Skip Barber experience
 

I just got back from the Skip Barber two-day high performance driving school at the Laguna Seca track outside Monterey. It was a blast!

First, the obligatory Audi reference: contrary to their web site, they do not have any S4's or RS4's at these events. They apparently used to have some but their Audi contract expired and AoA took the cars back. SB is trying to negotiate a deal to get them back in the program. I was disappointed, obviously, because I wanted to see what my RS4 was capable of.

But beyond that it was a lot of fun. We drove BMW 330i's and M3's, and Porsche Boxsters and 911's. We did a variety of exercises (skid pad turns, high-speed lane shifts, auto-cross, heel-and-toe shifting, etc.) and ended the second day with three hours of follow-the-instructor on the Laguna track. I have never tracked a car before so I learned quite a bit.

Of all the cars, I was most impressed by the M3. There is so much talk comparing the RS4 and the M3 but I really enjoyed driving it, in pretty much all circumstances. The Boxster was amazingly well-suited and ate up any corner but it just felt too underpowered. The 911 was a rush, of course, but ultimately it didn't feel as much fun to me as the M3. And the 330i was okay but just felt like a weak version of the M3.

I haven't tracked my RS4 but this experience may finally get me to do it. I definitely recommend the Skip Barber program to anyone who's interested, and I highly recommend driving Laguna Seca. The corkscrew is a hoot!

PS I ended the day with a 2:00 lap in the 330i.

I did it when I was in college when they had Merkur Xr4ti's...
 

which I also happened to own, so it was fun trashing their cars. Funny they had all American cars when I did it...now it's all European.

I had a E46 M3, great car for sure. But the RS4 is so much better across the board as a complete car. Besides they have now hit a price point that the 20 year olds are supercharging them for 6K...they will be blowing many of the 40K produced.

Sounds like you had fun, great story.

Ah the old Merkur XR4ti. Did you say you owned one?
 

i came close to buying one in late 80's, but bought a 88 Conquest TSi instead...the good ones, after 87 model years...they were used on the IROC circuit for a couple seasons, replacing the Camaro Z28. it was a very interesting car. VERY bad ass for it's time.

Oh yeah, Jim Rome and I owned the really "cool" 1985 models..1st yr
 

I never loved and hated a car so much in my life! I did the full RS500 kit on it with the big whaletail etc....I loved it. Except it has to be the most unreliable POS ever made!

I have some sort of sickness because I still think of buying a RS500 and getting into the US, different cars but I'm sure that good reliability.

i remember going down to look at the first few that filtered in in 85
 

they were pretty nice for the time. never bought one though, was concentrating on motorcycles at the time and money had to be allocated either way just out of college.

... and Audiworld was double-represented. Nice meeting you, David.
 

I was quite disappointed as well that they didn't have the Audis - I was very interested in comparing the S4 and RS4 vs. the M3 and 997 in a controlled environment. Overall, I learned a lot as well and I *absolutely* got the track bug. They even got me for the deposit on the three-day race school and have me scheming on what kind of track car to buy/build.

I didn't drive the M3 on the track but I would have liked to. It was a monster on the autocross, and very fun to drive in general. The M3 had absolutely crap brakes compared to the cross-drilled and four-piston monobloc setups on the (lighter) P-cars. The 997 was quite a handful - I prefer the balance of the Boxster but appreciate the rawness of the 997. I think if you sampled a Boxster S you'd be much happier - the S motor adds a sorely needed 50HP/50 lb-ft and it makes a difference.

I'm not sure what times we pulled in the last session when I was in the 997 but it was f'n fast - I think the instructor said it was in the mid/low-1:50s. I tried to use the Sport Chrono but didn't get it set before launching. I had a white-knuckle experience dropping a wheel off the track-out strip on turn 3; PSM saved me. The speeds (and G-forces) we were pushing coming down into Rainey/turn 9 were absolutely amazing. I'd have to say the most exhilarating thing I've ever done occurred yesterday afternoon on that track.

I'm totally hooked. Oh, and R.I.P the track fox.

I got my 1985..in 1987 at a huge discount...wasn't enough!

I did the 3-day race school at Laguna in their open wheel 'skippie' cars. Best driving investment
 

I've made!

i just called them to confirm....
 

spoke to someone in sales. Confirmed, no audis.

bmx 330, m3, cayman and 911....

i'm gettin a refund.

No Caymans at Laguna Seca, just Boxsters.
 

They run the 2-HP school at six different tracks, though.