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As a young lad, I dreamt of becoming a racecar driver. At the age of 4, my father put me behind the wheel of a racing Kart and by the time I turned 8, driving a ‘stick’ was as natural as riding a bike. My career as a racecar driver was on the fast track. However, life finds a way of throwing curve balls at ya… my father became very ill and life priorities changed. Although I never lost my love for speed and the automobile, I never did become a professional racecar driver.
Fast forward 27 years… and my childhood dream became a reality. If only for a day.
I received an invitation to participate in a one-day driving program designed to introduce everyday drivers to the world of open-wheel racing. Brett Goodman and Kim Deluliis, owners and operators of the Bridgestone Racing Academy, made this dream-come- true possible. Located one hour east of Toronto at the Mosport Driver Development Centre, the Bridgestone Racing Academy has been fulfilling the dreams of young and old alike for 18 accident free years.
In fact, safety is the key message offered by Mr. Goodman and his Chief Instructor, Ugo Provencher. Achieving 18 years with impeccable safety record is no ‘accident’. The instructors, the vehicles, the safety equipment and the track are all part of grand design – a design built to expose students to the thrill and excitement of open-wheel racing without the inherent risk associated with such an extreme activity.
Our day started promptly at 8:00 a.m. Brett Goodman handled the opening remarks. Although unlikely, but if he ever decides to change careers, I suggest public speaking. You can’t help but get excited about the day ahead when Mr. Goodman speaks. This is one guy who truly shows passion for what he does. He is articulate, knowledgeable and animated. All necessary qualities when speaking to a bunch of journalists first thing in the morning. I think perhaps Ugo’s coffee helped.
Following the shop tour and introductions to our mechanics & pit crew, we returned to the classroom for some intensive learning. It was Ugo’s turn to earn his keep. Once again, you can’t help but feel this guy really loves his job. With the title of Chief Instructor comes a great deal of responsibility. Ugo’s job is to maintain 18 years of accident free operation while giving students the freedom to explore individual driving limits. Imagine an athlete with that streak – not easy – especially given the varied range of driving skills exhibited by students.
Ugo runs a tight ship. Rules are strictly enforced and I for one am thankful. You can’t be relaxed with rules when lapping with 12 – 14 other high performance rockets. Key rule of the day – three strikes and you’re out! Spin out, endanger others or explore the surrounding grassy fields three times and your day comes to an abrupt stop.
Armed with the rules, we next dive into the meat and potatoes of the course. Classroom instructions cover the basics of car control, racing lines, breaking and shifting. As the volume of information mounts so does the butterfly flutter in my stomach. Ugo patiently explains the sequence of events on the track. A racecourse is basically a long straight with a bunch of turns to slow your progress. The set-up for each turn is virtually the same. Break as you ‘heel&toe’ shift… hit your breaking points… hit your shifting points and before you even get to the apex of the turn – start accelerating through the turn as you manage the tire performance threshold. Now do this 12 times per lap working your way through a 4 speed manual gearbox. All male pride aside, I learned to drive for the very first time.
Now it’s time to put the theory into practice. But before we are allowed to strap into the cars, safety equipment is fitted to each driver. Part of being a racecar driver is looking the part. We all received standard-issue hero gear including: a helmet, balaclava, fire-retardant driving suit, gloves, socks and a funky pair of Air Jordan driving shoes.
Dressed to thrill and armed with newfound knowledge we finally get to pick our ride.
Walking down the pit straight, I’m hearing the Top Gun soundtrack. I look back and my friend Dan has got the same grin I do. I know he’s hearing the same song-even if it is in my head. My adrenaline is furiously pumping as we approach the weapons of the day. For the day we are given our own Reynard F2000 open-wheel racecar. Equipped with a 125 HP engine and weighing just over 900 lb’s, the power to weight ratio is favourable enough to achieve 0-100 kph acceleration of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 187 kph (track and gear limited). What’s more impressive is the 2.5 lateral cornering g’s and the ability to stop from 100 kph in 5 seconds. None of this would be possible without some great suspension tuning, ride height of just 50 mm (your butt is practically on the pavement) and a set of ultra grippy Bridgestone performance street tires.
Following a brief familiarization with the F2000, my personal mechanic custom fitted the seat to fit my body and for the fist time I got to slip into the Reynard. First impression – man is this thing tight. At 5’11” and a 190 lb’s I’m not the smallest jockey. I now understand the expression “fits like a glove”. Sliding into the form fitted seat takes a fair amount of agility and once settled, my mechanic (Tom from England) secures the harness and reviews the key controls.
