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Favorite Racing Schools?

Discussion in 'Information For New Racers' started by IL8APEX, Nov 15, 2021.

  1. IL8APEX

    IL8APEX Well-Known Member

    While the new racers posts cover the mechanisms for getting a license, every racer will be different in terms of their individual level of preparation for racing. Are there any race schools that you guys have taken that you found super valuable? Ones that really prepared you for racing, or gave you a better sense of race craft?

    A few notables come to mind:
    American Supercamp (racer school)
    Texas Tornado Bootcamp (4-day)
    Champions School (racers only)
    Mystery School (fun camp or training days)

    Any personal experiences that you guys have had that really stand out and you'd like to share?

    Context for question: I'm a long time track day coach who is planning a race season in 2022, and appreciate any device to switch my brain from trackday to race mentality!

    -Tom
     
    R/T Performance likes this.
  2. sheepofblue

    sheepofblue Well-Known Member

    Did Ed Bargy long ago then repeated. Time well spent and a bargain IMO. Did the Schwantz School at RA. Liked it found it helpful in a different way. I think I got more out of it having done Bargy first. Texas Tornado Boot Camp learned something for sure but my main motivation was doing it while me and my brother were healthy enough. EPIC time hanging with him, riding, shooting and everything else while in costume (Halloween). Only down was the lame @#$ wanker from England that would not agree to take his rental Camaro WITH insurance out under the canopy. I am sure we could have roped Colin in and he could have returned to England as a legend, instead he was ooooo I went to a school and had fun. Could have been we had this classic American muscle car on the track under the canopy with World Champion Edwards driving and two crazy Alabama hillbillies totally sideways and ....

    Did I mention RENTAL CAR WITH INSURANCE! No wonder they needed our help in WWI and II after having their asses handed to them in the revolution.

    All three were worth the $$ in fun and learning.
     
    IL8APEX likes this.
  3. tecknojoe

    tecknojoe Well-Known Member

    As a coach, you'd likely enjoy the perspective offered by the YCRS guys. They have a well thought out set of materials that applies to every rider, everywhere. It's helped me identify what other riders can do better, which is also handy when I'm racing and want to find a weakness. It just makes you a much more technical thinker on track. also it's not strictly a 'race' school, it's for any pace.

    American supercamp is fun, and also worth doing, but personally I'd do YCRS first.
     
  4. IL8APEX

    IL8APEX Well-Known Member

    @sheepofblue Now THAT's a missed opportunity!

    @tecknojoe Good perspective. I hadn't thought about using my Coach senses for my own benefit. Clever.

    I really like the idea of a Texas Tornado Boot Camp, only because it sounds a little cutthroat (and therefore fun).

    -T
     
  5. mattys281-2

    mattys281-2 Well-Known Member

    I did levels 1-4 of the Ca Superbike school this year. I got a lot out of that, but if you’re already a fast(ish) track rider you may come away with less than I did.

    I’ve heard that the Yamaha school is a bit more personalized and faster pace, so I’m thinking I’ll try a couple sessions with them in 2022.

    I hope you’ll post back and keep this going with whatever you end up doing. I’m too old to learn through the school of hard knocks so I’m planning on spending some cash on more coaching and school, would like some variety and personal reviews.

    good luck and have fun!
     
    TurboBlew and IL8APEX like this.
  6. IronCactus

    IronCactus Well-Known Member

    California Superbike is fun. But more like an expensive catered track day with some coaching. Maybe CODE race is better, haven’t done that one?

    American Supercamp is super fun. A must do. More like a boys weekend sliding and crashing all day. No matter what Danny says it’s not how anyone rides on paved racetrack. It is for sure how to proper flat track or supermoto.

    Race School Europe with Troy Corser. 2 to 1 rider/coach, pre/post session debrief, classroom with Troy. Oh, and ride ridiculous MotoGP track(s) of your choice for 3 days.

    https://racing-school-europe.com/
     
    TurboBlew, sheepofblue and IL8APEX like this.
  7. sheepofblue

    sheepofblue Well-Known Member

    I figure bike rental exchange and flight 5K but it would be SOO cool.
     
  8. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    I found Bargys class not very informative for anything other than race procedures and flags. The biggest caveat is you failed if you crashed, which a few people in my class did, in spectacular fashion. Kinseys Race class was less informative other than a hardball tire pitch prior to you registering. I did a weekend with DiSalvos Academy (Spencer trained) which was eye opening. Especially on certain techniques like foot, body, & control position. 1 on 1 video sessions and some take home reference.
    More recently Ken Hill's Pro School with Carters... He gives you 4 levels of Code in 2 days plus if you take copious notes along with his course outline... a wealthy library of information that keeps paying dividends. Biggest take away is telling yourself a story... like driving to my apex, moving my eyes down the track to my next ref point, throttle or brake input points, do I have direction in the corner to get on the gas/ brake, hand timing, a small dabble into laptimer data, & lastly a whats holding you back session.
     
