How Racing Schools Work

First and foremost, racing school isn't about going fast. It's about learning to control your car. Champion driver Ross Bentley says that coaching is a valuable investment, much more important than spending money to make the car faster. Schools are usually founded by "retired" racers who develop qualifications and standards to train instructors. Instructors are selected based not only on racing experience, but on their teaching abilities.

Devouring the vast menu of options can easily leave you confused. First, decide what you're after: Do you want to hit high speeds in a NASCAR-style formula car, or do you want individualized attention to develop street-smart skills? Are you after a vacation experience, an education or a potential new career?

The main types to choose from are:

Driving and high performance schools focus on improving a driver's skills with an emphasis on how those techniques will benefit you every day. Racing courses are intended to improve driving skills on the track, although they'll also be applicable on the street. In other words, someone looking to have high-speed fun while perfecting technique will probably benefit more from a driving program, though racing courses are also beneficial. According to Bentley, you'll learn a lot by driving both open-wheel (formula) and closed-wheel (production) cars.

When you're competent at handling your vehicle, it's time to pursue speed. On the next page, we'll discuss the cars you'll get to drive.

The fleets at most racing schools are a point of pride. For example, Skip Barber uses a variety of high-end performance and street cars, including Mazda, Lotus, Lexus, BMW and Porsche; the Bondurant School uses only GMs, such as Pontiac and Cadillac.

Once you're strapped into a street car, instructors will lead you through a series of exercises designed to show you how the car will respond to driver input -- what you, sitting behind the wheel, tell it to do. This will make you more comfortable, allow you to concentrate better (since it'll be more familiar) and reinforce the notion that the skills you'll learn are applicable to everyday driving. Straightaways are used for acceleration and braking instruction, and you'll practice handling an out-of-control car on skid pads. Instructors at the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving have been known to demonstrate these concepts with participants packed into a bus [source: Stein]. Learning how a car behaves and responds in any situation -- accelerating, decelerating, skidding, going straight or sideways -- will help you become a better, more confident driver.

If you get track time, this is where you're likely to hit your highest speeds. First, you'll probably sit in the passenger seat while an instructor drives you around the course at top speed. This is called a "hot lap" session and will help you learn "the line," or the fastest way to get around the track. You'll also have "lead-follow" sessions, where you take the wheel and follow the instructor around the track, using the techniques you've been practicing.

Some schools put mechanical limiters on the cars to prevent extremely high speeds, but others place that judgment with the instructors and students. Some programs even run lap sessions without a pace car (the lead car that "limits" drivers' speed -- when there's a pace car on track, passing it is forbidden). In general, though, you won't have much opportunity for triple-digit speeds in a basic or beginner program. At Skip Barber, for example, students in the 3-day school don't reach top speeds until the final day.

At racing school, you'll also learn why the sport is notorious for its outrageous expenses. Let's see how much this endeavor will set you back.

There's an adage amongst racers: "How do you make a million dollars racing? Start with two million." The professionals don't disagree. Ross Bentley says that anyone can be successful in racing, as long as they're willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to get to the top [source: Bentley]. Though he discusses career and personal relationships at length, the literal cost of entry is the biggest and most immediate hurdle.

To register, students must be old enough to drive and hold a valid driver's license with no restrictions. Schools recommend that students are in good physical condition [source: Bondurant]. Some programs require the ability to drive a manual transmission, which should be mentioned in the school's literature before you register.

After you read the fine print, it's up to your high-speed dreams and your wallet. Racing schools offer sessions that range from single classes to courses spread out over several days. The longer programs cover more in-depth technique, and though prices vary considerably, the more advanced and longer the program, the more it costs.

Some examples:

If you're the ambitious, competitive type, the introduction courses might not satisfy your cravings. Instructors say that many of their students come back for more advanced training. You'll also be able to apply for racing licenses after completing certain road racing courses at the major schools.

If a racing school is out of reach, or you want to practice your skills more frequently, consider joining a track organization or club. The next page has more details.

There are alternatives that'll help you get racing experience (and even individualized coaching), such as TrackDaze and Sports Car Club of America. Again, the emphasis is on safety. TrackDaze attendees, for example, are required to attend classroom sessions to review guidelines and procedures at each event. Your car has to be safe, too. Each organization has its own rules about car condition, but generally, your car must pass a technical inspection to ensure it's in good working order.

Though this option has a much lower sticker price per event, you shouldn't consider these organizations strictly in terms of cost. True, the registration fee is a fraction of a racing school's, but in this case, you're putting your own vehicle on the line. The cost for a weekend at a High Performance Drivers Education (HPDE) event or club track day isn't always less than the one-time cost of attending a school, since you use and wear out your own car in these programs. You should be able to perform emergency repairs yourself (or with the help of friends). Hobby racers are used to replacing parts often, and many track regulars own a separate car (and in some situations, a trailer and tow vehicle) for weekend racing. Even if you make it off the track without incident, you've likely toasted your clutch, tires and brakes while burning through tanks of expensive race fuel. Also, consider that your car insurance won't cover damage incurred at a track, and racing may affect or void your manufacturer's warranty (if a dealership finds out about it, that is).

Though club racing will ultimately make you a better, safer driver in your own car (and will be a ton of fun, to boot), it's a bigger long-term investment than many people realize. Either way, extensive dabbling in racing is going to be expensive.

Now you understand the investments in cost and time, but the thrills that await are simply too great. In that case, you might have what it takes to be a racer. The next page has links to great information about racing school and motorsports.