Women’s 2-Day Rally School (Aug.18-19)
Team O’Neil is offering a women’s only 2-day rally class the weekend of Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19. This class will mirror our typical 2-day rally course; however, it will be conducted only for women students. This class will offer women an opportunity to build both personal empowerment and effectiveness behind the wheel, as well as to learn practices that build a capable driver in all conditions — whether on the rally course or on the road of life.
Team O'Neil's marketing manager had a blast skidding around cones on a snow-covered skid pad in March.
So what will you learn in this 2-day class? On day one we will identify any areas of your driving skills that may need improvement and give you a chance to develop and practice correct responses in a safe environment. Over the course of the two days some of what you will learn includes:
- The art of Left Foot Braking and the reasons for using it
- How to use the throttle and brake to steer the vehicle
- Introduction to: Anticipation, Compensation and Timing
- Critical and life-saving driving skills & accident avoidance maneuvers
- Understanding of weight transfer
- Exposure to the 5 types of skids
- Introduction to Pendulum Turns
- Looking Up and Linking Turns
- Gear Choice and Timing & Vehicle Dynamics
Team O’Neil’s highly trained and professional instructors (who, it must be noted, are men) will teach the class to ensure that our women’s course students receive the same quality instruction that all of our students receive. Students should expect to leave the course with a new confidence in their driving skills, an understanding of skid control and a variety of breaking techniques. We offer a 2:1 student:teacher ratio and plenty of seat time in our Team O’Neil specially-prepped Ford Fiestas for you to practice the skills you’ll be learning.
Verena Mei with her TON-prepped TrueCar Ford Fiesta at Parc Expose at the New England Forest Rally, July, 2012
Also added to the mix will be several accomplished women motorsports athletes who will share their stories and what they’ve learned competing in a male-dominated sport. Included among our guests will be Verena Mei, formerly a drift racer who competed in Formula Drift and the Redline Time Attack Series (where she won a class championship in her first year, placed podium at every event and became the first female to win a championship in the series) and who recently became a rally competitor in the Rally America series and trains regularly with Tim O’Neil. Verena signed with TrueCar to be part of the TrueCar Racing “Women Empowered” initiative, and has been a consistent finisher in the 2012 Rally America championship series. She also has extensive experience working in the motorsports and automotive industry.
We will also welcome Christy Carlson, a PhD student in Meteorology/Climatology and full-time scientific programmer for Atmospheric and Environmental Research who has also made a name for herself in the world of SCCA and Rally America. Christy is a National SCCA Solo champion and the first and only woman to ever trophy at the SCCA Rallycross National Championships. This year Christy has competed in two Rally America rallies, finishing as the fastest female driver at both Sno*Drift and 100 Acre Woods, and 9th Overall regionally the second day 100 Acre Wood. She will soon be taking on the famous Pikes Peak Hillclimb in a Subaru WRX that she has built herself with the help of a grassroots crew.
Christy Carlson gets big air at theRally in the 100 Acre Wood, February 2012.
The cost for the weekend course is $1,897, which includes the use of Team O’Neil’s vehicles (complete with safety equipment) and helmets, and a course curriculum. It also includes an on-site barbecue luncheon on Saturday as well as a Team O’Neil t-shirt, hat and water bottle. Click here for information on lodging options in the area.
Questions? Please give us a shout and talk to Nancy or Pam at 603-444-4488, and learn more about our school at www.team-oneil.com.