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Bondurant |
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I got to live one of my dreams of racing a car. On April 17th we packed up the whole family and flew to Phoenix so I could attend the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. It was AWESOME!!!!! Far exceeded my expectations!! Best training class I have ever attended. While attending most training classes you dread going back after lunch, during this class we couldn't wait to get back. Lunch breaks were WAY too long.
The class started on Mon the 19th. I met up with my friend Jeff . I used
to work with him at
Crowe Chizek.
Day 1:
After about an hour of explanation of what we were going to do over the next four days, we took a tour of the facilities. We walked around the work shop which is running 24 hours a day to keep the cars we used running in tip-top shape. After seeing the museum, we hopped in some vans for a tour of the track and the skid pad. I sat in the middle of the middle seat. Everybody was putting on their seatbelts and I was looking for mine. I didn't have a shoulder belt, and I couldn't find my lap belt. Thinking it was no big deal. We were in vans. What could they really do in vans. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! The instructors proceeded to take these two vans around the track like they were race cars. It was amazing the control over they had over these vans. We ALL got out of the van and turned around to double check that they were actually VANS! We were all in disbelieve! We were still in disbelieve on the fourth day! They said the only modification they made was too the tires air pressure.
So that's how the week started! It only to got better.
Of course Jeff thought the sign was predicting the order of the class. From
fastest to slowest!
The Chief Instructor giving us the low down for the week.
Class photo.
This was to be my car for the next three days.
The cheesy self portrait! The Vette was an amazing car!
We spent some time practicing Accident avoidance. You started out driving in the center of three lanes with a green light above each light. About 80 feet from the cone dividers, two of the lights changes to red. You would have to steer into the lane with the green light above it. The Vette made this a non issue, even at 47 miles an hour.
The line waiting for their turn at the Accident Simulator
I'm next!
Close up of the Accident Simulator.
After the Accident Simulator we headed over to the Handling Oval to work on out heel / toe shifting, and our breaking.
The instructor is getting in to show me how it is done.
Driving Time: 4.5 hours
Day 2:
We spent the morning working some more on our heel - toe shifting, and braking on the handling oval. And then we went on the Skid Pad with the skid car. The skid car is a Cadillac CTS with a sub frame underneath it and outboard wheels. The wheels can be hydraulically controlled to lift the front or rear wheels. The car simulates over steer and under steer at 60MPH while only traveling at 25MPH. The snow in Chicago helped me with this exercise.
The
skid car
We tried to keep within the two circles :)
Look at the key ring, and see the Lateral G's on the car. This is Jeff
driving the car.
After lunch the fun really began. We got suited up in the driver's suits and helmets, and hit the track. We were able to put all of the new things we learned over the last past day and a half to use.
Here is the full course.
We started without the Maricopa Oval.
Jeff cooling off after some "hot laps".
The end of the day.
Going around the track was AWESOME!!! I would hit about 100MPH and the end of the straight away, depending how fast I came off turn 14. And I didn't learn how to take turn 14 till the last day. It is a lot faster than I thought. I wonder how fast I could have gone. There were two passing zones (between 13 and 14, and along the straight away.) Every time someone would wave me by, I would usually screw up the next turn. I was concentrating on passing and come into the corner WAY to fast. Pretty funny. On day four I spun out passing someone and found out later that I scared the daylights out of him. Oops :)
Driving Time: 5.0 hours
Day 3:
Day three started with taking some pictures, then jumping on the track. It was AWESOME!
I also got a new set of right side tires Goodyear Eagle F1.
Well I think I have the pose down, now if I can get the driving down...
LeMans here I come!
My instructor Les and I.
Normally the way we would be introduced to the track was by the three students getting in their instructors car and he would "walk" the track with us in the car. He would talk through what we should be doing at each point of the track and where we should be looking (always looking ahead!) He then progressively increase speed till we were at full speed. After this we would do a lead follow session. This is where the instructor would stay in his Cadillac CTS and his three students would follow him around the track.
10:00AM they opened up the Maricopa Oval to us.
The stretch between turn 1 and turn 4 quickly became my favorite. Over a hill full throttle for most of it until the braking zone in turn 4. Coming back there was a hill at turn 6. The instructors told us to temporarily lift right before the hill to settle the car, but there were times I would come over that hill and I swear the car would move about 6 inches side ways. Pretty scary at speed.
