Back from Spring Mountain and Ron Fellows School

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2014 Z51
I was at Spring Mountain October 14 and 15. What an amazing experience the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School is, not only for new C7 Corvette owners (I'm 72 years old with two knee replacements), but surely for anyone with a desire to learn all about high performance driving.

The whole Spring Mountain Team are true professionals dedicated to your safety while determined to teach you the skills necessary to gain confidence driving a world class performance automobile at racing speeds. For me, a life long sports car driver for over 50 years starting with an MGA in 1964, the experience far exceeded my expectations.

I also learned, in a fun environment, so much more about the capabilities and features of the C7. My friend Paul, not yet a Corvette owner, came along as my guest to share the experience (and the condo and the great food) and have the opportunity to do laps as a passenger with the instructors. I returned home, reluctantly of course, and perhaps for the first time drove my C7 with the respect and appreciation it fully deserves.

When I think about the total package and the chance to drive for two days the School's beautifully prepared 2015 and 2016 C7s on a superb race track with talented instructors guiding me every step of the way I realize what a great deal this is even without the discount (thank you GM!) for buying a new Corvette. And you can record the final afternoon of driving on a 16 GB SD card in the C7's PDR. Yes, as others have done, I might be back there real soon!
 
I was at Spring Mountain October 14 and 15. What an amazing experience the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School is, not only for new C7 Corvette owners (I'm 72 years old with two knee replacements), but surely for anyone with a desire to learn all about high performance driving.

The whole Spring Mountain Team are true professionals dedicated to your safety while determined to teach you the skills necessary to gain confidence driving a world class performance automobile at racing speeds. For me, a life long sports car driver for over 50 years starting with an MGA in 1964, the experience far exceeded my expectations.

I also learned, in a fun environment, so much more about the capabilities and features of the C7. My friend Paul, not yet a Corvette owner, came along as my guest to share the experience (and the condo and the great food) and have the opportunity to do laps as a passenger with the instructors. I returned home, reluctantly of course, and perhaps for the first time drove my C7 with the respect and appreciation it fully deserves.

When I think about the total package and the chance to drive for two days the School's beautifully prepared 2015 and 2016 C7s on a superb race track with talented instructors guiding me every step of the way I realize what a great deal this is even without the discount (thank you GM!) for buying a new Corvette. And you can record the final afternoon of driving on a 16 GB SD card in the C7's PDR. Yes, as others have done, I might be back there real soon!
Glad to hear your experience was awesome. Question, why did you not qualify for the discount?
 
Glad to hear your experience was awesome. Question, why did you not qualify for the discount?

Thanks for the question! I did get the discount. Even though I took delivery in May 2014 I couldn't take the School before now and GM were good enough to give me an extension beyond one year.

Knowing what I know now about the School I'd take the course at full price even if I didn't own a C7.
 
Thanks for the question! I did get the discount. Even though I took delivery in May 2014 I couldn't take the School before now and GM were good enough to give me an extension beyond one year.

Knowing what I know now about the School I'd take the course at full price even if I didn't own a C7.

Thank you for the clarification as I was talking about taking this course with my wife this morning.
 
Thank you for the clarification as I was talking about taking this course with my wife this morning.

I also wanted to thank you for posting your opinion as it helps me with my decision to make the trip and live the experience. On a side note, I had the pleasure of driving my friend's 2015 Z51 and I was really impressed. I owned a 1981 corvette and as you can appreciate, it was a world of difference.
 
FYI there was a couple in my group of twenty who were both taking the course. Spouses were welcome to sit in on the classroom sessions and go out with the instructors to do laps. They were very fair at giving guests every opportunity to do laps and am sure you know there is a spa, pool and hot tub for those that didn't. My friend and I met some great people with wonderful stories at breakfast and lunch both days.

All the C7s (about 140) are either Z51 or Z06 with a choice of manual or automatic transmission. I chose manual as that is what I have on my C7.

I was a bit worried about the Nevada heat but even at 92 degrees F it was absolutely no problem as we were encouraged to use the car's a/c and ventilated seats. Just ten days later it is now in the low eighties.
 
Great write up. Thanks for sharing the experience. The day I was there as a spectator they were running bike but the Corvette's were lined up and ready to go. Impressive place, glad you had a good time.
 
Thank you for the clarification as I was talking about taking this course with my wife this morning.

If your wife is interested, spend the money and sign her up also. My wife and I did the course back in May and she really learned a lot. Also she now stops nagging me on how I take my corners since she was taught by pros to do the same thing. They don't give you the full discount for the second one, just 500 off.

She enjoyed it so much she'd like to go back and do the level 2 course.
 
Nagging Mike? What is that???:Biggrin:

Will you go back for level 2? I would love to do it but cannot. Oh well.
 
Nagging Mike? What is that???:Biggrin:
.

Okay strong suggestive comments!

Will you go back for level 2? I would love to do it but cannot. Oh well.

Yeah, going to save up and see if we can do it next year, if not the year afterwards. I'd rather do that then go on any other type of vacation.
 
If your wife is interested, spend the money and sign her up also. My wife and I did the course back in May and she really learned a lot. Also she now stops nagging me on how I take my corners since she was taught by pros to do the same thing. They don't give you the full discount for the second one, just 500 off.

She enjoyed it so much she'd like to go back and do the level 2 course.

Appreciate your advise/experience on the matter. It might be best to discuss taking the course over a real good glass of wine. Kidding aside, I would prefer that she takes the course and not feel threatened to take the car out.
 
Appreciate your advise/experience on the matter. It might be best to discuss taking the course over a real good glass of wine. Kidding aside, I would prefer that she takes the course and not feel threatened to take the car out.

I timed it so we spent the weekend in Vegas then went up to the track. And did it on our Wedding Anniversary, so how could she complain about that and I didn't have to do anything else! Well except take her to Tiffany's on Las Vegas Blvd
 
14SevenHeaven is right about it all. I was in the other class on the 14 and 15th. My wife although not taking the course sat in on the classes with the other ladies and went on 3 ride alongs with the instructors. She loved it.
It is a vacation to remember with skills learned that will stay with you and when your driving your Vette, car, truck, suv, mini van etc. you will recall those two days at the school.
Once done would we go back again, yep, like next year at the same time Thanks Giving week. Cant wait!
 
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