    Zoomie, khill, IL8APEX and 1 other person like this.
  9. sheepofblue

    sheepofblue Well-Known Member

    I was VERY green at the Bargy class so it was a great pre-class before Schwantz. Though I have video of a dude high siding it out of the chicane in the mock race. You know the thing right after the lesson on feeding the throttle incrementally to avoid hard spin up, oh and to not let off when it spins up. Yep in the video you can see he got geeked up and literally smoked the rear, then let off. At one point he was upside down in the video. The bike launched and was airborne as I went by. At the time it felt like a couple feet away at helmet height. Reality is it was more like 5-6 feet away at helmet height.

    I think the first you take has the most to offer as some is repeated. But if you pay attention there is some to be gained from all. I need to thin down and get back out. Love to take another school, though my limit is starting to be flexibility/age prevents some motions :crackup:
     
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  10. StaccatoFan

    StaccatoFan My 13 year old is faster than your President

    I had an excellent time at YCRS in 2011 or 2012. Nick and Ken do an excellent job of presenting their program.

    NJMiniGP's 3 day camps are also an excellent program. Ryan Flemming and Nathan Granhoff provide a lot of YCRS material in their camp
    and teach elementary school kids to go fast as hell. About 25-30% of the Ohvale Mini Cup grid was NJMiniGP kids this year in some classes, and
    they took a few podiums. As an adult, you may not want to ride around the pits on bicycles, skateboards, scooters, or anything else with wheels on it
    you can find, or play flashlight tag in the pits at night until 11pm like the kids do ;-) but you'll learn a lot at lower speeds and have a ton of fun.
     
    IL8APEX likes this.
  11. IL8APEX

    IL8APEX Well-Known Member

    @TurboBlew I did get an opportunity to do the DiSalvo Speed Academy, but that was back in November 2015 at Road Atlanta... He was incredibly insightful, I learned a ton. Also got a chance to do a couple laps in front of Elena Myers, talk about a motivator! I was starstruck. I think that was their last class before folding that year (maybe?).

    So far I have signed up for American SuperCamp (racer) in Santa Rosa, as well as Champion's School (racer) at Inde. I can't wait!

    -Tom
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  12. WMRRA #22 - SH

    WMRRA #22 - SH WMRRA #22

    Don't do YCRS "Champ Day" if you are looking for a race school. It wasn't that at all.
     
    IL8APEX likes this.
  13. IL8APEX

    IL8APEX Well-Known Member

  14. DmanSlam

    DmanSlam Well-Known Member

    Agreed.
     
  15. gt9729b

    gt9729b Member

    Are these recommendations appropriate for someone that isn't a coach? I'm new to "sportbike" riding having picked up a new RS660 late fall. Have done a couple track days on my other bikes, and enjoyed them enough to get something more suitable than my Scrambler. I have no aspirations to compete, but would like to learn some skills. I think I'd prefer to do something on my own bike (which makes something in the SE USA preferable, since I live in central Florida, but if the best answer is someplace else using someone else's bike, I'm certainly open to that. Suggestions for a newbie to the track?
     
    William Schneider likes this.
  16. Tim Dobbertin

    Tim Dobbertin Well-Known Member

    Riding a low HP bike in A group and passing people. That's what helped.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2022
  17. dave3593

    dave3593 What I know about opera I learned from Bugs Bunny

    So I race several wera vintage races a year and an not fast but not a road block.

    My two clear issues are: I let off at the end of straights to early and do not consistently look far enough ahead unless I consciencely think about it. I know practice helps.

    Would the Bargy school help me with this?
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2022
  18. khill

    khill Well-Known Member

    Understanding reference points, building segments and using these segments via a script in your head, along with making sure your initial braking is what it should be.....is a start.

    Ken
     
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  19. dave3593

    dave3593 What I know about opera I learned from Bugs Bunny

    Wow! Thanks Ken.
    Love your podcasts.
     
  20. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    He just gifted you a fundamental for the skill toolbox that eclipses the "just follow a faster rider in practice" long standing beeb protocol in under a min...
    Now imagine what a full day on a breadth of related topics would distill.
     
    KneeDragger_c69 likes this.

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