At the almost-too-good-to-be-true Driveway Austin, a driving academy here in Austin, about 2.5 miles from where I work. The way the program works is you take the Level 1 course for $350, then you have to complete a minimum of 10 20-minute practice sessions at $25 each. Then you take a test, and if you pass, you can go on to the intermediate class ($450), and then have to do a minimum of 15 practice sessions at $50 each, then another test. Next, it's the advanced course at $1100, followed by a minimum of 20 practice sessions at $100 each. So it does get pricey once you get out of the beginner group.
The really cool thing about the program is its progressive nature. The Level 1 activity is done on a flat, 0.7 mile, highly technical, low speed part of the track, where you're taught basic skills like smooth weight transfer, trail braking (yes, no more insipid braking only in a straight line), throttle steer, etc. In Level 2, you utilize more of the track (0.91 mile total), where you learn how to take blind corners, severe elevation changes, and threshold braking. The advanced course is on the full track, 2.1 miles long, with a long back straight, where you're taught how to handle high speeds.
I had passed my Level 1 test, and was just about to take the Level 2 class, when my company announced one week off without pay per quarter for an indefinite period of time. Then I started comprehending that my rod bearings are probably on borrowed time, and my compression is pretty marginal, so the head could use a freshening, and I realized that I just can't afford to continue with the racing school until the financial situation improves. I'm really bummed, because the course has improved my driving to a phenomenal degree. I can't wait to get back to it, but I'm sadly in pergatory for awhile...
