Skip Barber school........any tips? - The Ford Focus Forum

**ghostrider86** · 02-05-2009, 03:32 PM

Alright guys, well my next step in joining you in Spec focus is to get my license. I have my racing school at the end of the month at Road Atlanta with Skip Barber. I am doing the open wheel cars for 3 days.

Does anyone have any tips on what I can do to improve my experience?

Any ways to prepare for it?

Oh and one other question. They say that if i wreck the car i have to pay for the damage. I have talked with several people and their experience was different. Is this a new rule? Anyone know?
I don't plan on crashing but when you are at a racetrack pushing the limits, stuff happens! Especially at Road A!(fast fast)

I was told i could buy down the deductible for an additional $375 to where i could total the car and only be liable for $2000 out of pocket. What would you do here?

Thanks guys!

**sleeperlove** · 02-05-2009, 04:49 PM

i'd buy the deductable!

**slverfocus13** · 02-05-2009, 05:46 PM

pay the deductible unless you got an extra $2000 laying around (if you do can you send the money to me?)

**BUR_ZX3** · 02-05-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slverfocus13

pay the deductible unless you got an extra $2000 laying around (if you do can you send the money to me?)

I think you missed the point: If he wrecks an open-wheel racecar, he's on the hook for the whole cost. If he pays for insurance, tehn if he wrecks it, he only owes them $2000.

For $375, I'd gladly pay.

**SVTBuckeye** · 02-05-2009, 09:01 PM

Buy the deductable

you are on a race track with fools that think they are a competant driver!!!

Seriously, stuff happens.

**BOWERSdaAZIAN** · 02-06-2009, 12:35 AM

+1 on the deductable, i wish all hpde/time attack/track events could have that kind of option.

**ghostrider86** · 02-06-2009, 11:26 AM

Hey thanks guys! I appreciate it. I will do as such. It really sucks to pay $4000 for 3 days and still be responsible for the price of the car! Geez! I would rather take it in my car! That way if i wad it i would only be responsible for my own stuff!

**wrcRS** · 02-06-2009, 03:19 PM

As far as I know there cars hold up well, and I believe that many of the mounts break off instead of tearing up the chassis. It would be easy to check, just see if the mounts are bolted up.

I know they do this for SRF at the Prodrive school in oregon, a fella we race with up here wrecked at PIR in a rented Spec Racer Ford and didn't have to large of a bill.

**ghostrider86** · 02-26-2009, 06:17 PM

Ok guys its here, I am going to be at Road Atlanta for the next three days learning the ropes! This should be interesting, 80% Chance of rain friday and sat, and chance of snow Sunday......lol. .
I should get quite the education!

Good news is there is only 6 in my class! Thats half the norm. So open wheel cars in the rain here we come!

**Ted7rns** · 02-26-2009, 07:10 PM

Good luck to you Jeff. I hope things go well with you.

**ghostrider86** · 03-02-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted7rns

Good luck to you Jeff. I hope things go well with you.

Hey Ted, thanks! It did go well! Step one out of the way!
I had an absolute blast! Its crazy how fast one can drive a car in the pouring rain! LOL, once you get into the groove its pretty amazing! We worked on redefining the term "slip angle" for sure! It rained all three days, we even got a hard snow/sleet/rain mix sunday before we shut it down at noon. It was quite hairy at about 112mph on the back stretch splashing through puddles trying to see through the spray and hail hitting your visor! LOL Lets say if we get into a rain race, i have an advantge! LOL
I didn't get to see dry track all weekend, so my rain skillz are honed!
The cars are very fun to drive! I had to get my pedals adjusted quite a bit becasue they were slick from the wetness. I finally got them right on Sunday in time to turn some good laps!

I really didn't want to crash the car so i did my best to go fast without over doing it. I spun twice, but never got a wheel off track. Turn 10 i was going in hot trailbraking during an exercise and when i let off the brake suddenly the car spun. Then in turn 5 i was trying to get the drive for a pass and i got greedy on the loud pedal and ended up looking at on coming traffic! LOL

We probably had 2 rain free sessions the whole weekend. Sunday morning the temps dipped into the low 30's with rain..... talk about cold toes and fingers!

I took a bunch of good experience from the school, but the thing i feel benefitted me the most was learning to double clutch downshift and threshold breaking. ITs amazing how deep a car can go on the brakes in the rain.

**Ted7rns** · 03-02-2009, 01:12 PM

Great Job Jeff!!! Sounds like things went great.

**brads03zx3** · 03-03-2009, 01:00 AM

Sounds like a blast. I'm jealous!

Imagine how deep that car could go with a proper tire

**ghostrider86** · 03-03-2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brads03zx3

Sounds like a blast. I'm jealous!

