Driver Tuition

[rpgk]

Hi all, not posted in this forum before but was looking for some recommendations/advice

Myself and a couple of friends are planning to enter into club level motor racing, but before we jump in and try to get ARDS license, we wanted to get some track tuition to develop confidence and skills.

The easiest tracks for us to access are probably Bedford or Silverstone and I was wondering if anyone could recommend (or maybe strongly advise against) an individual or company that offers tuition at either of these. Not sure if it is relevant at this stage but the cars we plan on racing will be rear wheeled drive - should we ensure that is what we have lessons in?

The last consideration is that none of us are, let's say, small - all 6ft 1" or under but north of 16 stone! I assume this will limit us a little as the websites I have seen seem to advertise hatchbacks with 16 stone weight limit. I should add, we do not have the car we plan to race yet so using that would not be an option just yet.

thanks in advance for any help or advice offered.

[stuartj]

I would thoroughly recommend Calum Lockie of Gold Track

[spyderman8]

I can personally recommend Malcolm Edeson - has had great success in the Lotus On Track series and is currently kicking my butt and a fellow Boxster driver in the BRSCC Porsche Championship. Can do 1:1 or share between a couple of drivers. Lives near Nottingham, so is only minutes from Donington.

http://www.driver-coaching.com/

BTW don't go by the website being out-of-date - he spends so much time on track he doesn't have the time to update it!

Chris #88.

[dan1758]

spyderman8 said:

I can personally recommend Malcolm Edeson - has had great success in the Lotus On Track series and is currently kicking my butt and a fellow Boxster driver in the BRSCC Porsche Championship. Can do 1:1 or share between a couple of drivers. Lives near Nottingham, so is only minutes from Donington.

http://www.driver-coaching.com/

BTW don't go by the website being out-of-date - he spends so much time on track he doesn't have the time to update it!

Chris #88.

+1

I too can highly recommend Malcolm. I have been coached by him this season to great affect and will need his help next year as well. He coaches quite a few drivers in the MR2 Championship (including last years winner).

HTH

[tapkaJohnD]

I'm sure that tuition is helpful but before you go for your ARDS? I don't think you need it.

The ARDS is a very basic exam, to see if you will be safe on the track, not to select the next F1 Hot Shoe. If you have been on track days and learnt the discipline needed there, then racing is not much more. More flags, more startline business, remembering to sign on and get scrutineered, to see the Clerk of the Course as a new-this-track-driver as you will be at first, and behaving yourself in traffic, those do need the confidence you mention, but an instructor can't give you that, only taking part.
I'd say, get your ARDS, get racing miles under you, then go to an instructor to fine tune your technique. You will benefit more from instruction then than now.

John

[rpgk]

Thanks for the advice gents -certainly food for thought

[BertBert]

I can recommend Ryan Hooker who amongst other stuff does quite a lot of Palmer stuff.

Ryan is a superb driving coach and not as expensive as others I have used and better than most of them!

NCJASC.

Bert

[blackb1ade]

Just to confuse you with choices even futher....I can personally recommend these 2:

http://www.bradleyellisracing.com/driver-coaching....

http://www.darrenburke.com/index.php?option=com_co...


You're thinking along the right lines IMO - you can throw thousands at a car to refine and hone it, but [be it for trackday fun or racing] the best money that you'll EVER spend on improving your laptimes is investing in driver coaching.

Have fun!
Ash

[SmartVenom]

blackb1ade said:

you can throw thousands at a car to refine and hone it

I've been working on this bit (maybe not thousands but enough).

Now I would like to sort out coaching, can anyone give me a rough idea what I'm looking at cost wise. I'd rather have an idea before making contact (in case it shocks me too much).

[spyderman8]

If you budget for £400 per day 1:1 you wouldn't be far off.

[SmartVenom]

spyderman8 said:

If you budget for £400 per day 1:1 you wouldn't be far off.

Thanks, that's actually cheaper than I thought. Not often you can say that about anything in motorsport!

[BertBert]

Ryan Hooker is less (circa 250) and Nigel Greensall is slightly more (450).

Bert

[TheDeadPrussian]

blackb1ade said:

Just to confuse you with choices even futher....I can personally recommend these 2:

http://www.bradleyellisracing.com/driver-coaching....

http://www.darrenburke.com/index.php?option=com_co...


You're thinking along the right lines IMO - you can throw thousands at a car to refine and hone it, but [be it for trackday fun or racing] the best money that you'll EVER spend on improving your laptimes is investing in driver coaching.

Have fun!
Ash

+1 both thoroughly recommended. I would also add to the list:

http://www.nigelgreensall.com/

http://www.simonmason.com/

and http://www.jamiestanley.co.uk/

In my experience you should try to find someone who has experience in the car you are going to race – as they can talk specifically to you about how you might get the most from it and set up etc. However, having said that, a good driver coach is a good driver coach, and the best can turn their hand to anything and will be used to racing in a number of different series.