Competition Drivers’ School

If you have open-passing experience, such as HPDE 4 or Time Trial, and are eager to compete against other drivers, you are ready for competition drivers’ school (comp school).

Unlike other comp schools, ours is for experienced drivers who are comfortable driving in an open-passing environment. Our comp school prepares experienced drivers for wheel-to-wheel racing in NASA SoCal; it does not teach beginner drivers how to race on the track.

If you graduate from our competition drivers’ school, you are qualified to apply for your provisional NASA Competition License.

Eligibility Requirements

All candidates must submit a summary of their driving experience to Steve Stepanian, Chief Instructor: [email protected]

You must show proof of experience in one of the following:

  • HPDE 4
  • Time Trial
  • Open-passing environment

On-Track and Classroom Training

We have an experienced team of instructors and drivers who run comp school in a very structured manner. We limit participation to 30 students, and conduct all training in a non-contact environment. The instructor evaluates you throughout the course and gives a formal, written test at the end.

You do not need a race car to participate; you may use any street-safe car that can pass a basic safety inspection. Take a look at the Tech Requirements.

The instructor-led training includes:

  • Eight classroom sessions on topics such as:
    • Race-specific flagging
    • Racing strategy
    • NASA Club Codes and Regulations
  • Eight on-track sessions where you practice skills like:
    • Open-corner passing
    • Three-wide exercises
    • Race starts.