For Kristin's Y2K birthday, we went to the advanced driving class run by Skip Barber Racing School, at the Laguna Seca Raceway, near Monterey, CA.
For two days, we learned to brake super fast, corner fast, squeal the tires, control skids, and generally take advantage of the unique experience of "It's Not My Car". We likely spun, squealed tires and burnt more rubber in these two days than in our previous 15 years of driving.
We got to drive three types of car during the class. Basic handling, threshold braking, and autocross were done in stock Dodge Neons. Skidding was done in Dodge Dakota V8 pickup trucks with bald tires on wet pavement. To end the class, we got to do the autocross in Dodge Vipers.
Skip Barber Driving School
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Truck coming off the skid patch
Eric is excited
View from the front window
View from the side window
Eric still smiling
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Our classroom
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Obstacle courses and skid patch in the distance
Fast lane change
Swerving
Burning rubber
The light controller
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The evil blue handle
A hard brake
Skidding
On the obstacle course
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On the race track
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Keeping the distance at 90 mph
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The Vipers
Eye candy
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Wine cup challenge
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Eric's cone dent
Gathering for the Viper relay
Eric gets in
Kristin gets in
Zoom
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Whee
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Scrambling for the relay
Go, go, go!
Trophy
Trophy