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The Fast Track Experience
by Marsha Johnson
All photos property of Marsha Johnson
Most everyone has seen ads in their favorite racing or automotive magazines for performance driving schools. There is a dizzying variety to choose from, offering courses in open-wheel road course driving, stock car driving on oval courses, and even classes to teach you to drive your own car more safely in challenging circumstances. If you have ever wondered what kind of experience awaits the prospective driving student, here is a first-hand account of my very own experience.
First let me tell you that my own reasons for taking such a course involve my intense interest in stock car racing, mainly NASCAR, and the Winston Cup Series in particular. I don't have any plans to actually race competitively, but I do sometimes use skills I learned there in my everyday driving. I'm a bit of a veteran of driving schools, having driven at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway. The first course I took was at Lowe's (Charlotte) two years ago, a course I won in a contest to design a paint scheme for the #4 Kodak Winston Cup team. (That's ANOTHER story.) Part of the prize was a 3 day Basic Oval course at the Fast Track High Performance Driving School. Fast Track's headquarters are near the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, and the school is owned and operated by Andy Hillenburg. They take their show "on the road" to a number of other tracks as well (Texas. Atlanta, Bristol, Kentucky and Salem, Indiana). My first experience was overwhelming, especially since I didn't really have any idea what to expect. Needless to say, I had a wonderful time, though I wasn't all that fast. (I might have cracked 100 mph for one or two of my laps.) All of the instructors and support staff are very helpful and they tailor their instruction to the experience level of the individual student. (Believe me, they can tell how much experience you have.) Unfortunately, we got rained out of our third day of class, so my "make-up" day was taken at Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth. I took the "Thunder Course" there, a course I recommend to beginners. In the Thunder Course, the student drives a racecar following an instructor who is driving the proper line on the track. As long as the student maintains the proper distance from the instructor (2 to 3 car-lengths), and follows perfectly in his tracks, the instructor increases his speed. This course is usually 10 laps, and it's really worth it. I was able to get up to about 140 mph in this course, and gained confidence that the car would "stick to the track" in the turns.
Here is a little summary of what happens in the 3 day course at Fast Track. First, all students meet with the crew of instructors at the media center of the track. There you are issued a driving suit to use for the next 3 days, and there is a brief introductory meeting. There are some basic instructions on safety and the students get to introduce themselves to the class. Then everyone walks out to the pit road to begin the first (and some say MOST IMPORTANT) lap, on foot. The senior instructor explains at what point on the track to start and end turns, and where on the track you should be, whether high or low in certain spots. At the same time, another instructor demonstrates the proper line in a street vehicle. It's a great way to become acquainted with the track, because there is a lot you miss if you don't walk the track. Next, you get to drive the track in your own street car (or rental car if you came by air). An instructor rides with you and coaches you as to whether you need to improve your line, or if you've got it right. After that, about 4 students at a time get on the track in race cars with 2 seats, also with an instructor. (Of course, they cannot be heard over the sound of the engine, so hand signals are necessary.) Fast Track uses actual retired Winston Cup and Busch Series cars in their school, so they are very powerful, and just as loud as they are at the races. They make a few adjustments to the cars to make them as safe as possible for inexperienced students, but the heart of the car is still that of a real racecar. And for your safety, you learn to strap into the 5-point harness in the seat. If you have it adjusted right, it's so snug you can barely breathe. Naturally, you are wearing a helmet, too. After everyone gets a turn with an instructor, then it's time to solo. Each session is eight laps, and you know your time is up for that session when they wave the checkered flag at you. (You become very attuned to that guy in the flagstand!) All communication to students is accomplished right there, with the various flags. All of the flags are explained in detail before you get into the car. When you bring your car back into the pits at the end of your turn, one of the instructors will critique your effort, and tell you what you did right, or how you can improve. Each instructor is in radio contact with various spotters around the track, and they report to him on your performance. This happens each time you exit your car, so it really pays to listen closely to their advice, and try to put it into practice. If you do, you will improve. For the rest of the first day, and most of the second, you are paired with a drafting partner, usually someone who is near your level of ability. Together, you do drafting and passing exercises first at 3 car-lengths, then at 1 car-length. The third day begins in the Fast Track garage, with one of the instructors teaching about racecar and chassis setup. At noon, it's off to the track. Partner drills continue for a portion of the day, then the real fun begins. Most groups then get to do a 4 car pack exercise. It is an amazing experience, especially if you enjoy the sound and that "rumbly" feel at the start of a race. You will never forget it.
