I just got it too. I wonder if their $600 guest entries are behind due to the economy. I'd love to go, but I just can't swing $1500 for a single day right now.
I guess it would depend on the format. Would be nice if you could choose your vehicle and maybe even focus (between autocross or road course).
HOLY CRAP i didnt even look at the cost...$1500?!?! now i like the TE as much as anyone...but HOLY CRAP thats inane lol
Don't know what it is but it isn't the regular "TE". I guess the group is called the SRT TE and they put on the regular TE and now the Competitive Driving School. I would hope it would be a small group with maybe a 1 to 1 ratio of instructors to student for the driving portions? Wonder who they've contracted to do it?
They need to do a better job of explaining why I should pay them an extra $1000 over the regular TE. Better be strippers in the car with me :grin:
They emailed me something like this but it was a day at Daytona, learning the advanced driving skills. Really the TE is just SRT for dummies. I figured this out after I drove at Willow Springs in my own car and then went to Laguna Seca for a TE. I'd totally do this advanced course, were it not for the whole mommy and no budget thing. :doh:
For $1500 you can go the Petty driving school and have a professional driver one on one for the day..
I think this is similar in concept. Just road course/autocross instead of the oval. And its supposed to be a much smaller group than what they have at TE. Here's the email I got about Daytona back in 2006.
Here is my track experience $3500. for the year 11 track days and drive my car on the track and instruction for first two days and a good mix of guys from all gambits of driving from Ferrari to Honda and a wealth of knowledge that could be gleamed from them all, unfortunately our cars were only designed to go fast in a straight line it realty takes an efferent to turn at 100 MPH and keep up with a Miata that you just chased into a turn. Save your money and find a local club to race with and learn allot more than the traveling circus called SRT Track experience could teach you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCEGN4STP2k
LMFAO totally agree and relate with you about the Miata :rofl: those suckers are fast in corners but slow in strights. also agree with you on the local clubs to race. the guys i saw that were knowlegeable and had experience i have ride with me and coach me on what i need improvement on and still do that to this day. Ive never done a TE but know i could hang, or take some of them who have taken that course. Plus i dont think they teach you how to come up on 2 wheels or 180s or reverse 180s or pit manuvers at the TE. if they do cool, if they dont :happy:
You guys are coming from a different perspective and a lot of experience. Most people who would go to this have probably never been to any sort of road course or competitive driving training or venue. If you already know you're going to get into it medium/long term then you might spend days or weeks or whatever to Find out what clubs are around you Find out all the terms and conditions and fees and obligations and requirements Spend a day or introductory event(s) to see how it's run and who's who and who's friendly and who's not and the conventions and traditions. Then there's your car... brakes, rotors, tires, before maintenance, after maintenance -- even for one day's event. And the risk to it on your maiden voyage. After an event or two you'll probably have a list of all the questions you have and where you want to focus and a plan. The TE thing on the other hand is a one shot deal. You don't have to do ANYTHING other than get yourself there. No research, no prep, no equipment, no insurance, you don't even have to pack a lunch. They're going to have people to put you in the right line, they're going to answer ALL your questions that you haven't even thought of yet. They'll have another instructor after lunch to replace the one you hurt in the morning when you put the passenger side into the barrier. A lot of people would really like to do this once but don't have any plans or desire to make a hobby of it. It's kind of like taking the train to Rio de Janeiro or taking a cruise ship.
Yeah, I did the two TEs back to back, then ended up going back to Willow on my own because I preferred driving my own car. But then I also have a club I'm in and lots of friends in the know. If I wanted to do something like this, yeah its expensive, but I'm not worried about banging up my car and I've got somebody to hold my hand all day.
The TE was shit as far as instruction goes. This is probably a really good opportunity and something I'd like to do just for the fact you are getting "instruction" in an SRT. Most guys...o.k. maybe MattRobertson and a handful of other guys will pay for tires, brakes, gas, track fees, etc to go wing it at a road course and learn bits and pieces. With this, you are not using your own equipment, gas, etc "AND" you are learning how to properly drive (braking, turn in, apexes and lines, etc) from a beginner step by step basis.
Obviously this is far mroe than the SRT Track Experience. The SRT TE is still going to be held. What Chrysler SRT Engineers are adding is a SRT Competitive Driving School. You do get drive time in a Viper also. ..