Corvette Competition
This information is for those who want to find the limits of your Corvettes performance and improve your driving skill!
Several ways exist to explore these limits, and there have never been more opportunities than today.
Advanced Driving Schools:
These Schools provide the cars and professional instructors to learn advanced driving techniques. If you have never driven on a race track before, or you are concerned about wear and tear on your car, this is the place to start. The facilities are either dedicated to the school or at a major race track. Total track time depends on the school. Track time is the greatest cost to the school, so look for a school with the most track time for the dollar. The price you pay to the school is much higher than other events listed here, but keep in mind they are providing paid instructors and covering the cost of the cars and consumables like fuel, oil, tires and brakes.
Here are some links to promoters of this type of event who use Corvettes for their classes:
Spring Mountain Advanced Driving School
Driver Education Events:
The next step up is what are called DE or Driver Education events. At these events you use your own car. The instructors are usually experienced amateur or club racers who volunteer their time to the event for free track time. Classroom instruction is provided for beginners, and the instructors will ride with you and/or take you with them to show you the line and driving techniques. There are usually three or four run groups or levels at these events from novice to expert. Sometimes you will even see pro racing teams in the expert group testing and tuning their cars. Most events run 4 or 5, 20 to 30 minute sessions for each group. So you will get 2 to 3 hours of total track time. These events do not have or allow central timing systems. Posting of times can be considered competition, and these events are deliberately not competitive, they are educational. The cost to enter is much lower than a school because you use your own car and have to pay for all expenses yourself.
Here are some links to promoters of this type of event:
Open Track Racing (even though the name says "racing" this is really a DE event")
Speed Ventures (this promoter runs DE and Time Trials simultaneously)
Open Track Time Trials:
These events are run at real race tracks all over the country. The promoters provide an accurate electronic timing system, and post the results of each event on the internet. While all levels participate in these events, there are some very fast drivers in the upper classes. The cost to enter is similar to DE events.
Here are some links to promoters of this type of event:
Competition:
Includes Club sanctioned autocross, SCCA Solo timed events, and various wheel to wheel racing organizations. Other than the "for fun" club events this is the highest level.
Here are some links to promoters of this type of event:
Western States Corvette Council Autocross
National Council of Corvette Clubs Autocross
Special Events:
Every once in a while a promoter or school owner will put on a special "Corvettes Only" track event and celebration. These events are very exclusive and worth far more than the price of admission. They typically include one or more days on the track plus evening refreshments, food and entertainment.