Think about it; does your dear ol’ dad really need a new tie or yet another framed picture of you for Father’s Day? And those grill tongs you were considering gifting him with… are they really the way you want to honor him next month?
If you are looking for a way to really wow your pop come June 15th how about putting your gift giving ideas in overdrive and letting him take a racecar out for a spin around an actual NASCAR oval.
Driving schools are hotter than ever and for those who feel the need for speed it is the perfect venue to put the pedal to the metal and not get slapped with a ticket in the process.
Speed racer wannabes have two options: schools that put students inside luxury automobiles and teach them skills they can apply in everyday driving situations, and racing programs that offer an authentic NASCAR or Formula One experience.
BMW offers a Performance Driving School, run out of the company’s North American headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina, which specializes in teaching participants skills that will make them safer motorists all around. There are two important factors you should know before signing dad up at this particular school: First, he doesn’t have to own a BMW to participate. Second, teachers at the school stress that learning there is FUN.
Once he gets inside the BMW of his choice your dad will learn how to navigate the school’s two-mile driving course, which can be configured in several different ways, depending on the driver’s skill level. The course features several hair-raising curves, walls of water and a skid pad. The school has another course that offers steep inclines and deep-water crossings, along with several obstacles made specifically for four-wheel drive vehicles.
BMW offers one- and two-day standard schools plus a three-day Advanced M School for well-qualified drivers, which takes place at Virginia International Raceway.
Likewise, Audi runs its own Sportscar Experience at Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway. Though, if you plan to surprise dad with enrollment to this school you will have to dig deep. The high-end auto program focuses on fundamentals such as steering, car control, braking and accident avoidance, but it comes at a hefty price. The most popular full-day program uses an Audi RS 4 and costs about $1,300. There’s also a 2-day Audi R8 program. Admission to that one will set you back about $3,500.
In my next blog I will review your options if you are looking to gift dad with a chance to fly around a NASCAR track like Richard Petty.
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