Main switch on, clutch in, find neutral and press the started button. The engine fires to life with ease. I’m now fully engulfed in the experience. Nerves – peaking!!!
In groups we are asked to follow one of two lead cars (Bridgestone Racing academy uses Honda S2000’s as instructor vehicles). This is the first opportunity to sample the track first hand. Remember I talked about safety. The better part of the morning is spent on the track following the instructor at safe speeds. All students must demonstrate proper braking and heel&toe shifting. Not easy. All the while, there are instructors situated around the track watching and listening for proper technique. It is not unusual to be pulled over to the side of the track for a brief one-on-one to correct errors. The atmosphere is intense but still very civil and conducive to learning. Although my ego was bruised a number of times – the corrections were welcomed and useful.
The morning ends with a fully catered lunch; some more in-class instruction (about _ hour) and we are back in the pits getting strapped into the cars.
The afternoon takes on a more serious flavour. During the second half of the day the speeds progressively increase and we begin exploring the true performance limits of these fantastic cars.
We also begin to understand why Ugo is the man! His driving skills behind the wheel of the Honda S2000 are superb. Not only is he lapping at competitive speeds, but he is also checking the position of the cars behind him, making mental notes about the progress of his students and maintaining constant communication with the spotters around the track. This finely tuned vigilance has a direct impact on the students. Because of his keen eye, the drivers are always placed in groups with equal abilities. Everyone gets to drive at the limit of his or her abilities. And turning hot laps following an instructor in a race prepped Reynard F2000 rewards those with above average skills. I call it graduation.
So how does it feel to pilot one of these machines? Friggin amazing! The sensation of speed is unbelievable. The driver is perched just inches above the track, there is no windshield and the handling allows for cornering speeds much faster than most road going automobiles. Also impressive (and scary) is the on/off stability of the chassis. When done correctly, cornering speeds are massive with the feeling of being on rails. But deviate from the drill, and the chassis becomes unstable and unpredictable. The rear-end will come around faster than you can blink. Something I can attest to first hand. I came into the corner a bit fast. Started my downshift drill a bit late and was forced to stay on the breaks well into the corner. As I touched the throttle, the rear of the car had very little weight transferred and spun so quick that correction proved ineffective. If you ever watched Formula 1 or Indy, you would’ve seen drivers blowing corners and wondering why they couldn’t save the exit by performing a brilliant power-slide. Part of the reason is hidden in the design of the chassis and the placement of the engine. The other reason is the sheer speed these vehicles travel. TV tends to sterilize the senses.
Needless to say, I did have one off the track experience and finished the day with one strike against me. I also finished the day as one of the top three fast cars on the track. Sadly, my fast is what the pros turn as their practice laps.
I started this article by telling you about my dreams of becoming a racecar driver. Spending a day playing the part I have formulated another perspective. First of, driving the F2000 is physically challenging. My body was bruised and muscles ached for over a week. Secondly, we achieved straight-line speeds of around 180 kph. F1 car is capable of 300 kph ++. At 180 kph things happen really fast and not only does the body feel physically tired but the mind also feels exhausted. Maintaining concentration becomes more and more difficult with each passing lap. Now imagine 300 kph!
I never assumed driving a racecar for a living was easy, but I certainly underestimated the physical and mental discipline required to become a pro. You can never go through life wondering about the ‘what if’s’… but at least at the end of the day I drove away content knowing I fulfilled a life-long dream. If only for a day.
For more information about the Bridgestone Racing Academy please check their website: www.race2000.com. Make sure to check out Ugo Provencher as he demonstrates a hot lap around the Mosport Driver Development Track!
But Wait… There is More.
You don’t have to just read about the experience. The Bridgestone Racing Academy is for you. The list of graduates includes: Fortune 500 CEO’s, truck drivers, teenage hot-shoes, 70-year old retired grandfathers and royalty. Many of Canada’s young up-and-coming racers and top established stars (Jacques Villeneuve, Patrick Carpentier and Alex Tagliani) took their original training in the Academy’s F2000 racecars. Half-day starts at $490 on up to full-day schedule for $1,190. If you’ve ever had someone that’s difficult to find gift for… stop searching! This is guaranteed to give them a thrill of a lifetime!
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