Training to Race

Learning to race on a road course can be daunting. Even though it was almost 50 years ago, I remember it well. I had entered a friend’s MGTD at Palm Springs. Those of us who were novices were lined up on the grid. We were told to follow the course car for three laps and then have at it. That was the extent of my formal training. From then on it was up to me. I progressed by talking with others—mostly Ken Miles and Robbie Robinson—trying to use their suggestions.

These days it’s very different. In the U.S., virtually every novice joins a local region of the SCCA. Before entering an actual race, the club requires attendance at a school, either run by the SCCA itself or one of the many private organizations. A number of permanent road circuits host companies that operate schools.