Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Winter 2010/2011 | Page 31

Photos: Courtesy of Sean McDonough, DirtFish

FEATURE

extensively on the Nürburgring
Nordschleife, so it has high-speed
track experience as well.
Here in Canada, we have a number
of racing schools that allow you to
explore this side of your development
in a safe and controlled environment.
Again, there are a number of options
to choose from, depending on
whether you prefer NASCAR-style
oval racing, sedan racing on road
courses or open-wheel racing like
Formula One (F1) or IndyCar.
Two of these options have a
longstanding reputation for providing
safe and effective training using
honest-to-goodness racecars capable
of very high speeds. Even better,
they take place at two of the best
racetracks in the country.
The Bridgestone Racing Academy
(www.race2000.com) has been around
for decades and offers numerous
programs aimed at everyone from the
thrill-seeker to the serious up-and-comer.
The school takes place at the Mosport
Driver Development Track in Ontario,
which is a multi-configuration circuit that
offers plenty of challenges.
The instructors teach you everything
you need to know about driving a
racecar – in this case, a 170-horsepower
Reynard Formula 2000 racecar – including

threshold braking, analyzing corners
and using the heel-and-toe technique
for downshifting. This school boasts a
25-year record of injury-free instruction,
which is incredible considering these
formula cars are faster than virtually any
sports car on the road today.
The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School
(www.jimrussell.com) has been at Le
Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec
since 1969 and is based on the
original school that started in the UK.
Their racing programs also utilize
170-horsepower formula racecars and
comprise numerous courses running
from three hours to three days long.
The track is arguably the most
challenging in Canada, so if you can
master your driving technique here,
it will serve you well as you go on to
visit other racetracks down the road.
Q