EDIT - Links should work now
First off I would like to thank the coin for once more burning down WTDR on his tab.

On Christmas day I flew with the fam to Phoenix for a vacation. Best xmas present... ever. They sent me to Bob Bondurant's Gran Prix Road Racing school. It was a 4-day deal... Course Info Click Here

The first 3 days I was in one of a few bright-orange "3rd to last gen" ('94-'95) 5L Rustangs, with the following mods:

<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR><PRE>
5.0L H.O. V-8
215 HP
Emissions controls removed
Custom Bondurant engine calibration
Custom H-Pipe with catalytic converters removed
Custom cooling system including 1995 SVT Mustang Cobra R Radiator, engine Radiator, engine driven fan with custom shroud and an 15" electric cooling fan
1995 SVT Mustang Cobra R engine oil cooler
Battery relocated to trunk

Weight 3,400 lbs
</PRE><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Anyways, it was a blast although the first couple days I didn't learn much since I've got 15-20 or so track days under my belt already. It was my first RWD experience though, so I still found the first couple days of drills and oval laps worthwhile as I was learning the car. Once I actually got out on the track though doing hot laps, one-on-one time with the instructor was definetly valuable.

Here is the track.


It was a very flat track with no elevation changes except at the end of the straight going down into the oval. That was my favorite section of the track.. turns 2 & 3.

At the end of the 3rd day we ran a mock race. Another first for me as I've never actually been all-out wheel-to-wheel in anything but a kart. They closed off the oval section of the track which I think was a good idea because it is so tight and fast going over the hill at the end of the straight.

In-Car Race Video

I started in position 9 of 10 (starting order was random-no qualifying). Video begins with the rolling start and then several laps. At the end of the fourth lap they threw a red flag... for no real reason except to teach the flag system and driver response per SCCA. You can hear shortly after I stop under the flagstand screeching tires and a Mustang hitting a tirewall. One of the students didn't see the flag and rear-ended another who spun, nailed the tirewall, and came to rest about 4 feet from my rear bumper as I watched in the mirror . Unfortunately, they didn't restart after the incident, which pissed me off cause I was reelin' in the 1st place car (finished in 2nd) I suppose it's my fault though because in the beginning at the :30 mark in the vid I let him by me because I was being a wuss (Car #12)

All in all it was a complete rush and only helped to further my addiction to the go-fast-crackpipe 8^\

The 4th day was the most memorable, topping out the race. They unleashed us in Formula Ford cars for some hot lapping. This was probably the most fun I've had in somthing with 4 wheels that I can remember (in the front seat, at least).

Here is some video of a few laps in the FFord


<BLOCKQUOTE>code:<HR><PRE>Engine -
1.6L Ford Cortina
110 HP
Custom Jet Hot coated header
Dry sump oil system
Nology ignition system

Chassis - Crossle 35's and 50's
Halon fire suppression system

Weight - 1,100 lbs.

Transmission - Hewland 4 speed gear box

Suspension
Front
Eibach coil over springs
Custom Monroe shocks
Adjustable sway bar

Rear
Eibach coil over springs
Custom Monroe shocks
</PRE><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

And other short vid of the car up close

I also had the pleasure of meeting chad again who stopped by on the last day to watch.

A great time and I'm just a step away from a comp license now

Any questions feel free to ask.


[Modified by sackdz, 11:58 AM 1/31/2003]


[Modified by sackdz, 11:59 AM 1/31/2003]

 

I guess some of the links aren't working properly... sorry they are correct I'm not sure what's up.

 

The one link with you in the FFord worked fine. Looks like you had an awesome time!

Good luck with everything that happens from here on out.

aj

 

&lt;------- Jealous

I don't my parents are smart enough to even consider getting this as a gift for me.
I'd have to drop hints all over the place.

Someday I'll do one .......someday

 

Good stuff

I went on a "vacation" a few years ago to Georgia, and did the 3 Day Panoz School at Road Atlanta. It was before they had the Panoz school cars - we drove raced prepped Nissan 300ZX's, which was cool because I drove a Z on the street at the time. At any rate, that "vacation" was what started the addiction!

 

Awesome man, sounds like a good time.
Vids dont work for me, though.

 

Nice Post!
Good Vids, and nice driving.
Thanks.

 

Your IM sucks, Bobby. Check it and get back to me!

 

what is the financial impact in this situation? when you sign up, is there a waiver releasing you from liability from damaging their cars? is your regular auto insurance covering you? are you personally liable for repair costs?

thanks,
phil

 

Awesome Ed!
Nice video in the Mustang picking them off one by one....

Looks like a most excellent experience.


[Modified by Chris N, 10:53 AM 1/31/2003]

 

The school offers their own insurance plan, but it's not a very pretty one. I think it's like $75 dollars per day with a $2500 deductible per incident PER CAR. So if you are at fault in causing a multi-car wreck you will pay for upto $2500 on each car.



[Modified by sackdz, 8:48 PM 1/31/2003]

 

13). What happens if I damage a Bondurant car?

While accidents are very rare, they can happen. If you are involved in an accident, you will be responsible for all costs to have the damage repaired.

To limit your risk, we've adopted an insurance program to alleviate any potential financial burden.


Highway Survival Training, Introduction to Racing, Teenage Defensive Driving and High Performance Driving courses: $50 per day, $2,500 deductible
Grand Prix Road Racing, Grand Prix Specialty, Introduction to Racing 2, Executive Protection and Post-Graduate courses: $75 per day, $4,000 deductible
Advanced Road Racing courses: $100 per day, $5,000 deductible
While other schools may not hold you responsible for damage, they'll never let you find the car's true limits. Others that let you on a racetrack will limit your speed so much that it's impossible to get into an accident, but it's also impossible to learn. Only at Bondurant will you drive to your limits.

are most schools like this? kinda iffy imo

 

The download links are all working properly now. Thx Craig.

 

Bondurant is where I first got my feet wet, WAY back in 1996. Those Mustangs are a hell of a lot of fun and the FFs are even better. Was lucky enough to be the only guy in the three-day school, so I got an instructor to myself. His name was Buddy Rice. Guy was a test driver for Team Rahal last year IIRC, and I think he's in Formula 3000s now. That guy could make a stock Taurus SHO do things that to this day I can't comprehend.

WELL worth the substantial investment IMO. It got me well-grounded in the basics of driving fast. Catch 22 recently told me I was a "student of the game," and I kind of got that philosophy by having it pounded into me at Bondurant for three days. Kinda like boot camp.

sackdz - what's the seat time like nowadays? I seem to remember several hours per day...maybe five...plus classroom instruction.

I imagine most schools where you use cars that belong to the school are like this or similar. They never know when they're gonna get "That Guy" who comes out and ***** up a car.

--Rice, whos copy of "Bondurant on High Performance Driving" is autographed by Bob himself

 

I took the shifter kart class there last year, and I'd love to do the multi-day drivers course, just to get a chance to drive the FF. There were orange mustangs as far as you could see. The shifter karts were amazingly fast. 0-100 in the blink of an eye.

 

Who was your instructor?

One instructor drove for my friends race team TRS Racing.

He is Pete Miller.

 

Les Betcher was my instructor, Pete was there also.

 

very cool.

 

Thanks for the vids. Im glad to hear that car did not crash into u from behind.