Ron Fellows Performance Driving School-Would you consider going?

[Mr.Corvette]

Grand Bend Motorplex Wed. Whitelaw Automotive Lapping evg. is the easiest way to start. $100 registered in advance for 3-4 hours. There are about 10 evg. per season see the schedule. The schedule is on the Grand Bend Motorplex site. 2023 Raceway Schedule – Grand Bend Motorplex . There are days also available from $150 for 6-7 hours plus if you get to know some of the others who go to these events - private rentals are available to share once they know you are familiar with the track for about $200/day. Your first time out ask at the mandatory drivers meeting if there is an advanced driver that will go out with you for your first session. A few of these guys are trained instructors. Show up early and introduce yourself to the other drivers who all keen to give advice.
If you want to go to CTMP there are definitely trained instructors to accompany you and provide instruction. Quite a few to chose from at CTMP for $400 to $700/day, Driveteq Track days, Driveteq.ca, Apex Driver Training apexdriving.ca, Speed Therapy speedtherapy.com and BMW Trillium Car Club Advanced Driver School. BMW Car Club is only $70 to join and most who attend do not have a BMW. It offers the good driver training especially for beginners over a 2 day weekend for about $750. I go to Speed Therapy for most of their events and it is only$400/day and you get the most track time. My favourite one within a days drive is ASE Lapping club Racing school held at Calabogie in May each year ASE Lapping Club .
All Lapping events are in groups based on experience. i.e. Grand Bend evg. lapping 3 groups at 15 minutes each per session. Every time I go there is always someone new. You can also show up at Grand Bend and enter for free as a spectator if you want to check it out. You will need a helmet if you are on track and most tracks will rent you one if you don't have one.
I plan to be at Vettefest and would be happy to meet and tell you more. Red C8 lic plate GM MUSL my name is Hal.

Hal, did you make it to Vettefest? The CCF members got together at 11 am for a discussion and group photo as discussed on the Bayfield thread.
Severe weather forecast for this evenings Whitelaw Wednesday evening lapping. It sounds like they know you at the Grand Bend facility. Any chance we could arrange a CCF day and open it up to members who want to get on the track on an available day? My buddy who I just ordered his Z06 for, has a place in Calabogie and has been on the track there. It would be great to get on that track once the car shows up this fall. Do you also live in London?
Was also going to mention your car appears to be quite close to what I had in 2020 with my Z51 mag ride coupe. As I wait for my next car to be built in August, my current non-Z51 car with the high wing, gets a little loose on the track in the back end at speeds over 210 kph. What speeds are you getting up to at the Grand Bend track?

 

[Sea Wolf Z06]

How was it yesterday? I hope you missed the rain. I checked with the club about going and it wasn't a drive your car on the track event that they wanted $1200 to drive other Cadillac, Camaro and Corvettes probably belonging to Ron or GM. I was advised by the VP of the Niagara Corvette Club that the event was full.

It was amazing, even though the rain put a damper on things. Driving the Z06 For 6 laps was worth the price of admission!

 

[GM MUSL]

Hal, did you make it to Vettefest? The CCF members got together at 11 am for a discussion and group photo as discussed on the Bayfield thread.
Severe weather forecast for this evenings Whitelaw Wednesday evening lapping. It sounds like they know you at the Grand Bend facility. Any chance we could arrange a CCF day and open it up to members who want to get on the track on an available day? My buddy who I just ordered his Z06 for, has a place in Calabogie and has been on the track there. It would be great to get on that track once the car shows up this fall. Do you also live in London?
Was also going to mention your car appears to be quite close to what I had in 2020 with my Z51 mag ride coupe. As I wait for my next car to be built in August, my current non-Z51 car with the high wing, gets a little loose on the track in the back end at speeds over 210 kph. What speeds are you getting up to at the Grand Bend track?

Yes I did, sorry I missed meeting you. I got involved in a conversation with a guy there and missed the 11AM meet up. I live in the Grand Bend area and go to about half of the Wed. evg. events at the Grand Bend Raceway. I have hit 200 kmph on the back straight there. I did not go the this Wed. lapping due to the forecast. There are many track events available at Grand Bend you just need to pick a date and get everyone to register in advance. One new organizer Tim Brander F&S Track Day who is the head marshal at the track is looking for more registrants see the next event . You can find out what is going on at the track on the Facebook page Grand Bend Track Nights, or check the website schedule 2023 Raceway Schedule – Grand Bend Motorplex. Falcon Motorsports also has openings for new people. I don't know how you would get agreement for the CCF members to meet up there. I know the Corvette Club of SWO tried a track evg. a few years ago but only a half dozen showed up - maybe they could do that again and invite CCF members too. I have done Calabogie too and its a blast. Make sure you get an instructor the first time there. My 2020 is exactly that a Z51 Mag Ride with PTM 1LT. I passed on a 2022 which was a mistake. I would love to have a Z06 but I can't drive the Z51 to its limits on the track as it is!

 

[Mr.Corvette]

On the Stingray Official list thread, there are 25 names of people other than myself that have taken delivery of new cars since May.
That means you have until next May to take the Corvette owners school at the reduced rate. I have been approached by a couple of members to see
how many might be interested in going as a group before next May, perhaps in April. You have 12 months from the date of delivery to book your spot. If your interested let me know.
Scott

 

[Matt_Orleans]

I would be interested and I have already started looking into it. I got a bit of information from them yesterday that I can share with the group. I will do that this morning.

 

[Matt_Orleans]

Attached is the curriculum and the current available schedule.

Here is what I got from Kim from Spring Mountain.

If you are a new C8 Stingray owner, you’ll receive a two-day school for $1,000.00 plus one included night of accommodations. Only first retail purchasers of new and unused C8 Corvette Stingrays and Z06s are eligible. The certificate is not transferable, one owner per VIN, and you must have taken delivery of your car to book the school. The certificate is only good for one year from the date you took delivery of the car.

Things to Know:

• Times to Note –
  • Breakfast – Breakfast is served from 6:45AM-7:30AM in the Clubhouse.
  • Class – All classes are 8AM-4PM BOTH DAYS. There will be an hour dedicated to lunch, which will be served in the Clubhouse.
  • Check-In – Condo check-in begins at 3:00PM.
  • Check-Out – Condo check-out is at 11:00AM the morning of your last day of class. As a student, you will want to make sure you are checked out of your room before heading to class at 8:00AM that day, since you will not have a chance to return before check-out time. If you are bringing a guest, they can stay in the room until 11:00AM.
• Accommodations – New C8 owners will receive 1 night of accommodations included in their package, with an option to purchase 1 additional night. Those paying the retail cost of the school will have to pay for accommodations separately. (Accommodations are based on availability. If onsite accommodations are not available, alternate accommodations will be provided.)
  • Pricing – The cost per night starts at $135 and goes up to $218 based on availability at the time of booking. Due to our availability, we can only accommodate the night before the first class and the night in-between. We will not be able to accommodate the night after the second day of class, as we have other students and members checking in.
  • Recommended Additional Stays – If you need any additional nights added to your stay, we recommend The Silverton located near the Las Vegas airport; their number is (866) 722-4608. We also recommend The Holiday Inn Express in Pahrump; their number is (775) 727-9100.
• Guests / Amenities – Guest will be allowed in the classroom during all classroom sessions of the program, as well as participate in a ride-along with the instructors.
  • Guest Fee – If you plan on bringing a guest, the guest fee will be $40 per person. This $40 is the total for the entire duration of the program and will cover each guest for their meals, amenities, ride-alongs, etc.
  • Amenities – Our amenities include a pool, jacuzzi, fitness center, basketball court, horseshoe pit, Clubhouse, viewing towers, and an on-call massage. If you are interested in booking a massage, please call Tina at (775) 513-9360 for pricing and scheduling.
• Meals – Breakfast and lunch will be provided in the Clubhouse both days of your school, prepared by our on-site Executive Chef. Dinner will be the student’s responsibility. Spring Mountain will provide a list of restaurants we recommend in town.
• Transportation – Depending on where you are located, you may need to book a flight into Las Vegas. The airport to fly into would be Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport). Las Vegas is about 55 miles from our facility. While taxis, Uber, Lyft, etc. may be available from Las Vegas to Pahrump, they will not be available from Pahrump to Las Vegas. You must have a vehicle. Some buildings on property may be up to 1.5 miles away. We recommend your guest accompany you to breakfast and drop you off at the classroom, use the vehicle for their leisure during the day, and return to pick you up from class. Students will be provided all necessary transportation during class hours, allowing the guest to use the vehicle.
• Dress Attire – Please dress comfortably. Jeans/shorts and a t-shirt are perfectly acceptable. We recommend driving shoes if you have them. If you do not have driving shoes, please make sure you are wearing a pair of tennis shoes. You may not wear sandals, boots, heels, etc. Helmets will be provided for you at the facility.
• SD Card/PDR System – All of our cars are equipped with a PDR (Performance Data Recorder). Each student will be provided an SD card to record their track sessions.
• Liability Waiver – Each student will sign a waiver stating they are responsible for the first $8,000 of any external damages to the vehicle. This applies to external damages only. Anything after $8,000, Spring Mountain will cover.
  • Buy-Down Option – However, you do have the option to buy your liability from $8,000 down to $2,000. The cost to do that would be $200. This waiver will be sent through Signeasy once your decision has been made.

 

[DW Ruby]

On the Stingray Official list thread, there are 25 names of people other than myself that have taken delivery of new cars since May.
That means you have until next May to take the Corvette owners school at the reduced rate. I have been approached by a couple of members to see
how many might be interested in going as a group before next May, perhaps in April. You have 12 months from the date of delivery to book your spot. If your interested let me know.
Scott

Scott,
Are you going back for a 'refresher', or onto the next level?

 

[Mr.Corvette]

Scott,
Are you going back for a 'refresher', or onto the next level?

Darrell, I have already done the level 1 school there and I now like you have the option to return with a new car purchased. With so many members now eligible
I just put it out there to see how many people on CCF might be interested? The $2700 US subsidy that GM covers for this school is built into each car that is sold, so
regardless if purchasers go to the owners school or not your paying for it.

 

[DavidWG]

On the Stingray Official list thread, there are 25 names of people other than myself that have taken delivery of new cars since May.
That means you have until next May to take the Corvette owners school at the reduced rate. I have been approached by a couple of members to see
how many might be interested in going as a group before next May, perhaps in April. You have 12 months from the date of delivery to book your spot. If your interested let me know.
Scott

For those watching this thread who are on the fence about going to the Spring Mountain school I urge you to take advantage of this amazing program. Don't let a lack of track experience hold you back. I have been to the program twice in the past four years and will go again if I get a new Corvette. Most of the participants in the level 1 program have had no experience on a track. The staff are very skilled at slotting everyone into groups of similar ability. I'm 77 and there were at least two folks older than me at the session I attended 12 months ago.

 

[Murray20c8]

The $2700 US subsidy that GM covers for this school is built into each car that is sold, so
regardless if purchasers go to the owners school or not your paying for it.

Not entirely or necessarily true that it's built into the price of the car.
1. Marketing could be paying for it.
2. GM knows that only a small percentage of new owners will go so the subsidy is not budgeted for all, but only for 25% or whatever it is so if it is built into the price it won't be $2700US.
3. It doesn't cost the school what it costs the customer so it could also be an arrangement to entice new customers.

 

[Vanguard2001]

Don't miss this opportunity folks. The training is valuable just to obtain a better understanding of the power of the car and how to manage it. It all translates into regular road use. What an blast to listen to you engine scream as you move around the track.

 

[Jack Raccoon!]

It is a great opportunity to beat up a C8. Their C8, not yours. If you are lucky, most of you will have your first chance to experience driving this car in the rain...

 

[Mr.Corvette]

Not entirely or necessarily true that it's built into the price of the car.
1. Marketing could be paying for it.
2. GM knows that only a small percentage of new owners will go so the subsidy is not budgeted for all, but only for 25% or whatever it is so if it is built into the price it won't be $2700US.
3. It doesn't cost the school what it costs the customer so it could also be an arrangement to entice new customers.

Thanks for bursting my bubble with a pin Murray! I didn't think that telling people that they also spent $1200 extra to buy mandatory On-Star for 3 years would do the trick getting them on the wet skid pad doing power circles as Jack referred to as "rain". Your right though, GM have never actually said what the subsidy is on a per car basis, but the amount of the subsidy is correct. For the approximately 1% of us that have gone, (us being C8 owners) it is truly a great experience as others have indicated on here. There are so many members on here that have bought a 2023 or 2024 since last May, I am just trying to judge the interest level of the members to see if a group booking should be discussed or arranged? Regardless of what the amount is exactly there is a $2700 offer on the table to go. No one will be disappointed and nobody will need a new set of tires when they get back!

 

[Jack Raccoon!]

I was referring to rain from the heaven's, not a parking lot exercise...

 

[Murray20c8]

but the amount of the subsidy is correct.

Ya, the money is correct, but if I buy Nike shoes on sale it doesn't mean Nike is subsidizing my shoes. It means they make less money from me.
I'd call it a discount and not a subsidy. It's just semantics, but I'd prefer to think others got a sale price and I didn't pay anything for them to take the course since nobody thanks me! LOL

 

[Mr.Corvette]

The level 1 course is $4,095. I think most would agree, the price being charged here including some meals and accommodation is well worth the price of admission!

 

[Matt_Orleans]

I am booked to go to the Ron Fellows course April 10th and 11th. Still lots of space for that one.

 

[Vanguard2001]

Matt, you will really enjoy this 2 day training. Let's meet at Tim's for a coffee when you get back.

 

[Mr.Corvette]

Matt, you will really enjoy this 2 day training. Let's meet at Tim's for a coffee when you get back.

So how are you enjoying the new snack bar at the local rink Quaker Oats keeps running a commercial about?

 

[Vanguard2001]

So how are you enjoying the new snack bar at the local rink Quaker Oats keeps running a commercial about?

My 15 yo grandson plays AA for the Navan Grads and that is his home barn. The snack bar is never open when he plays! It is open when the 'big boys' junior A Grads play. They did a nice job on the reno. The 'actors' in the ad are neighbours a few doors down the street - the mom is an Ottawa cop. Very nice small town - about 600 residents 30 minutes east of Ottawa.