New to site, representing Lotus Driving School

[Springmountain]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Anthony & I am here representing the Lotus Driving School at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, NV. I am sure that many of you have heard of us before. I just want to be a presence here to answer any of your questions regarding our school, our track, our instructors, our amenities, or answer & help you with any Lotus or driving questions that you have, at least to the best of our abilities. In addition to myself, Jordan (1 of our great instructors!) will be helping me monitor the post & respond to your questions. We'll also be keeping you posted on changes, additions & news that is happening at the track.

To start this off, I just wanted to tell you just a little about us. Spring Mountain Mortorsports is home to the Lotus Driving School & also Club Spring Mountain, a Motorsports Country Club. Our club offers unmatched track access to our club members, with many track configurations using our 3.5 mile track. We also have an 8000 sq ft. Clubhouse with pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center, men's & women's locker rooms, Massage therapy room with on-call masseuse, billiards, racquet ball courts, indoor gun range, & more. All of our students get access to the club amenities during their school!
That brings me to the center of this whole post, the Lotus Driving School!
At the Lotus Performance Driving School, the Lotus will be your classroom. A two-way radio in every car maximizes your time in the driver’s seat and delivers instant feedback right on the track. It’s like having your instructor right in the car with you for every corner, every straight, and every lap.
The challenging 1.5 mile track was purposely built for training. From its elevation to its wide variety of corners, this course will keep your Lotus in constant transition and your skills in constant check. That makes for an exhilarating experience and a wild ride while maintaining a safe environment for all.

Call 800-391-6891 ext 236, & ask for Anthony for more info or to register today!

Here is our Curriculum:
• Insurance Included
MORNING
• Arrival and Registration — to maximize seat time, classes are
divided into two groups, Yellow and Green
• Braking Exercise
- Learn about 4 wheel lockup, pros and cons
- Experience threshold braking
- Compare conventional braking versus ABS
• Shifting Exercise
- Learn the art of heel toe
- Learn the proper foot position
- Learn all about a “blip” on the throttle
These two exercises will encompass the morning with the two
groups switching — again, to maximize seat time.
• Lunch catered on-site

AFTERNOON
• Oval Exercise/Skid Car
- Learn the technique of visual scanning
- Experience Braking/Accelerating during cornering
- The dynamics of skid control
• Track Sessions

- Van ride around 1.5 mile circuit, learn about the track
- Lead/Follow with instructors in front
- Learn the “racing line”
- Receive feedback while on track through the 2-way radios in
the cars
- Experience heel/toe in the corners on the track
- Debrief after every session with Instructors
- Ride along with an instructor to learn about the intricacies of
the track

After your Day 1 you will begin your second day with a warm-up in shifting.
Then after a briefing in the classroom, it’s off to the track for lead/follow sessions. The instructors will be your guide to finding the racing line on our 1.5 mile race track.

After lunch, it’s time for open lapping. Just you, the car, and the track... testing your limits and honing the skills you’ve learned for the rest of the day.
You will log in 3-4 sessions of open lapping, plus the lead/follow sessions - which means tons of track time.

Anthony D'Avanzo
Spring Mountain Motorsports
anthonyd@springmountainmotorsports.com
800-391-6891 ext 236

Now for some pictures:

Elise School cars on the track

Wet / Slick driving Exercise

Lotus 2 Eleven

Our 3.5 mile track

Club House Front

Club house back w/ 3 story viewing tower

[agirls]

Thank you for joining here! I plan to attend your school sometime this year. Sometime NOT in the summer, lol.

[spectre]

I did the course mid of last january and found it to be very helpful. You really get a core set of principles/technic that you will always build upon.

I do wish that an advanced course was available though...

[trfewfe]

Welcome! I too attended your 2 day class in Feb. of 2008, and I must say I had a great time. I also left the school realizing that I was not doing some of the very basic things to effectively and safely drive my Lotus. The instructors are great, and the facilities are top notch. I hope in the future they may offer an advanced 3 day course, or something of the sort.

[BRTHTAKR]

Does sound like an interesting and fun couple of days, and I'd love to learn/practice some of this with someone else' cars!
But seriously, it does sound like a course designed for people new to track experience and performance driving. I'm perhaps an intermediate driver, but would also look for an advanced course.

[spf4000]

When I attended back in April, you mentioned an advanced course was in the works? Is that still happening? The track is awesome and I want to go back, but I want to attend a more advanced course that's mostly open track time. A wet gymkhana course might be fun too just to mix it up a bit.

[Scott Bowman]

Originally Posted by spf4000

When I attended back in April, you mentioned an advanced course was in the works? Is that still happening? The track is awesome and I want to go back, but I want to attend a more advanced course that's mostly open track time. A wet gymkhana course might be fun too just to mix it up a bit.

I was also in this same April 2008 class and heard the pitch about the possible advanced course. I'd be interested in the next phase, especially if it was offered in one of the longer (or different) course configurations at Spring Mountain. I think the Vettes were running on the longer course when we were there.

[proskills]

After I pay off my Elise, this will be very high on my list of things to do.