Imagine how deep that car could go with a proper tire

I just noticed how big i look in that little car! LOL That thing is literally wrapped around my body! LOL
Yeah, imagine how deep that car will go on dry pavement! LOL
The car has an amazing amount of feel, with no power steering or power brakes, i could feel everything! The clutch was solid and very firm. I liked it alot! I might be converted! LOL
After i got back into my car i felt so goofy trying to double clutch down shift , then when i used the brakes "properly" the car about did an endo! LOL

02-05-2009, 03:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
ghostrider86 TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 741	Skip Barber school........any tips? Alright guys, well my next step in joining you in Spec focus is to get my license. I have my racing school at the end of the month at Road Atlanta with Skip Barber. I am doing the open wheel cars for 3 days. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do to improve my experience? Any ways to prepare for it? Oh and one other question. They say that if i wreck the car i have to pay for the damage. I have talked with several people and their experience was different. Is this a new rule? Anyone know? I don't plan on crashing but when you are at a racetrack pushing the limits, stuff happens! Especially at Road A!(fast fast) I was told i could buy down the deductible for an additional $375 to where i could total the car and only be liable for $2000 out of pocket. What would you do here? Thanks guys! __________________ Jeff Racing for Jesus since 2003'! 03' ZX3 Beatbox -361k miles-(HStock funmachine) 03' ZTS Centennial Edition Kie Kie ~EAP's~(Pretty lil thing) 94' Maxima (for sale) 02' Aprila Mille (Sold)(Miss it already)

02-05-2009, 04:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
sleeperlove You wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Apex hunting Posts: 9,823	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? i'd buy the deductable! __________________ “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” - Bruce Lee

02-05-2009, 05:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
slverfocus13 Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Palm Coast, FL Posts: 2,162	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? pay the deductible unless you got an extra $2000 laying around (if you do can you send the money to me?) __________________ 2002 CD Silver ZX3(soon to be its a secret but its got BOOST) Emissions...whats that?

02-05-2009, 09:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
SVTBuckeye TEAM Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pataskala Ohio Posts: 792	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Buy the deductable you are on a race track with fools that think they are a competant driver!!! Seriously, stuff happens. __________________ LEM 2007,2008, 2009 NASA Spec Focus racer w/ LCR racing 2002 SVT, Sonic Blue, NO options, vehicle 896 of 4788 Held at the factory Apr-June 02

02-06-2009, 12:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
BOWERSdaAZIAN Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: NorCal ; Wherever the USAF takes me Posts: 1,663	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? +1 on the deductable, i wish all hpde/time attack/track events could have that kind of option. __________________ USAF Electronic Warfare Motto(s): "Jam Harder, Penetrate Deeper, Dispense Longer" "In God we Trust... All Others we Monitor, Jam or Deceive" Proud owner of former FocusSport/JCM racing Powerworks SVT.

02-06-2009, 11:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
ghostrider86 TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 741	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Hey thanks guys! I appreciate it. I will do as such. It really sucks to pay $4000 for 3 days and still be responsible for the price of the car! Geez! I would rather take it in my car! That way if i wad it i would only be responsible for my own stuff! __________________ Jeff Racing for Jesus since 2003'! 03' ZX3 Beatbox -361k miles-(HStock funmachine) 03' ZTS Centennial Edition Kie Kie ~EAP's~(Pretty lil thing) 94' Maxima (for sale) 02' Aprila Mille (Sold)(Miss it already)

02-06-2009, 03:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
wrcRS TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 346	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? As far as I know there cars hold up well, and I believe that many of the mounts break off instead of tearing up the chassis. It would be easy to check, just see if the mounts are bolted up. I know they do this for SRF at the Prodrive school in oregon, a fella we race with up here wrecked at PIR in a rented Spec Racer Ford and didn't have to large of a bill.

02-26-2009, 06:17 PM	#9 (permalink)
ghostrider86 TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 741	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Ok guys its here, I am going to be at Road Atlanta for the next three days learning the ropes! This should be interesting, 80% Chance of rain friday and sat, and chance of snow Sunday......lol. . I should get quite the education! Good news is there is only 6 in my class! Thats half the norm. So open wheel cars in the rain here we come! __________________ Jeff Racing for Jesus since 2003'! 03' ZX3 Beatbox -361k miles-(HStock funmachine) 03' ZTS Centennial Edition Kie Kie ~EAP's~(Pretty lil thing) 94' Maxima (for sale) 02' Aprila Mille (Sold)(Miss it already)

02-26-2009, 07:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Good luck to you Jeff. I hope things go well with you. __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

03-02-2009, 01:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ted7rns Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Thousand Oaks, California Posts: 4,646	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Great Job Jeff!!! Sounds like things went great. __________________ 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 Malibu Blue

03-03-2009, 01:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
brads03zx3 [FJ] Addict Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 11,660	Re: Skip Barber school........any tips? Sounds like a blast. I'm jealous! Imagine how deep that car could go with a proper tire __________________ Mountain Tested----'03 zetec ZX3 vs MNTN - 15-1 & ZX3 vs TRACK - 23/1 *JCM Racing #88* Back to Dual Purpose Focusing Vacuum Vulture Racing - We add stiffness

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode