HOD Driver Development Program

[Don Plumley]

Many of you know Hooked on Driving for their professionally-run HPDE series. They have expanded to Southern California, the North East and South East. In addition to the HPDE events they have created a new "Driver Development Program" - targeted primarily at teen/novice drivers to help them learn car control skills, practice accident avoidance techniques and gain confidence while driving with high performance driving coaches on a closed road course - Thunderhill Raceway.

The Driver Development Program has received rave reviews from students and parents alike. It is a day long class on a race track where students learn from high performance driving coaches how to safely drive their cars in real-world situations. Exercises such as threshold braking, avoiding obstacles and high speed cornering are impractical to practice on public roads, yet essential to learn. After completing four hours of in-car, on-track instructional time plus classroom sessions, students are provided a certificate of completion which many insurance companies honor to reduce premiums.

Yes, it's a little more expensive than a typical HPDE - but this is a full on-course program with all related costs, limited to just 30 drivers. Participants spend over FOUR hours in their own cars learning and doing.

Do you have driving age kids home from school? Or grandkids? Is your neighbor curious about a track day but still tentative? Please pass the word!! This is an AWESOME program. The founder's (Dave Ray) son went through it in his Mom's X3 and loved it - watching him learn to manage the ABS system in the braking test was worth the entire day. And he had a blast too. We've had entire families go through together and create a lifetime family experience.

My son (and I) will be there on July 10th. For full disclosure, while I have no financial interest in the program, I am a HOD driving coach and am a friend of Dave Ray. I also have approval from Wayne to post this.

I highly recommend and strongly encourage your sons and daughter's to attend this professionally-run program. FWIW, I would easily compare this to the more expensive Highway Survival Course at the Jim Russell school - that lasts only 4 hours.

Please pass the word if you know anyone that might be interested.

Next DDP Program dates (at Thunderhill):
* June 25th
* July 10th

Thanks,

Don