Does anyone have recommendations on how to "really" learn to drive a sports car? I've been driving for over 20 years but to be able to really drive means something totally different.

I suppose I'm looking for internet resources and/or books. I don't think I want to take an expensive driving course. I'm recreational only but want to maximize my car's ability and my fun!

Thanks for your help!

 

even though you said you "don't want to take an expensive driving course", what you really want is to take a relatively inexpensive driving course. Skip Barber schools are the name that comes to mind most often but in my opinion their courses are overpriced, good courses but you pay for the name.

There are some schools out there that offer 1-day courses for a few hundred dollars. If you get really lucky you may be able to befriend a race driver who will give you the basics for free. Do a search and try to find a track near you. Go check out some of their events. Most tracks have a driving school of some sort on site (you need to take a bunch of classes to qualify for different licenses to race in events). Check out what is going on.

final thought, you really can't learn to drive from a book. honestly, take a class so you can get some hands on. It is quite amazing to realize what you don't know, or thought you knew but were wrong, or actually do know but can't actually do.

 

Awesome advice. Thanks for your response!

 

A local autocross is your best bet. You'll only get a few sub-1 minute runs, and you'll have to pick up cones that other people knock over, but the overall experience is worth it. You might end up getting hooked. :-)

http://www.scca.org/divisions.aspx

 

go to a bar or club near a race track, befriend some people, and with some luck they know how to drive racecars. Then you save yourself a couple hundred bucks!

Just saying.