Before lunch I drove over 100 miles and the hit the reserve gas. Made a quick stop to get some gas, and I was off on the track again.
Lead follow
We must of had a fast group, we always seemed to catch up to the group in front
of us.
Closing In!
After a couple of laps at speed the instructor would either pull off the track,
or wave us by and we were free to go!!!!
Jeff crossing the finish line.
Tim crossing the finish line.
I love this picture, because if look at the close up below you can see the BIG
smile on my face :) And I wasn't aware the picture was being taken.
Ah... Bliss.
WAY too far from the Apex.
Much better!
In the Vettes, Jeff(15) often had this view. If he could get this
close.
Tracey and the kids
came to the track and got to sit in the starter's stand. The kids had a
good time watching the cars going around the track. The kids had a blast in the
starter's stand.
The instructor gave Tracey a ride in the Vette for 3 laps, and this was her
response! She had a BLAST! I guess the last lap he drifted through
most of the corners!. He also came up on a couple of the students, and
startled them :)
Alex was so wore out watching the car go round and round, that he past out in
the van ever before we past the track's gate. we couldn't even wake him up
for lunch.
After lunch we practices race starts and race re-starts. It was pretty cool, but I was a little nervous because we were driving side by side down the straight and they wanted us single file by the chicane. What made me nervous was I had a $6000.00 deductible on my insurance, and I didn't want to go back to Tracey telling her I need more money for the course :)
It was the last day we were going to drive the Corvettes, kind of sad. I have a new found respect for the Corvettes. You could drive them VERY hard and they were very forgiving. The Active Handling System was not very intrusive, which was good. Little did we know how much fun the FF1600s were going to be.
Driving Time: 5.0 hours
Day 4:
We trade in our helmets for full face helmet. And then our cars are chosen for us based on height and size. The seat is NOT adjustable so they have to make sure you get in a car that you can reach the pedal and not too cramped. When we were introduced to the FF1600s the top cover was off so we could see the pedals. When the instructor got in, he showed us the brake movement. He put his foot on the brake and pushed it about 1/2 inch to take out the slack. Then he pushed another 1/2 inch to brake lock. THE WHOLE TRAVEL WAS ABOUT 1/2 INCH!!! Amazing!
Jeff, Bob, and I (and Rusty the CEO)
Bob
and I (and Rusty the CEO)
The look out the front of the car.
Getting into the car was a tight squeeze. I had to turn my shoulders to
get in the car.
Here is the foot well.
Not
a lot of room. I had to roll my foot off the front right shock to get full
throttle.
This was done during the Lead-Follow.
Alex crewing for Erin during a pit-stop. "Hit the fuel reset
button!"
Well we are done!! We just turned in the car, and I am BEAT!!!!
Day 5:
Depression sets in.
This class was SO much fun. I had a smile the whole week I was there and I get really excited when I get to tell someone the stories. This web site was fun to do because I got to relive the training all over again. A couple people that I have told about it want to go. I am hoping I get to join them, so I too can go back.
Instructors:
These guys were AMAZING!! It was unbelievable how they were able to control the car. They were able to place the car ANYWHERE they wanted!! I can't believe some of these guys have a hard time finding rides. Makes wonder what the difference between all the top drivers are?
| Mike McGovern |
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| Mike Speck |
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| Les Betchner |
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| William Hawkins |
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| Kevin Krauss |
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Vehicles:
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Fun facts:
- The tires on the Corvettes last anywhere between 2 - 10 days.
- The Corvettes get between 6 and 7 MPG on the track
| Flag | Meaning | New meaning | |
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Blue with Yellow Stripe -
Move into Another Lane car and that the signaled car should give consideration to the overtaking car. |
There is a race going on.... and you're not in it! |
Things to remember:
Steer with the pedals. Transfer the weight of the car to the wheels that are losing grip.
Use trail braking to help steer the car around a corner. Doesn't work that well with a rear engine car (Porsche 911) , the car tends to come around on you.
Look were you WANT the car to go. I spent most of the time looking out the driver's window, instead of the windshield.