THREE DAYS OF PRIVATE INSTRUCTION WITH NEAL HANNEMANN

What do you get when you combine Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Neal Hannemann, and an Advanced Performance Driver's Program graduate?  A much SAFER, FASTER driver.  Last season I took the APD, then bought a COMP COUPE.  This season, with plans to move up to the Viper Racing League, I felt I needed more instruction.  Along comes Neal Hannemann, a name all Viper drivers should recognize.

Neal has competed successfully at World Challenge, Lemans, Sebring, Daytona, TransAm, among many others.  Additionally, he was instrumental in the design process of the Ford GT, Saleen S7, and our own Viper.  To say Neal is highly qualified to instruct VRL racers (and wanna-bes) is an understatement.

My three day of instruction at Buttonwillow began with dinner Thursday night to get to know each other.  The connection was instantaneous.  Then it was time to "DRIVE."  Neal started by taking a few laps in the 007, to get to know the car and make sure the set up was correct.  Of course it was because Russ Meyer (Neal's former World Challenge crew chief from Archer Racing) put one of his proven set-ups on my car.

Then the real fun began. It was my turn to drive.  The good news is he didn't get out of the car screaming at me saying he won't do that again.  Neal's technique of instruction (with me, at least) WORKS.  He is a man of few words while on the track, but is great at debriefing and track analysis.  After each session we would discuss what skills we worked on at specific sections of the track, and what would be next.  This is not instruction to be taken lightly.  One must be both confident and more importantly, competent in your own ability, to put the car where Neal wants it.  Neal's techniques and talents will elevate your driving and car control to the next level.

For example, during practice I was being forced by another car to turn far too early from an inside line at a very high speed.  With the help from Neal's instruction earlier that day he had me coming out of that turn faster, safer, and in front of the other car.  That was my first experience at Viper Days passing in a corner.  What a rush! Now I know why you guys like racing.  Additionally, Neal had some very good advice about getting safely around spinning cars directly in front of you in a race situation which happened twice during one particular session.

If you have the desire to go faster and safer you can not miss out on having Neal Hannemann as a private instructor.  IT WORKS. 

See you on the track at Sebring.

Steve Loudin

"007"