Learning to drive without a car.

I'll be purchasing my first sports car the middle/end of this summer and was wondering what would be some good resources to bring my knowledge base up. I have been driving big trucks for work/personal use for a long time and consider myself a safe driver, but I don't know the first thing about driving on a track or autocross course. Are there any books worth picking up or youtube channels worth checking out? Can I take a class and rent a car for a reasonable price? I know books and youtube can't take the place of seat time but I need to start somewhere.

Was also wondering what peoples opinions are on driving their cars on track/HPDE/autocross. I have seen several people mention not to take your street car to autocross/HPDE/track days. Are some events safer than others? I am not looking to win just have fun. Having a second car is not really an option for me and if I buy a sports car I want to learn how to drive it (and have some safe fun with it).

Books, youtube, and classes could all work, so could spending some time in a simulator, which is probably the best bang-for-buck option for a beginner. If you already have a computer a basic sim wheel will cost as much as a basic driving course and give you unlimited seat time in which to figure out the basics which you can learn from youtube & books.

I wouldn't hesitate to take any street car to an autocross. For track/HPDE, depends on which track - how much runoff room, how long are the straights, etc. A small track with good runoff room is pretty safe.

I’m in northwest Michigan, but I’m willing to travel to take a class. Any tracks people would recommend?

Before I went to the UK, I "learned" to drive on the left side of the road by playing Euro Truck Simulator with a racing wheel, manual shifter set up for right hand drive, and an Oculus Rift. When I rented a car there, I had no problems dealing with traffic, roundabouts, etc. from a few hours of simulation time. The same rig has been pretty useful in learning real race tracks in the iRacing simulation. There have been stories of top sim racers making the transition to real race cars and being fast right out of the gate. YMMV, driving a real car at 10/10ths feels a lot more real than in a sim. The path to road racing is pretty well established: AutoX -> HPDE -> Wheel-to-Wheel racing. You can rent a seat or go to racing school, but it won't be cheap. Once you get some real driving experience from AutoX or HPDE, buying a seat on a crap can team (LeMons or Champcar) can be a cost-effective step into the world of real racing.

I'm a big fan of NASA Great Lakes.  Their beginner HPDE1 group is fantastic and you learn a ton.  You also get an instructor with you the entire time, every session.  I found that to be incredibly helpful.  Having different instructors during different sessions is a nightmare.  When I first went to Road America I had three different instructors tell me three different lines, so I found it pretty frustrating (not their fault, but structurally it didn't help me learn). 

The tracks around the area are Gingerman, Autobahn, Mid Ohio, Pittsburgh, etc. so you will have a lot of places to go within a relatively close distance.  

The above suggestion re: books/youtube/sim is also spot on.  Cheap ways to learn the basics and theory so once you hit the track you can apply it to your driving.  

What books and YouTube channels/videos would be recommended? I have a Mac so I’m not sure what simulators are available, any suggestions there?

The Mac thing kind of puts you up a creek. Do you have any gaming consoles? Some good sims are available on game consoles now, like Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa.

Driver61's YouTube channel and website are a good learning resource:

https://driver61.com/

Edit: iRacing will run on a Mac, but it's a MMO racing sim with a subscription fee.

I'm in GR and Pentwater, so I must be somewhat close.

Go up and down Lakeshore drive a few times then M119, work your way up to speed on some exit and entrance ramps.  All at legal speeds to get a feel for your car.

Gingerman with SCCA Track Night in America would be a great place to start.  I've been to many a HDPE and for a beginner they make it very stress free and comfortable.

Let me know if I can help.

Oldies but goodies for starting out.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/video-training-autocrossing-with-dick-turner/33988/page1/

karting karting karting karting karting

Read some books/watch some videos and then go find one of the more serious indoor kart tracks. You can learn more in 60 minutes than in most days of autox. People don't turn fast lap times because they have the fast kart. They turn fast lap times because they are fast drivers. 

I’m up near Frankfort around crystal lake so it looks like Gingerman is the closest to me. 

As far as simulators what’s the price to get a basic setup that would help me learn? 

80sFast said:

As far as simulators what’s the price to get a basic setup that would help me learn? 

Not including the computer/game console:

$200~400 for a decent sim wheel, depending on what model and whether you get it used.

If you don't happen have a solid table and chair near your computer to clamp it to, another $20~$300 for some kind of setup to hold them. I use a system of ropes, clamps, and carabiners to strap a wheeled office chair and plastic foldable table up to a computer desk, that's a very cheap way to do it, a basic sim chair will cost almost $300 off the shelf.

Finally the sim itself, call it $50 for a non-subscription-based one. There are a few free ones (Racer, TORCS, VDrift off the top of my head) but most driving sims will go for around $50.

Can you get by with just a wheel or do you need a shifter and pedals too? Sorry for all the questions but I know zero about gaming stuff. 

What books would be helpful?

You need at least a wheel and pedals, a shifter is worth it IMO.

The Technique of Motor Racing by Piero Taruffi is the best book to start with. It is old, but there is nothing in it that is wrong for today in a streetable sports car. Library of Congress #60-1662

Any other book suggestions?

www.mispeedway.com/Events/Driving-Schools.aspx      notacanoe

www.faasst.com/Dir_GL.html        notacanoe

www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a26584/five-racing-schools-that-will-make-you-a-better-driver/        notacanoe

http://michiganautocrossgroup.com/      notacanoe  <<<<<,I would attend the first of these events available. Very little risk or danger to the car.

Your Google foo needs some polishing.

In reply to bentwrench :

My google foo is strong. Googling “race schools” and getting prices and a brief description of the classes doesn’t mean much when you don’t have a point of reference.

I was hoping to get opinions and shared experience from people here that might help guide me. Maybe save me some time and money. In any case I’ll checkout the links you provided. Thank you. 

Most of the techniques of performance driving don't just apply to sports cars. In fact, non-sporty cars such as trucks can benefit even more from proper driving technique. Learn basic principles like slow in fast out, late apexing before a long straight (freeway on ramp,) hand position on the steering wheel, looking ahead, etc. and practice them in your daily driving. You don't need to be driving fast to practice good technique. Make it a habit on the street and it will make the learning curve much easier when you do get on track. 

Sports Car and Competition Driving by Paul Frere is another good one.

I'd also add that you just shouldn't get too worked up about being up to speed before you get your hands on the car. Not that any of this practice will hurt, and it could help, I'd just advise that you're still going to have a lot to learn and get used to, and you're not going to be able to just leapfrog that.

OTOH, you'll have a ton of fun when you do get the car no matter how much or little of a head start you've gotten. Just keep your activities and your expectations matched to your skills; there's always more to learn, and there's no part of the trajectory that can't be fun and engaging.

You're in Michigan? As soon as the spring starts come to East Lansing Kart Track on a Saturday and find the setup that looks like the Beverly Hillbillies.  I have no qualms about putting a professional driver behind the wheel of a fast kart - you know how to manage balance, position, and traction already. My ideal hired-gun driver would be a Pittsburgh bus driver; I'm not sure they'd be worse than an IndyCar star.

In reply to Ransom :

Thanks for the book reference, my Christmas list is getting longer! I do understand that reading and watching videos won’t make me a great driver, but it’s something productive that I can help pass the time with. Thanks for all the advice!

In reply to chaparral :

That would be awesome! I’m up in the “pinky area” but it would be worth the trip to check it out. Also wanted to say I don’t drive tractor trailers, but I’ve been driving class 4-7 trucks and trailers for a long time (construction/ excavating/ landscape business). Hope to see you this summer. 

Anybody have any podcasts they would recommend?