I needed to pass at least one person to feel okay about my performance. And then, all of the sudden, I was backwards in a cloud of dust praying that I wouldn’t knock any of the fancy carbon fiber bits off this beautiful machine. That night, as I hung out in my borrowed Airstream trailer lodged near a power outlet by turn one, I practiced the movements for blipping the throttle as I pictured turns from the racetrack while sipping tequila to numb my sore hip and tailbones. There were still rules. The previous day’s course was simply two circles at either end, like a long oval track we had to initiate a slide while turning around. After the rest of the class had their turn teasing me for my over enthusiastic performance, we head to the classroom where the instructor compared every piece of data from the cars imaginable to his data from the track. There were eight or so students sitting beside me that morning, and three instructors as well as a handful of mechanics and track staff. Note that practice sessions are run on race tires unless additional tire sets are purchased. This may be one of those areas where my moto background helped me out, but driving a Formula Three car fast requires being okay with chaos and feeling very exposed at very high speeds. I gave the brakes a light squeeze as I hit the bottom of the hill, and then pinned it as I aimed for the apex of turn three. (Full Disclosure: Simraceway wanted me to take their school so bad, they said yes when I asked if I could come and let me borrow a racing suit, shoes, and helmet. We provide great setups for the most popular cars on iRacing! By the time class was beginning, I was chomping at the bit to get back out there - at least once my Asprin began to throbbing of my bruised tailbone. I have no idea how I end up in the driver’s seat of some things. https://www.allenbergracingschools.com/programs/formula/three-day-program How will a car perform in the event of an off-course excursion? They sent us out in waves of three with a pace car and to reinforce the lines (because it’s really easy to follow the lines when you just have to follow the car in front of you and don’t have to think about it yourself) and then turned us loose. I was in the Formula 3 Racing school, stage one, which was held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. Tapping into the rich racing traditions of Jim Russell’s first US-based school, this pioneering series stars the world’s most advanced racing school car, the super-fast, super-safe Lola Sears Point Formula 3, on one of America’s most challenging road courses, the legendary Sonoma Raceway. Those entering more than six races will have their best six scores used in the final championship calculations. Leo Parente Drives A SimRaceway Formula 3 Race Car - /SHAKEDOWN - … Built of carbon-fiber, their one-piece monocoque shells are strong enough to withstand extreme impacts with little deformation. But, it was time for all the students to go out together in half hour sessions of track time and there was little chance anyone would see me passing under braking. Fortunately, I’m a big fan of sucking at stuff - because learning to suck less is what life is all about. I found myself here because someone at Pirelli thought it would be a good idea to let me drive a Formula One car soon, and I needed to learn me some things. Yes, that does seem like a lot and yes, I was pretty sure I’d be found out as a fraud. I’d managed a lap of 1:42 compared to his 1:34, and was still getting around 20 seconds or so faster than the guys in the Audi R8. I’ve always used the gas to initiate a slide in cars, but with cars this light and susceptible to having their balance changed via brake and gas inputs, I started to get it just a little by the end. How did it compare to your 1:42 on the F3? The next morning, the first autumn winds shook the trailer, waking me up sometime just after dawn. At the point we’d been in small groups ranging from two to five people for various drills and sessions, and it dawned on me that I hadn’t driven around some of these guys, many of which owned track cars, and they might just drive circles around me. As we blipped and skidded our way to a stop down the drag strip they were far more critical of our downshifts, but for the most part it was business as usual. 