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Safe Driver Training Tag

Labor Day Sale: Work Hard, Play Hard

20% off all KTM racing school programs now through Monday!

You work hard, now it’s time to play hard.

In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday, Simraceway is excited to announce a 20% discount on its Three Day Racing School and Racing School Stage 1, 2, and 3!

These terrific programs will help sharpen your skills and prepare you to climb the ladder to advanced programs like the KTM X-Bow Cup USA and Simraceway Series. If you’ve ever thought about tearing it up Sonoma behind the wheel of KTM’s ultimate track weapon, the X-Bow Comp-R, here’s your chance to start racing!

As one of the premier racetracks in the country, Sonoma offers driving experiences like nothing else. Simraceway proudly offers unique programs and instruction that can not only provide incredible memories but also help you become a better driver.

Racing School Stage 1, 2, and 3

Simraceway’s Racing School Stage 1-3 offer progressive instruction, high-level training, culminating in open lapping with the incredible KTM X-Bow Comp-R.

The focus of Stage 1 are the fundamentals of racing and driving a performance car on the track. The farther you progress through the stages, the more detailed and specific your training becomes.

These programs include:

  • Classroom time
  • Car control exercises on our dynamic skidpad
  • Guidance on how to get the most out of the X-Bow
  • Instructor-led lapping sessions around Sonoma Raceway
  • A comprehensive focus on developing you as a driver and bringing down your lap times

All three stages run two full days, with day two focusing on refining the skills and techniques taught on day one. If you’re looking for the perfect entry point to your racing career, you just found it.

Three Day Racing School

The three-day Racing School program is for those looking for in-depth, comprehensive racing instruction from our world-class coaches, and tons of track time. Graduates who complete this program will have all the necessary qualifications to receive an SCCA Full Competition Racing License.

A wide range of skills is covered including:

  • Threshold braking
  • How to downshift effectively
  • Proper track etiquette

In the classroom, participants will review items like the many complex theories of chassis dynamics, and then they’ll tackle the skidpad to explore the boundaries of grip and chassis manipulation.

The first day ends with a lapping session to familiarize you with the capabilities of the KTM X-Bow and the unique challenges of Sonoma Raceway.

Day two centers around more technique training on both the track and skidpad. After some important classroom time that covers the basics of open-lapping and how to participate safely, you’ll jump back behind the wheel and test your new skills in two adrenaline-pumping on-track sessions.

And finally, day three will be taking things to the next level and build on all the lessons learned thus far. Our instructors will also introduce new tools like high-speed aerodynamic driving exercises on full slick racing tires and data acquisition.

These powerful programs will assist you in refining your skills and bringing down your lap times during your three on-track sessions. Once you’ve completed this course, you’re ready to get your SCCA Full Competition Racing License!

Why it’s Worth It

The hard work it takes to improve as a driver is all worth it when your times improve and your confidence grows.

Both the Racing School Stage 1 or Three Day Racing School will provide you with valuable skills that can translate directly into whatever racing path you choose to take. And now that both are on sale for Labor Day, it’s the perfect time to pursue your racing dreams!

Simraceway & Aurora Technologies on Bloomberg

Bloomberg recently dropped by to see how we train autonomous vehicle (AV) operators at Simraceway. 

While you may not be sharing the road with a production-ready autonomous vehicle quite yet, the technology is developing quickly and is well underway to making a profound impact on our future mobility.   That being said, everyone knows driving is a complicated activity and that our roadways can be dangerous. It takes clear, quick thinking, good judgment, and most of all, lots of practice. The truth is, even with those things, the best drivers can still have accidents.

Aurora Technologies aims to change that, and Simraceway is proud to serve them as their training partner. 

How Aurora Tech Shifts the Auto Industry into a New Gear

At Simraceway, we train the trainers whether they’re human or machine, and Aurora Technologies is a leading light in the space. 

Founded in 2017 by a group of engineers from Google, Tesla, and Uber, Aurora Technologies teaches computers how to drive using software that learns from the behavior of human drivers. The result is quite spectacular.

It turns out that teaching a computer and a person to drive both require one essential thing: a good instructor. Aurora’s AV operators are the driving teachers for self-driving cars. They are the ones who test out their computer system in the chaos of real streets and traffic.

Operators switch between driving the car and letting it drive itself. The computer uses an array of senses to see the street and make a map of traffic signals, lanes, cars, cyclists, and pedestrians. Using this information, it can navigate through various complex maneuvers.

If anything goes wrong, the system turns off and the operator regains control. The data is then collected and sent to a team of engineers who work on improving the program.

