed advice at least to get you started.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Zack46

I've never driven a car on a track before. But, I want to learn. It looks like a lot of fun..........

Need Advice....

Do the first few track days in your '16. Get your newbie seat time done BEFORE bringing big power to the game. 300-ish HP is more than enough to get started with, and you'll be less likely to focus on peak speeds down the straights as evidence of progress. You already know how to do the WOT stuff, it's the braking, cornering, staying on a proper line, and situational awareness (including flag stations) skills that you're trying to master.

When passing is introduced into your run group, don't be mentally congratulating yourself after passing another car. It'd be embarrassing and potentially expensive if doing so caused you to blow the upcoming corner right in front of the driver who just pointed you by. Giving him a seat-pucker moment is not an appropriate way of thanking him.


Norm

[locktyght]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Do the first few track days in your '16. Get your newbie seat time done BEFORE bringing big power to the game. 300-ish HP is more than enough to get started with, and you'll be less likely to focus on peak speeds down the straights as evidence of progress. You already know how to do the WOT stuff, it's the braking, cornering, staying on a proper line, and situational awareness (including flag stations) skills that you're trying to master.

When passing is introduced into your run group, don't be mentally congratulating yourself after passing another car. It'd be embarrassing and potentially expensive if doing so caused you to blow the upcoming corner right in front of the driver who just pointed you by. Giving him a seat-pucker moment is not an appropriate way of thanking him.


Norm

Out of all the great info in this thread, this one is the best IMO, I spent many years in many cars knowing I was a "great" driver in a straight line, the making it turn part is something that takes work.

The situational awareness is a must, and making sure you don't chase the rabbit and end up off line or off course will be mentally taxing when you first begin, that's why it is great to have a seasoned instructor to help you out!

One of my first instructors had me doing "Brake, Downshift, Flag stand" at each manned flag station/breaking zone, and I had to tell him what the flagman was wearing/doing/direction he was lookin etc, and now it has turned into a habit.

[00 Trans Ram]

Excellent advice on bringing the 16 first. A ZL1 will make you focus on the car WAAAAYYY too much, and take focus off the track and what you're supposed to be doing.

[TheMaGikDucK]

Instructor here...

Car maintenance, new dot 4 brake fluid, and get fresh oil. I know there is something you need to do with the autos if you have an auto. You want to have a good amount of brake pad left (I wont start a day less than 50%, but I'm using race pads and dealing with far higher temps than you will your first few times).

Leave all of your traction control on. I generally say as a novice, if you are doing anything that causes TC to blink, you are doing it wrong.

Don't chase the car in front of you, unless an instructor is driving it chances are something over the course of a lap is wrong and you don't want to pick it up (in addition to this being how I see most people venture outside of their skill level).

Don't worry about how fast you are, that's not why you are there yet. You will have more fun going at a pace that you can comfortably handle. Slow in the morning, is fast in the afternoon!

[MoreSpeed]

I would first recommend a local autoX club to get started. However, once you have the basics down, you might want to try Evolution Performance Driving School. Unlike, many other driving schools, you can get sessions that focus specifically on autocross. They are typically much less expensive than the Skip Barbers of the world and I have personally had good luck with them in the NorthEast. Their site shows events in Toledo. www.evoschool.com

[Zack46]

Originally Posted by jaymsu

1/2. Performance driving school in Ohio: Mid-Ohio has driving school with Acura/Honda cars, like Jerome mentioned. If you are not after getting comp. license, you don't really have to go to school though - most of track day organizers provide novice class lesson with instructors. They will teach you all the basic manners/rules you need to follow and basic car control on track.
A few groups that are not too far from you:
3ballsracing.com (group I go to track with most of time. fantastic group)
www.1010thsmotorsports.com
http://www.cgimotorsports.com/
Or NASA's HPDE https://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/
Those are just a few examples.
Also there are several tracks not to far from you (Mid-O, PittRace, 3 tracks in MI - Waterford, Grattan, Gingerman.....)

3. What you need to master at track: You'll learn all you need to learn from your instructors/peers and from your experience. Don't set your goal too high for first event. Just go out and enjoy a day. You'll master driving techniques gradually as you get more seat time.

4. Most of car insurances won't cover you on track I believe. There are insurance specifically covering HPDE days. However, they are quite pricey (a few hundred dollars per day I think...) so many (if not most) track rats run without it.

5. Camaro fairs pretty well on track. It's a heavy car but very well composed, and behaves well overall.
BUT, "How competitive Camaro will be" is not what you need to think about as novice driver on track. I've passed 458 Italia on track and been passed by beat up C4 Corvette on same day. It's not what your car can do. It's what you do with the car.
If you start thinking, 'why the hell can't I keep up with that piece of junk, when my car should be faster?' that's usually when you start pushing over your limit, and do things you would regret.

Your car will do great on track - make sure you get brake fluid flushed before you go to track, at minimum. Most of us won't be able to see true 10/10th of these cars' capabilities. As us track rats say "Best mod you can do to your car is to the nut behind the wheel"
Just leave your ego at home before you go. You'll have ton of fun as long as you bring the car home in same condition.



If you want further advice, PM me. I'll be able to give you more detailed advice at least to get you started.

Thanks so much!!

[BradfordCamaro]

Originally Posted by TheMaGikDucK

Instructor here...

...Leave all of your traction control on. I generally say as a novice, if you are doing anything that causes TC to blink, you are doing it wrong..

I respectfully disagree with this one point. If the light flashes, how do you know what you are doing wrong? The T/C and all the other nannies are masking your mistakes.
You want to feel/learn what the car does and why. Not have it hidden by a computer chip.