Dave Pierson

Hi all,

I wanted to invite anyone with interest to think about attending a drivers school we are putting on at Daytona,

Join the Ohio Valley Chapter for an end of the driving season event that is sure to be a season highlight, the event is being held December, 4th-6th and will be held at the historic Daytona International Speedway! Home of the Great America race, the Daytona 500, along with the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Drive the historic 3.54 mile Rolex course with its 31 degree banking and 11 turns along with the Daytona super stretch, all that along with 70+ degree weather.

This event is one you will not want to miss..

Vehicle transport to and from Daytona is available, leaving from Bedford Ohio .
Drop your vehicle off, fly into Daytona and Drive for 3 days on the magnificent Rolex Daytona course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jjHar51-Mo

http://picasaweb.google.com/dp951s/Daytona#



Online registration for the event is at http://clubregistration.net/
Or mail in registration forms are attached..
Hilton Garden Inn
Daytona information

Please direct any questions regarding this communication to the Event master,
Dave Pierson at dave.pierson@magnetwork.org or (216) 391-7042.

EC8

Do you have a list / schedule of events and what all is included in the driving school? I saw it's open to all cars, but is it open to all people, meaning is there any qualifications or prior racing/autox experience necessary? Do 1st timers need an instructor (saw this was a $600 add-on). Researched at the Audi club and your links but didn't find many details on this whole thing.

Dave Pierson

I do have a schedule but it might not make much sense if you have never done one of our events, it is a standard type of drivers education event. You will start with an instructor in the car, and they will be with you untill both of you agree that the student is ready for running solo. Safety is of course first and formost thought for all. All cars are required to go through a tech, plus we do a tech on tires for every vehicle for every session..

Loads of fun and just a Great facility, Plus 75 degrees in December...

Here are some links to videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ_jDh2JKhs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZNy8EjUpsg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weaEgkhnpOw



Great article.
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publi...cle_2245.shtml

Hope you can make it..

DP

Dave Pierson

Just reread your post, the $600 is for instructors, $1200 is for students, you will have an instructor with you for the student price.. I would suggest some previous track time, just to east the anxiety associated with a first time track event, but it is not required. A solid car is required because the speeds, good tires all around also..

EC8

Thanks for the additional info Dave. Was curious about classroom time vs track time, how much of each per day. I know some of the schools do about 1/2 of each the first day or everyday. Also some of the schools have "no lapping" policies for certain groups, and only one group allowed on track at a time. From the write-up last year sounds like you had pro-drivers mixed in with street drivers and passing on certain sections. Didn't know what the rules/experiences would be like for those making a debut at Daytona, and the lack of schedule/description made it difficult to visualize what would be involved. Like I said, never autocrossed, but drive spiritedly every chance I get
Checking the roster looks like mostly porsche's, vettes, and a viper or two for good measure, but sounded like all cars invited. You stated "good tires all around", are we talking race/track only tires, or are new stock street tires "good enough". Of course the better the tire/equipment the better the car "can" perform, just trying to gauge the level of the event I guess. And solid car, again is stock fine, or are we talking upgraded suspension/shocks, coil overs, etc? I have a month old '09 RX-8 and will probably start autocrossing it soon, but also looked into some Skip Barber and other driving schools before I saw your post.

Dave Pierson

The classroom will be a session each day of approximately 30 min, there will also be a on track tour where we will actually take you on the track with a explanation by an experienced driver, last year I did it. The goal is to orient the new student and have them understand the subtle intricacies of Daytona, along with the areas where the risk's are higher, such as the bumps in turn 4, and where not to shift.. I learned that one personally, do not shift on the bumps..!

The time on the track will be 90 minutes per day, with 30 to 45 min of class room each day..

When I said good tires, I meant a tire with enough tread depth to last 6ish track days, high power cars seem to use the right rear tire excessively at Daytona, for a front wheel drive car, it is the right front.. Also we do a tire tech each run group so that we can catch worn tires, prior to finding out about the problem on the track..

I do not understand the comment on "no Lapping" We have passing, but it is restricted to only certain areas, and only after a signal is given by the car that will be passed..

A Debut to track driving at Daytona would be something that You most definitely would never forget.. Never...

The facility is first class, track is just Epic, speeds that are off the chart, I tell people, The fastest you have ever driven, you will do that twice per lap at Daytona..

One straight, from 6 to the bus stop is 3/4 of a mile, about 22 to 25 seconds of full throttle, the second fast section is 7/8ths of a mile long and is around 29 to 32 seconds of full throttle, here if you get out of the bus stop fast, low 70's, my guess is you will hit 150's or so prior to slowing down to get into turn one..

Epic track is not the word, words just do not accurately convey the experience..
Any questions let me know..


DP

Dave Pierson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jjHar51-Mo


Some more videos..

Great memories... !!

Wow..