[spf4000]

Originally Posted by Scott Bowman

I was also in this same April 2008 class and heard the pitch about the possible advanced course. I'd be interested in the next phase, especially if it was offered in one of the longer (or different) course configurations at Spring Mountain. I think the Vettes were running on the longer course when we were there.

I think we were in the same class. The other side (longer course) looked like it favors cars with more power, but I'm sure it'll still be a blast to drive in the Elise!

[klone]

I took the class last year as well, and I have nothing but positive things to say. And another bonus is you typically get to meet other forum members. The track, cars, and instructors were awesome. They also offered rides in their track cars and go-karts, which are highly recommended. The large track looks fun, the corvettes would be fun to take around the track, but during lunch the corvette guys were saying the same thing about the Elise side. Good times.

[Springmountain]

Originally Posted by BRTHTAKR

Does sound like an interesting and fun couple of days, and I'd love to learn/practice some of this with someone else' cars!
But seriously, it does sound like a course designed for people new to track experience and performance driving. I'm perhaps an intermediate driver, but would also look for an advanced course.

Thanks for everyone's feedback! The class is designed to teach the driver many of the basic skills that they never learn at local track events & HPDEs such as conventional vs ABS braking, Car control, accident avoidance, heel & toe downshifting, visual scanning, & skid techniques. These skills are necessary for drivers who want to move from average to advanced.

With that being said I am working on getting an advanced school on the schedule for sometime in May, or possibly later. We are looking at the schedule to see what we can move around to accomidate such a class. This advanced school would most likely focus on perfecting heel toe downshifting, power circles, & tons of track time starting with some very fast lead follow sessions and moving to open lapping, & may possibly involve timing as well.

What I need to know is if we add this class - who's interested? Any input?

Anthony D'Avanzo
Spring Mountain Motorsports
800-391-6891 ext 236
anthonyd@springmountainmotorsports.com

[EliseSC]

Another option to consider is private instruction. Expensive, but
well worth it, in my opinion. I did this in October and had a
great experience with a terrific instructor. I learned a tremendous
amount by getting immediate personal instruction and feedback for
an entire day, much of which was applying lessons learned on the
track. After a full day I was both exhausted and invigorated!

[EliseSC]

Originally Posted by Springmountain

Thanks for everyone's feedback! The class is designed to teach the driver many of the basic skills that they never learn at local track events & HPDEs such as conventional vs ABS braking, Car control, accident avoidance, heel & toe downshifting, visual scanning, & skid techniques. These skills are necessary for drivers who want to move from average to advanced.

With that being said I am working on getting an advanced school on the schedule for sometime in May, or possibly later. We are looking at the schedule to see what we can move around to accomidate such a class. This advanced school would most likely focus on perfecting heel toe downshifting, power circles, & tons of track time starting with some very fast lead follow sessions and moving to open lapping, & may possibly involve timing as well.

What I need to know is if we add this class - who's interested? Any input?

Anthony D'Avanzo
Spring Mountain Motorsports
800-391-6891 ext 236
anthonyd@springmountainmotorsports.com

Definitely interested. Are you thinking of developing an advanced class focused on the track exclusively or will you include "roadcraft" as well?

[Springmountain]

Originally Posted by EliseSC

Definitely interested. Are you thinking of developing an advanced class focused on the track exclusively or will you include "roadcraft" as well?

Not sure yet, so your input is welcome!

Anthony D'Avanzo
Spring Mountain Motorsports
800-391-6891 ext 236
anthonyd@springmountainmotorsports.com

[charliex]

Anthony, test and tune days !

[carl]

what a great track i've run it 3 times in 4 different confirurations. the club house and the workout room is over the top. wish it was closer but if it was i'd be living in the desert . carl

[Springmountain]

Keep the feedback coming!

[spf4000]

Originally Posted by Springmountain

This advanced school would most likely focus on perfecting heel toe downshifting, power circles, & tons of track time starting with some very fast lead follow sessions and moving to open lapping, & may possibly involve timing as well.

With the advanced class, I wouldn't want to sit through another two hours of heel and toe exercises. Being able to do heel-toe proficiently should be a prerequisite for enrolling in the course.

Instead, what I'd like to see is car control exercises on the paddock like inducing and controlling oversteer/understeer, trail braking.

Then, take what we learned and apply it on the track with various lead follow not only focusing on driving the line, but teaching what happens when you run different lines (prep to wheel 2 wheel racing).

Being able to go back and forth between car control exercises and open tracking would be very beneficial for people who have the basics down but are looking to step up into the next level.

Timing is great, but breaking down the timing by sectors would be even better so that people know exactly what areas they need to improve upon.

[ivan1]

I see non-sport-pack wheels on the pictured cars....just curious if any of your cars are sport pack and if not, did you stay away from LSS/048s for a reason (tire wear?)

[switchcars]

Hi Anthony!!! Good to see you on here.

If anyone's on the fence about a school....DO IT. The instructors here are top-notch, and it will be the best money you've ever spent.

PS....when you come out for a school stop by our showroom and say HI