Many motorsport enthusiasts want to go wheel-to-wheel racing, but the path from where they are to where they want to be can be challenging. It’s not just a monetary issue, either. In recent years, Region-led ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv® Drivers’ Schools have gone from plentiful to few and far between, making it a challenge for those on the outside looking in. Recently, though, ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv introduced (or reintroduced, depending on how you look at it) the Race Experience, and Grassroots Motorsports was there to take it in.
, Grassroots Motorsports followed along as an experience track-day participant entered a North Carolina Region-led ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Race Experience weekend.
“The program offers experiences in both sprint and endurance formats,” writes GRM’s J.A. Ackley. “[ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv’s Jon Krolewicz] says ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Race Experience provides a low barrier to entry to tasting wheel-to-wheel racing, just like many popular entry-level endurance racing series. Drivers must bring a car that will pass ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv safety tech and full driver gear, and self-certify their medical situation.
“Unlike other entry-level endurance racing series, though, ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv places a heavy focus on instruction, but not to the extent of a dedicated drivers’ school. That’s because times have changed.”
The article explains that thanks to programs like ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv’s and ®, most people looking to go wheel-to-wheel racing already have on-track experience; consequently, the schools they take that leads them down the road to obtaining an ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Full Competition license need to adapt with the times.
“With most people, by the time they go wheel to wheel, they pretty much know how to get around a racetrack,” Krolewicz explains in the article. “They understand things like apexes and braking points. So, when you want to go race, you don’t have to learn how to drive … we can just teach you how to race.”
The article’s protagonist, Rob Wilmoth, fits this description to a tee. Having competed in GRM’s Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge, finding his way around a racetrack wasn’t the issue – his experience in real-world racing conditions, meanwhile, was lacking, making the ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Race Experience the perfect opportunity to expand his horizons.
“The ratio of newbies to pro racers and coaches is like 2:1,” Wilmoth said of the ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Race experience event he attended. “So, they could make a newbie sandwich and put us in weird passing situations. It’s 100% situational, developed to allow people to experience it in a safe, controlled fashion.”
Wilmoth’s foil, another Race Experience participant, was Jim Hess. A racer from 15 years ago, Hess was looking to get back into the game and couldn’t resist this event.
“My original plan was to hit up a Drivers’ School – in ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv those are few and far in between – and then this opportunity popped up,” said Hess. “It was an opportunity to shake down the driver and the car in what turned out to be a fun environment.”
Drivers can learn more about the growing ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû51xxtv Race Experience program by clicking here, with Region leaders encouraged to submit a question on that page if they would like more information about how they can host a Race Experience in the future.
Photo by Jon Krolewicz
