Getting on Track

The first step I'd recommend is going to school. Practice doesn't make perfect it makes permanent. If you practice the wrong technique over and over again you'll end up with bad habits. Local to the San Francsico Bay Area there are two driving schools (Russell at Sears Point and Skip Barber at Laguna Seca) that I'd recommend. These schools are great for getting the broad strokes on driving a race track. At these schools you'll learn about vehicle dynamics, the proper racing line, braking exercises and in some cases; actual races.

After driving school people fall into two categories; 1. They need more or 2. They're happy having done it but would rather stick to cruising. If you fall into the first category the next step I'd recommend is getting your 458, F40, 612 etc on track. There's a great organization called Hooked on Driving that organizes track days locally. HOD does a great job of hosting track days that are safe, orderly and fun. Getting your road car on track does two things. The first thing it does is get you on track again; that's always good. The second, and more important, thing it does is teach you how your car behaves at the limit in a safe environment free of cyclists (I'm one of them), kids, dogs, deer, trees, oncoming traffic and police. Knowing how your car will behave at the limit will only make you a safer street driver. After being on the track in your car you'll know the warning signs of unwanted slip angle on the street that will send you off of the road and into the bay (just ask Emmanuel!).

If after a driving school and driving your car on a track you're still hungry for more you have some decisions to make. It's at this point that you know enough about yourself that you can ask the question; "where do I want to end up with my driving?" Some people decide that doing track days is enough while others feel the need to compete. Some people love the older cars and decide to go vintage racing. Others prefer something more modern. Either way it's at this point that you should get a track specific car. Please avoid the pitfalls of trying to modify your road car to be good on the track; the outcome is always the same. You have a car that's not a very good street car and it's not a very good track car. One of the best all around track cars that you can buy, at any price, is a Ferrari 458 "Challenge Car." They are fast, reliable, safe and fun to drive. It's a car you can do track days with and/or go wheel to wheel racing anywhere in the World against like minded people.

Driving on a race track isn't for everyone. If it's for you don't delay; you're not getting any younger! Whether you end up vintage racing a 250 SWB in Europe, a new 458 in Ferrari Challenge in North America or a Miata in SCCA you'll be continually challenged and rewarded while making life long friends along the way.

Johannes van Overbeek
Driver of the #01 ESM/Patron 458 Ferrari GT in the ALMS