Apologies in advance if this has been asked and answered before... I searched
and didn't see anything.

I'm interesting in taking either the 3 day Jim Russell racing school at Infineon (Sears Point) or the 3 day Skip Barber racing school at Leguna Seca.

Both cost the same: $3995.00

Any recommendations for or against any of these programs? (After taking
one of these schools, I'd like to start taking track school at Thunderhill
in my own car.)

Thanks.

 

As far as I know they are pretty comparable, but IMHO Infineon/Sears Point is way more fun than Laguna Seca. I am planning to take Jim Russell but have not even considered Barber for that reason.

 

I believe there is someone on these boards that works for Jim Russel @ Infineon

 

I've done Skip Barber at Lime Rock Park in CT and couldn't have been more pleased. Best mod I've done for my car so far

 

richard petty driving experiance.... any redneck will tell you it is by far the coolest thing in the world....

on a more serious note

panoz at road A is pretty good.

Does barber run open wheel cars in the school your describing or street cars?

 

Infineon is more technical of a track compared to Laguna. Infineon is also more fun IMO. However, the back half of Infineon has very little run-off before the walls. Most of Laguna has a decent amount of room between the track and walls. And there are a lot of gravel pits for cars to sink into. But since you're not going to be driving your own car, I would recommend driving at Infineon. I'm sure your instructors will keep you under control.

Overall, Infineon is a lower speed track and will be more challenging to learn. You'll have a blast at either track though.

 

Both of the described schools run 125 hp open wheel cars for the 3 day class.
Too bad, would rather drive something closer to the Evo I'll be tracking. Both
schools (I believe) have "high performance driving schools" too where they use
street cars, but I wanted to learn racing techniques for open track days.

I think the school in Leguna seca has Audi S4's and RS4's and BMW 3 series cars
for the high performance driving classes.

 

Valuable input! Thanks for the info! (FWIW, I am currently learning more about
both of these tracks through playing Gran Turismo 4 and what you say is true
in that I can much more easily stay on the track on Laguna Seca! Infineon is
much more challenging... I keep sliding out in the dirt despite many efforts
trying to keep it slower into turns.

 

Yeah you will get the same out of both of them imo. They will teach you all of the same techniques, it all just matters in your case which track you would like to learn on. I've done Skip Barber on Road America and I learned an incredible amount over there. I would reccomend Skip Barber from past experience, so good luck with your decision and have fun!

 

russell driving school gets my pick. chronohunter(paul gerrard) has a big part in that- and if you guys know paul's driving than you will know why i picked russell, and he has also taught great drivers like tanner faust.

 

Hi. I learned a lot from you guys in this thread, but given what I learned in another
thread, I am thinking about starting this "tracking" adventure with BMW CCA,
due mostly to the high cost of the commercial schools. For more info, please see:

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...t=53912&page=7

But should I find an extra $4k in the more immediate future, I think I would
still like to try out either the Russell or Barber schools. Thanks for the info, guys!

 

+1

I started with BMW CCA schools back in 2000 and they've served me very well. The BMW schools generally field very good instructors. Also read "Going Faster" to fill in your knowledge about theory.

I also agree with MarkSAE and RichardEvo re: Infineon. I've driven every track in CA and Infineon is by far my favorite.

 

Agree with most of that, Infinion is one of the great track layouts in the World (no kidding) and exactly why we bought the Jim Russell School, we wanted to teach on that track. Laguna is an absolute bore in comparison (no fast transitions, which are the greatest challenge from a drivers perspective). As we say and what had been said as long as the track has been around:

"If you can drive Infinion (Sears) you can drive anywhere"

I would add that Infinion is actually much faster feeling that Laguna because the corner speeds are on the average so much higher (and therefore more challenging and fun).

Finally the schools...If you come to come to Jim Russell after June you will have at you disposal the most advanced, fastest, newest school cars in the World, the most advanced curriculums and best instructors by a huge factor (there is not a hint of BS in any of that, though it probably sounds too good to be true).

trust me wait till the Summer and check it out before you make any school decision

Paul Gerrard
Director of Training
JRRS

 

Paul -

I am planning to take the Jim Russell 3-day fundamentals of racing course at Infineon this year (unless I hit the jackpot and come up with enough cash to go to Jim Russell at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant instead!).

Infineon/Sears Point is my favorite track, and I have run every road course in California and Nevada. Other than the corkscrew, Laguna Seca is pretty much brake, turn, gas, brake, turn, gas, brake, turn, gas. Sears has incredible elevation changes, esses (none at Laguna), the off-camber downhill carousel, that great high speed backstraight leading to the 180 that can be single or double apexed, etc. etc. etc. Too much fun to mention it all.

When is the best time of year to come to Infineon for the driving course? I want to take absolutely no chance there will be rain, but avoid the summer heat. Thanks.

 

Richard, I'd say November is you best weather window. BTW If I have anything to do with it, you will learn to love the rain! Doing a school in the wet is awesome because of the constant car control development required. Also BTW all the other Russell Schools will not have our cars/curriculm/instructors so even though Mt Tremblant is a wonderful track in its own right the school experience is "old school"