So we are trying the Mosport racing school

[fiero308]

We enrolled our son in a one-day 'learn to lap' school at mosport; about a month away; and we will see how it goes and post our impressions after.  There will be 3 lapping sessions including one where they will be waved by the instructors car (one at a time, at intervals) to do more-or-less open lapping. 

This is after looking at schools all over the place; several in Quebec, down in the states, etc; and looking for the kind of one-day course that we are getting.  (Open wheel with a fair bit of seat time and lapping).

We looked at the terms and conditions of a lot of schools and this one (obviously) we feel was the best one.  One of the things that factored in - and you need to ASK about it; they DON"T tell you until you are there on the first day otherwise!!!!!!!!!!) is liability!
Lots or most of them will impose penalties or fines (some pretty $ub$tantial) or even disqualification if you spin, go off the track, (one wheel off, two, all wheels; all are fined!) etc etc etc.  And no refunds.  Sorry.  Understandable that they want to protect their cars, of course, but the penalties can be substantial, and the way that it is 'not mentioned' .... wasn't "presented" in a very admirable way, in my opinion.  You had to ask about it and then you find out that, at a 'racing school' where BEGINNERS are learning to push a car to its limits, that if they exceed their (previously unknown?) limit they might be booted off the course?!??!  And just to make it bite a bit more, they dont' tell you about those possibilities until you are signing on the dotted line.........  and no cancellation refunds, by the way. 

Anyway my point is to anyone who is looking at doing something like that, to be aware of all the issues!  The up-front price isn't the only item to consider.   It might wind up costing you a LOT more, and give you a lot less, and it just COULD be a surprise......
so ask LOTS of questions and get responses in writing, not verbal!  The policies are different at ALL of them.
We'll post pix and comments after the big day; it is about a month away and we are looking forward to it!  So far the people we have dealt with have been super and very cooperative.  So far, so good.
GP

[GoFast85]

Always good to know

[fiero308]

a follow up, now that the day is passed.
well I got a surprise!! 
The nite before the school, I found out that I was going to do the first day TOO!!!
Wow.  One of those little dreams of a lifetime for me!!  It was supposed to be just for my son (grad present) but we both got to do the first day of the 4 day competition licence school and it was FANTASTIC!!!!!!  (not sure yet what I did to deserve it but am REALLY trying to figure that out LOL!!)
anyway; the unofficial consumer report is that it was REALLY SUPER GREAT!!!
the cars, F2000 Reynards, are presumable almost 20 yrs old design-wise; but the suspension isn't THAT much different from todays cars when you look at it; inboard horizontal shocks; VERY tight cockpits!! and they take a TON of abuse.  Was it EVER fun!!!  Wheeling an open wheel 950 lb formula car with about 140hp as fast as I could make it go; I was beating Mike Schumaker at most of the turns!!! 
well.  Maybe that was last nite when I slept the sleep of the exhausted.  We had a LOT of time in the car; there were 16 people in the class and they broke us up into 2 main groups then into sub groups and we had 4 sessions on the track and actually (almost) enough time  behind the wheel (never really such a thing of course) but when you had a chance to sit out and think about it then back in etc it really helped a lot.  I thought it was VERY well done, a TON of fun and taught me a LOT about how to drive (I thought all these years I KNEW.......!?!?!?!)
So I HIGHLY and unconditionally recommend the school to anyone thinking of going for it OR even for a single day to try it out as we did.  The instructors were VERY good; the atmosphere was GREAT, it was very relaxed yet very professional and competent and they had 22 mechanics to take care of us as well as course staff for flagging and so on.  This is no mickey mouse affair.  They are in BUSINESS!!! and it shows.
So anyway
I will post some pix here a bit later; we got tons (they .....ahem.....sell you a CD) and we .....well.......bought it.  So if anyone has any questions feel free to ask.  It was a great experience! 
More to follow.
Graeme

[dguy]

Where's the smiley for :drooling profusely:  ?

Looking forward to some of those photos.  What was the total cost per person if you don't mind me asking?

[fiero308]

so a few pix; I had to 're'-reduce them to get the size not too bad.

the cockpit is tight tight and the top view shows that; if you look closely you may see a slight shine in my right hand; that is the ballpoint-pen sized shifter.  You work that with two fingers and a flick of the wrist.  There is NO room to move your arm anyway.  (Try doing that with a gallon of adrenaline flowing thru your brain in the first session....LOL)

or...... as the instructor rightly and dryly observed; with adrenaline flowing thru whatever 'OTHER parts you are now thinking with'.......
and he was right on!!

[fiero308]

a couple more........

my young lad and I.  Notice how photogenic I am in a full face helmet?
hmmmmmmmm

and then finally I get to leave the pits......!!!!  (more adrenaline!)

[Kitten]

Man that looks like fun!!!!!

[fiero308]

it was just a blast. 
NOW............. to put things into perspective........ and come down a bit from that high....

their literature says the cars make about 125hp and they weigh about 1000 lbs w/o a driver.  hmmmmm, not as high, or low, as I thought.  I thought they had said 950lbs and about 140 or 150 hp.
And they were a BLAST to drive.
soooooo.......... (the sobering thought......)
Want to appreciate just how good the F1 guys are?
Formula ONE cars weigh 1100 lbs and make about 750 hp.  Try sticking THAT to an asphalt surface.........!!!!
guess I need more practise laps!!!! lol