Simraceway Trains Autonomous Vehicle operators with AVOL 1 Certification

Because operators teach by example and must always be ready in the event of a system error, their needs to be an expert behind the wheel. Operators are hired based on their driving abilities as well as undergoing a complete 6-week training course. That’s where Simraceway comes in.

Good driving isn’t only about using your turn signal and braking smoothly. It’s about knowing how to handle the car when something out of the ordinary happens. For self-driving cars to improve road safety, they need to know how to act in an emergency.

The AVOL 1 certification from Simraceway gives each vehicle operator the technical driving skills they need to be good safety stewards in the transition to the future. The course includes advanced driving techniques such as high-speed emergency braking, high-speed accident avoidance, and skid recovery. It also focuses on the specific needs of AV operators and the particular awareness needed to work with self-driving cars.

Before any cars will be driving alone, they will be under the strict supervision of a human operator. Having proficient drivers is the key to reliable self-driving cars. Simraceway understands this importance and since 2009, we’ve trained more autonomous vehicle operators than anyone in the world.

Safety is the Future

Driving is a huge responsibility and the repercussions can be life or death. Before self-driving cars can make our roads safer, they need to be thoroughly taught and tested by human experts. With Aurora Technologies at Simraceway, the movement is gaining speed. 

July 4th Teen Safe Driver Sale – Celebrate Freedom and Family this 4th!

The day your teenager gets behind the wheel of a car for the first time is a challenging one. It’s stressful relinquishing control and the keys and letting them out on the road. While your teen is surely rejoicing over their newfound freedom, you may find yourself in a panic about all the things that could go wrong.

If like many parents you’re concerned about the safety of your new driver, there is something significant you can do about it. Simraceway’s Performance Driving Center has developed the Teen Safe Driver Program that’s specifically geared towards teens and increasing their driving safety. Let this summer be an opportunity to alleviate some of that stress. Here are three great reasons why the Teen Safe Driver Program is a solid investment:

1. Your Teen is in Good Hands 

Simraceway is home to numerous driving programs and events catering to nearly every driving ability. In the Teen Safe Driver Program, your teen will learn valuable car control and driving skills from the same people who train CHP cadets and some of the top executives at AAA. The Program has also received a five-star rating from TripAdvisor. In other words, they’re some of the best teachers and drivers in the country. The school utilizes safe, quality vehicles, and everyone involved takes driver-safety very seriously. This all makes for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your inexperienced driver, and significant peace of mind for you.

2. It Helps Sharpen Driving Skills

This one day program is broken into two parts: classroom time, and seven instructive driving sessions. Numerous driving skills and techniques are covered like proper steering, accident avoidance, emergency lane changes, and skid control and recovery. Students will also have the opportunity to drive through a controlled slalom course and an advanced emergency lane change exercise. These specialized activities will make your teen better equipped and feeling more confident about getting behind the wheel.

3. You Learn Safety Precautions and How to Avoid Distractions

One of the main causes of accidents on the road today are distracted drivers. As part of the distracted driver module in the Teen Safe Driver Program, teens will explore how to avoid distractions behind the wheel and what it means to be a responsible driver. After a day of thought-provoking lessons and discussions, students will venture out and have the invaluable opportunity to practice these safety rules and techniques.

It’s an Offer too Good to Refuse -25% off

Now that summer is here and your teen likely has some extra free time, there’s no better time to take advantage of the incredible incentives happening for the Teen Safe Driver Program. For a limited time, Simraceway is offering an additional 25% off the cost of Teen Safe Driver gift cardsCLICK HERE TO PURCHASE. be sure to sign up soon—slots are filling up fast!

Simraceway prides itself on quality instruction and imparting key important lessons during the Teen Safe Driver Program. After the course, you’ll be able to take comfort in knowing your teen has been properly armed with the right skills.

The Cost of Speed on the World’s Fastest Highways

We came across this great–if sobering–infographic the other day, illustrating the speed limits and accident statistics on some of the planet’s fastest roads. Assembled using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Forbes, and USA Today, it puts in stark perspective the human cost of pushing cars to the limit on public highways.

 

[embed width=”980″ height=”552″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze10uVR39dk#t=19[/embed]

 

Here at the PDC, we would always advise drivers to save their “need for speed” for the track–but if think you, or someone close to you, would benefit from comprehensive and professional instruction on how to increase their safety on the highway, our Safe Driver Training courses do exactly that. Find out more or talk to us by clicking the red tab in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.