Recently, I had the opportunity to take the 3 day course again, and this time I really improved. It was so much fun. Of course, because I had a better idea of what to expect this time, the course itself presented no surprises. So I concentrated on enjoying the company of the instructors and my fellow students. I got to meet the most interesting (and entertaining) people there. There was the dentist, a somewhat crazy guy who called himself "Moondog" (many of the students went by nicknames). I wish I could remember his last name, but his real first name was "Greg". Then there was Dan, the retired executive from Proctor and Gamble who was just trying to figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up. He had just completed working a winter out on ski patrol. My drafting partner happened to be a bond trader for Bank of America, working in multiple millions of dollars per transaction every day. I met a young man named Kevin McGuire, who was taking the class to complete the requirements to get his ARCA license, and then he raced about a month ago at Michigan in an ARCA race. I believe he actually finished quite well, especially considering he was an ARCA rookie. A real fun group was "The Moody Boys", 3 brothers from the Raleigh area. Two of them ("Hubcap" and "Lugnut") were jewelers, and the third ("Baby Face") was a civil engineer. They kept everyone in stitches. You would be surprised how many of the students had taken the course 10 or more times. The Moodys were one such group. Another repeat student was named Ron, and he had experienced a couple crashes in prior classes. One of the cars he wrecked happened to be the car I designed two years ago to win the contest I mentioned earlier, the Kodak Advantix car. It was a car I had also gotten to drive at that time, but it had to be junked after Ron's crash. Fortunately, he was not injured. Of course, Andy Hillenburg showed up on Sunday after getting in from an attempt to qualify at Talladega. Unfortunately, his team didn't make it into the field for the Winston Cup race. He was disappointed at the failed attempt, but was otherwise his cheerful self, nice as ever. I understand that during the winter, Andy himself teaches the classes, which is quite a bonus. Andy is a veteran of MANY racing series: Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck in NASCAR, USAC Silver Crown, ARCA Bondo-Marhyde Champion in 1995, and he also qualified and drove in the 2000 Indianapolis 500!
Because the skill level of our class turned out to be fairly high, we got to practice an exercise they had never tried before. We got eight cars out on the track at once in an 8-pack formation, with an instructor in the pole position. It was an incredibly awesome experience, and can't be adequately described in print. Just being in one car and being by yourself on the track is thunderous, but to be surrounded by 7 others is incredible! You can feel it so much more than even seeing the start of a Winston Cup race (from the stands) with 43 cars starting at once! I also got to do the 4-pack, and got to be in the outside pole position. Keeping a good formation is not as easy as it might sound. The trick with the 4-pack was keeping in mind that the outside groove is a little longer than the inside, so you have to go that much faster to keep even with the instructor. I kept entering a little behind, mashing the gas to catch up, then because I'd get such
momentum in the outside groove, I'd exit the turn ahead of the instructor. It's a matter of timing, and I eventually got the feel for it.
Overall, I improved my skill level and confidence a lot this time, and I got a number of compliments from the instructors about my driving. It's a real boost to hear good words from instructors you learn to respect when they concern the effort you've put forth. Even though I was the only girl in the class, I fit in pretty well as "one of the guys". And I'm looking forward to going back again in the near future, hoping to take my husband with me this time. So I suppose you could say that this experience is addictive. But there is no better way to get a grasp on the view and experience that our "Sunday Afternoon Heroes" have every week. So if you are a serious racecar driver trying to get more "seat time", or if you just happen to be a serious race fan like me, consider going back to school. You'll be glad you did.
Interested in going to Fast Track? Here's the address and phone number. Tell 'em you saw Marsha's story on "The Car Guy of Benchfield"
Fast Track High Performance Driving School
PO Box 160
Harrisburg, NC 28075-0160
(704) 455-1700
2001 Car Guy of Benchfield