“I’m a track day enthusiast. What could I possibly gain by taking a rally driving course?” You might be surprised to learn the reasons track drivers should learn rally driving.
Rally is about total car control.
Ever hit loose surface, then slip and slide? Oversteering or overcorrecting in this situation often causes the driver to crash. According to Science Direct, oversteering or overcorrection is ranked 7th among factors resulting in fatal car crashes. They also indicate “[i]n 2014, 4.1% of drivers overcorrected or oversteered their vehicles, resulting in fatal crashes.”
At The FIRM we save lives!
Why Track Drivers Should Attend Rally School
Rally School is not just about the thrill and adventure of driving tight tree lined paths or around obstacles at speed! Drivers get to experience controlled mayhem and technical driving mastery both on and off road. While it can make a great experience gift for a thrill seeker, it can also be applied to crisis situations and prevent fatal accidents.
Attending Rally School is recommended for new and experienced drivers alike.
If you’ve ever tracked your car, you know the intent is to keep the car as controlled as possible. You get to do this at speed. No stop signs. No traffic lights! Experienced track drivers can tell you, something won’t go as planned. Either a car spins out of control in front of you, you make a mistake in a corner and lose control, or there’s debris that sends you careening. It’s not uncommon for drivers to get anxious when the car loses grip. And it’s much more common for drivers to focus on the one object they don’t want to hit instead of focusing on where they do want to end up.
That’s where Rally School can be useful, because you learn to control a car on loose surfaces. And, you’re going to get comfortable with sliding.
As a rally school student, you’ll learn that the foundation of rally driving is understanding how the transfer of the car’s weight between the front and rear tires affects handling. More weight is on the front tires, gaining more grip, when a driver brakes or lets off the gas as the front end of the car dives forward. Alternatively, when accelerating, weight is transferred to the back of the car, making it squat, giving the rear tires more grip.
In rally driving, you also learn left foot braking while still pushing on the gas to transfer some weight to the front of the car to get it to turn.
Finally, rally school can help train your brain to look where you want the car to go. This isn’t always easy when the car is sliding toward a tree or a ditch you really don’t want to hit. But, learning to look where you do want to go will really help in track driving as well, especially during a sudden rain shower when the car starts sliding where you didn’t want it to go.
So, why do track drivers need to attend rally school?
In short, it’ll build your confidence in your ability to handle the unexpected, like debris on the track or the sudden rain shower. And, a little slide won’t make you quite as nervous.
As a rally school student, you will learn car control at speed and we’re sure you’ll become a better driver, whether you’re a new driver or experienced track junkie.
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In our Rally School, you’ll receive 1:1 instruction including classroom time and an in-car instructor. You can choose the amount of time you’d like to learn, from Half-Day introduction to 5-day classes for maximum seat time.
We also offer Teen Safety Courses for 14 and up using the same fundamental basics; allowing teens to learn car control in a safe setting. So, don’t let your teen experience car control while trying to avoid a crazy squirrel. Sign them up for training to develop the confidence and skill in preparation for everyday driving events!
