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Driving School at the Streets of Willow

Get off your butt! So, you think you?re Mario Andretti behind the wheel? Prove it! Or perhaps you know that your Ferrari is more capable than you are? Bring yourself up to your car?s potential! Either way, you can have lots of fun at the upcoming Alfa and Ferrari Club of America Driving School at the Streets of Willow Springs on October 21 and 22.

Let?s go through the list of lame excuses you might come up with:

I?m too busy - Well, its only been on the Calendar of Events for 10 months now - you could have planned around it. Besides, it?s only one weekend.
I don?t want to hurt my precious Ferrari - Believe me, it?ll survive. Last time Joe Maddox brought out his 512 Boxer and it did fine. Arthur Trejo and Denise Stillman regularly run their 328s. If you still aren?t convinced then rent a Toyota Celica from Danny McKeever (805) 949-9146 or Robert Dixon (805) 256-0166 of the two driving schools at Willow. The cars are race prepared with roll cages, harnesses and fire systems. For between $500 and $800 for the entire weekend they?ll take care of everything, including gas and tires, so all you have to do is show up with a helmet, jump in and learn.
It?s too dangerous - Well, there is an element of danger - that?s what makes it fun. But, the Streets is a smaller and tighter track that the ?big? track at Willow so speeds are significantly less. It?s in the desert so there?s nothing to hit - if you spin off the track all you?ll have to do is clean the dust off later. If you really want to be safe, rent a car as mentioned above and you?ll have the benefit of a full roll cage.
I don?t have any experience - Not necessary. The school is broken up into a number of classes (four last time), according to experience. You will be with other drivers just like you. You?ll get classroom time, skidpad time, track time, and individual instruction.
It?s too expensive - You own a Ferrari and you?re complaining about spending a couple hundred bucks on a school that is as fun as anything you?ll ever do with your clothes on and might save you or your car from injury in the future to boot? Come on! The entry fee is a mere $160. A hotel in Lancaster will cost you less than $50/night. You might have to buy or rent a helmet ($80-$170 to buy, $20-$40 to rent). You might need to follow the advice in the July Newsletter to get a 5 point harness and fire extinguisher in your car at a cost of about $400 or you can rent a Toyota for $500-$800. Any way you look at it it?ll be less than the price of a "professional" school for the same 2 full days of high speed fun and learning.

So, I hope to see you at the Streets of Willow on October 21st. If you haven?t received an entry form please call our competition chariman, Marv Landon at (818) 953-7800 or the Alfa Club's Paul Hightower at (818) 368-1880.

A Party in San Diego

Join with members of the Ferrari Owners Club for two events the last weekend in October.

Saturday: An early evening barbecue and dancing under the stars, we hope, to the music of Lester Lanin, Tommy Dorsey, Guy Lombardo or just to Barbara, Frank, The Beatles, or any others who may drop in. All this is at the home of Jan and Judd Goldfeder.

Sunday: Brunch at Prego, one of San Diego?s finest restaurants. Part of the cost of the brunch is being donated to the San Diego Automotive Museum by the generous folks who run Prego. Join us to bid summer farewell in beautiful San Diego County. There are lots of other things to do here. Spend part of Saturday at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. This is a beautiful facility created over 30 year