3:42. I’ve been called a little too competitive once or a dozen times. Select a PackageNot Sure, YetGo Karts – Arrive And DriveGo Kart CompetitionKtm ExperienceKtm X-Bow R Demonstration LapsKart Relay RaceGo Kart Junkyard ChallengeF1-Style Pit Stop ChallengeAutocross Time AttackPolaris Circuit TourGarage Tours, Copyright © 2020 Sears Point Racing Experience. With the Advanced setup, rev limiter is set to 8,400 Rpm and power to 250 Hp, for a top speed of around 160 mph (or 255 km/h). More accurately, compared to his data, I was downright terrible. The Jim Russell Racing Series returns with a fresh new look and an innovative, affordable pricing structure. No instructors. Puresport Formula 3 cars are unique: The chassis are carbon fibre Dallara F304s compliant with FIA standards - very resistant for the utmost safety. Its unique, modular approach to pricing, which allows competitors to easily control their costs, brings thrilling formula racing firmly back within reach of every driver. They also didn’t yell at me for, or make me clean, their car that I spun into the dirt.). Please call to confirm your eligibility. Optional 30-minute practice sessions are available for $495 each. Welcome, staff presentation, hand out of driving safety equipment With. Founder Allen Berg has conducted highly regarded racing school programs in the past. Cheers! Several turns later, a saw a rear spoiler miss a line around a turn and I punched the gas. The school shares a building with an Audi driving school, and the instructors drove a variety of Audis (with a Mustang and a Camaro mixed in here or there) for the lead follow drills. I was given the go ahead to pass the instructors Audi RS4 mid lap, and felt humiliated as I completely blew my entrance into my first solo corner of the day, completely overshooting the entry to corner 9A. RULES & REGULATIONS  A full copy of the Jim Russell F3 Racing Series rules and regulations will be made available to competitors at each event. It has been designed to target a cost of $2,000-$4,000 per race, depending on experience and skill levels. Unlike many other racing school cars, they comply with the FIA’s crash safety standards. I popped out of the car, with sweat dripping down my beard muttering nothing but “holy shit,” as I glanced around the faces around me. The rest of the day followed along with a similar pace, with different techniques taught in the classroom, and then drills or lead/follow time on the track. - Racing lines - Analysis of the racetrack Fortunately, everyone else was managing the race gearbox (read: very abruptly engaging) like I was, but by the end of the drill I was getting the hang of it even if it require slamming my knee into the side of the tub to get my blips right. DRIVER REQUIREMENTS   This series is principally open to graduates of our Formula 3 Racing School program and, in some circumstances, those with equivalent racing experience. Mercifully, the checkered flag finally came up and my heart finally resumed activity as normal as I pulled into pit lane. BUT. Choose any track, any racecar, any platform, and our coaches will assist you in reaching higher levels of performance and improved results in your virtual racing endeavors. And, to make matters a little better, they told me I was one of the students ready for slicks and for the Stage 2 school. - Use of the gearbox “Easy does it man, you’ve come this far, don’t blow it now,” I told myself as I ran through the gears until I was mid fifth gear and passing brake markers into the hairpin of turn eleven. Despite the normal desire to slow down a tad when we get a little scared, giving the car more gas would have had sorted me out perfectly. As long as I could ignore the aroma of smoking tires, I felt almost decent. Top Level Curriculum. 08.30 – 09.00: Practice 1 09.40 – 10.10: Practice 2 10.50 – 11.20: Practice 312.50 – 13.20: Qualifying14.40 – 15.10: Race, 08.50 – 09.20: Practice 110.10 – 10.40: Practice 211.40 – 12.10: Practice 314.10 – 14.40: Qualifying15.40 – 16.10: Race. These chassis are combined with a Honda 2000 four cylinder engine from the series which unleashes up to 255 Hp at 8500 Rpm with just a few changes. Racetrack Hire, company third party insurance, vehicles, instructors, mechanics, track safety service, ambulance & doctors, all necessary safety equipment (overalls, helmets, balaclava, gloves and shoes), open bar, driving certificate and sparkling wine at end of course. My heart dropped into my stomach and I hung my head, feeling the specks of dirt come to rest on my neck. With the Advanced setup, rev limiter is set to 8,400 Rpm and power to 250 Hp, for a top speed of around 160 mph (or 255 km/h). However, an equally-important–and often overlooked–component is that of safety. Dreaming of being single seater pilot? 8:30 a.m. After some more class time and another lead/follow session, we were done for the day. Anticipating FIA 2011 standards, Puresport F3 cars have been equipped with a very fast paddle shifter, which makes driving even more exciting, safe and simple. You can now drive a real Formula 1 and Formula 3. Lately, I find that a lot of things sound like fun or good ideas, but I don’t really give it much thought until they hand me the keys or until some dude is strapping down my six point harness, telling me the more it hurts the better off I am. Anticipating FIA 2011 standards, Puresport F3 cars have been equipped with a very fast paddle shifter, which makes driving even more exciting, safe and simple.