FastLane Racing School - I'm organizing group event

[R.Murphy]

Hello all.

Well, Santa did alright this year, but he did not bring me the gift for which I really had a huge hankerin'.

I want track time, and I didn't get any. So I plan to fix that deficiency. Then I realized it might be more fun as a group.

So who is interested? I emailed to FastLane school about group discounts and to find out what availability they have in Q1 2010 for either the 2 Day High Performance or the 2 Day Road Racing Experience courses. They will give us 10% off for parties of 5 or more. I have to believe if we get 10 or more, I am likely to be able to get us an even better discount.

I previously inquired and they do allow you to use your own vehicle -- even convertibles -- in the course instead of the school cars, provided your vehicle passes some basic safety inspection points. I have contacted them for confirmation about the big track requirements -- they might require full roll cage for the big track because of insurance reasons, but I will find out for sure. The Streets of Willow are plenty challenging anyway.

So whether it's the Performance or the Road Racing Experience, the normal cost is $1695 using the school provided cars. Driving your own car, it's $950. You can also do what I was planning to do which is use the school car for most of the time and take your own S out for just one session. So who's game?

If you've never done one of these, you need to. Simple as that. If you have done one, then you know how fun it is and you know you want to do it again. Having attended Bondurant, Road Atlanta Driver Training Center, Fast Lane and Petty, I can tell you that FastLane gives darn good bang for the buck and the guys who run it are cool. You get plenty of seat time and have as much fun or get very serious and learn as much as you want. The instructors really want to help you and they know that it's no small chunk of change you are laying down for this weekend, so they tend to make sure you have a good time and want to tell all your friends.


Executive Summary:
Who: You!
What: FastLane Racing School 2 Day course either in your car or theirs. www.raceschool.com
Where: Willow Springs Raceway in scenic Rosamond, CA (Lancaster, ya'll and it ain't scenic!)
How: B*lls out fast.
How much: $1695 (school car) or $950 (your car) group discount of 10% if we get 5 or more committed.
Why: Because life is too short to live it saying, "I wish I took the chance to run this b*** WOT!"
When: Q1 on a weekend (Saturday and Sunday) available dates listed below.


Saturday, January 16 Thru Sunday, January 17
Saturday, February 13 Thru Sunday, February 14
Saturday, March 6 Thru Sunday, March 7

I am presently favoring the Feb dates. IMO this is the best Valentine's weekend anyone could give me.

[R.Murphy]

Forgot to add:

We already have 3 committed to this event via another forum on the web. So we're only 2 away from that magic # to get a 10% discount!

[R.Murphy]

We've got a fourth. Now if this were only golf we'd be in fat city.

We need a fifth (person, not whiskey). Come on ya'll!

[R.Murphy]

UPDATE:

The date is going to be Feb 13 & 14. (Best danged Valentine's weekend you could possibly have!) Deadline to commit is Jan 23.

This is going to be gobs of fun!!! I can't wait. It was all I could do to keep from just signing up the group for the January course but prudence finally won out when I was reminded that the Jan dates are less than 2 weeks away and people might need more time to clear their schedule.

[R.Murphy]

UPDATE: We have met our minimum, but are still willing to add more drivers! Our deadline is still January 23.

[R.Murphy]

Well.... this is interesting! If anyone out there is still sitting the fence, perhaps you should think again.

Someone had brought to my attention the numbers I was quoting were different from what was on the Fast Lane web site. So I doublechecked, and sure enough, they had conflicting information on the Fast Lane site. I had been working from a PDF that, although it listed the 2010 schedule, it apparently still had 2009 pricing on it and I never noticed.

After emailing Fast Lane and discussing the situation, they have said they will honor the following prices just for us for the 2 Day High Performance Course:

$1695 if using the school cars
$990 in your own car
AND we still get the 10% discount for 5 or more attendees.

Now, folks, they normally charge 1795 for the course in the school cars!! So if we have 5 or more people, the cost of the course will be $269 less than if you just went on your own. That's a very good deal and worth thinking twice about.

[Marrk]

Awesome!

I'm going. And I'm working on getting a few buddies to come along.

[R.Murphy]

Last Call....

Hey all... it's last call for sign ups. I need to turn in a list with attendee's contact info on Monday so if you want to be "in" please let me know.

Just for comparison, I checked out the Bondurant school web site tonight. They have their 2 Day High Performance course which is comparable to this Fast Lane course for just shy of $2400. I've been to Bondurant and to Fast Lane. Bondurant has more whistles and bells (track photographers who will sell you pics of you on the track, in car video for an extra fee, school hats that you can buy) and of course the Bondurant name, but all in all I'd just as soon spend my money at Fast Lane and save myself the trip to Phoenix.

Anyway, if you want to go, please let me know so I can arrange with the school Monday. Also, I can probably get us discounts on hotel arrangements if we all stay at the same place, but that is likely to be more challenging to arrange. I expect to drive out Friday night and will stay over Saturday night.

If you want to attend, it's important that you give me a shout now.

[R.Murphy]

I just sent over the list of names to Fast Lane this morning and they will be contacting the attendees to arrange payment, but it's not too late to add more if we really want to. And if we add the magic #5 person (we had 5 but one had to bow out) we get an even better group discount.

So it's game on all and I'm about as excited as a 7 year old on Christmas Eve.

Also, I have inquired for recommendations from the school on local hotels with whom they may have a relationship. Attendees will be sent more info when I have it.

[R.Murphy]

REALLY the last call now.

Well ladies and gents, only one week from tomorrow and our little group will be at Fast Lane school having a blast!

Anyone looking to add can do so by contacting me. After Wednesday, I won't be sponsoring anyone else to join our group and get a discounted price.

So to recap:
2 Day High Perfomance Course Feb 13-14
Streets of Willow course at Willow Springs Raceway
Prices for anyone adding now:
1567.75 in the school cars
940.50 in your own car

If you want to see the type of flat out driving you can do at this type of school, I do have footage we took at the Bondurant school a few years ago. Different school, but same kind of driving. http://www.youtube.com/user/roseannemurphy1968

Do not delay any more if you want to do this course! After Wednesday I am hanging up my organizer's hat and going back to normal civilian life. Anyone who is in then, is in. Anyone who isn't, isn't.

[davidc]

I know it's past the date, but how good is Buttonwillow's Driving School for only $225 for the day?

http://www.buttonwillowraceway.com/clinic.htm

[R.Murphy]

I have never been to Buttonwillow or to any driving clinics offered there. I can not advise regarding that. Perhaps someone else can help you.