PERFORMANCE DRIVING

Welcome to our Performance Driving Teen Race Campers; Caleb, Deven, Ethan, Isaac, Isabelly, Maria, Miriam, Will, and Yoni. We had a few campers for our Intro to Motorsports camp from last year and welcomed a good number of new campers.   It was great to finally meet everyone face to face at the orientation.  Orientation was held in our gallery, where everyone was able to view our car museum and check out the vehicles the campers will be driving this week.  I was able to welcome everyone and take an opportunity to introduce our operations team who are vital to our program.  Derek, our Chief Instructor and Director of Driving Experiences, provide an overview of Monticello Motor Club and the Teen Race Camp program.  Bryan Hedian, our Lead Team Race Camp Instructor, provided a more detailed breakdown of the camp and the focus for their driving days Monday – Thursday.    The energy from the parents and the campers in the room was contagious.  New campers and their parents headed out in the Golf carts for a tour of the MMC campus before lunch.

After lunch we headed over to the Kartrite for Lazer tag, the ropes course and to cool off at the waterpark! Those who chose not to be at the waterpark spent some time in the arcade.   These activities gave the campers time to get to know their fellow campers and roommates.  Once finished at the waterpark everyone headed to the lobby to get their luggage and get settled in the rooms on the 6^th floor.  We headed over to the MMC Clubhouse for dinner and to meet the lead instructors.    Make your own pizza (made in our new pizza oven), salmon, chicken, salads, and french fries were served at the Club House for dinner.  We took an opportunity to sing happy birthday to Ethan who turned 14 today and had some birthday cake!

Evening at The Kartrite was spent outside playing some ball games (soccer, kickball, and frisbee) and then playing X-box and Connect 4 in our community room.  Some campers chose to get settled in their rooms and were tired from a long trip to Monticello.  At 10:00 pm everyone headed to their rooms for lights out at 10:30 in preparation for a full day tomorrow at the track.  The campers and instructors are excited about the week!

Be sure to check out the PHOTO GALLERY to see Sunday’s events in action!  Password is MMC.

Best!

Danielle Wright

Teen Race Camp Director

203-545-5680

Today the instructors evaluated the campers overall driving skills.  In the morning, the campers were at the Go Kart Track and did Mini Drills.  The focus was on understanding where the pace and level of understanding is with all the drivers, both in karts and in a controlled environment in cars. Braking drills and hairpin technique were practiced focusing on how to control the pedals.   In the afternoon,  time was spent at the skid pad doing timed exercises in the Mini and the focus was on going from wet to dry surface transitions and multiple different courses to challenge the skills the instructors enforced in the morning. The main goal is to get each driver alone in the car with confidence!  Technique was needed to maximize speed and get the lowest lap time.   The campers are super competitive!

The rain held off until the end of the day and the campers barely escaped the torrential down pour.  We headed back to the hotel where everyone showered and had time for a quick nap before going out to dinner at a local Italian restaurant, Albella’s for a hearty meal.  After dinner, campers were invited to use their arcade cards either playing games or participating in the escape room, bowling, or laser tag.  A couple campers chose to relax in their room after a busy driving day.  The remainder of the night was spent in our community room listening to music, playing x-box, imposter or connect 4. Campers returned to their rooms around 10 with lights out by 10:30. A 7:15 am wake up comes fast.  Tomorrow will be an exciting day out on the track!

Be sure to check out the PHOTO GALLERY to today’s events in action!  Password is MMC.

Have a fantastic day!

Danielle C. Wright

Teen Race Camp Director

203-545-5680 – Mobile

Tuesday was a perfect day at the Monticello Motor Club campus, good weather, hearty meals, and challenging driving exercises!

Breakfast included french toast, bacon, sausage, eggs, fruit, and yogurt.  Everyone ate well.  The instructors kept the campers very busy today.  In the morning, the campers did lead follow in the Mini’s getting comfortable driving on track and building up speed! Got some time on both the Mushroom and South course. The other driving lesson was the Mini auto cross on the Kart track which encourages the drivers to really focus on how to control the car while on circuit.

After lunch, one group of the campers focused on manual driving in the Miata on the north course.  They got an opportunity to row through gears which was a first for many of them.  They learned skills like heel and toe, and rev matching. The other group was out on the skid pad in the go karts focusing on side by side and passing drills.  The circuit was specifically designed to promote overtakes, and that it did!  All did very well and they were sure to stop at the soft serve ice cream machine to get a cone or sundae before heading back to the hotel.

Campers were able to relax and get ready for a 6:45 dinner reservation at El Sombrero in Rock Hill.  The food was ready when we arrived and all enjoyed their meal.  On our return to the hotel the campers spent time in our community room talking, playing games and x-box.  Everyone headed to their rooms close to 10 pm, some sooner with lights out close to 11 pm.  Tomorrow will be another big day out on the track and driving different race vehicles.

Be sure to click on the Photo Gallery to get a good glimpse of your campers’ day.  Password is MMC.

Have a fabulous day!

Best,

Danielle C. Wright

Teen Race Camp Director

203-545-5680

Wow, what a day the campers had!  The weather was ideal and much time was spent driving in the PDK’s on the track.  Another hearty breakfast with everyone eating well in preparation for a busy morning.  The campers drove the PDK’s on the north and south portions of the track with lead follow and then having an instructor right seat on the shorter courses in preparation for the full course later in the day.  Each camper got individual coaching and worked on specific issues to progress in their driving.  Rueben and Chicken Parmesan club sandwiches, rigatoni with pesto sauce, asparagus, mashed potatoes with choices of Caesar or a garden salad where the lunch options.

In the afternoon, the campers drove the PDKs on full course with individual coaching with their personal instructors.  The last driving exercise of the day closed with fun time on the skid pad driving a rear-wheel-drive BMW m340i with an instructor in the right seat.  Each camper worked through understeering, oversteering and then eventually trying to maintain a full-scale drift.  A few campers were very impressive with their drifting skills.  Everyone had a blast!  The soft serve ice cream machine was in great demand before we headed back to the hotel to relax for about an hour or so before we headed out for dinner.  Dinner was at The Brew in Rock Hill.  The brew burgers, curly fries, salads, and Honey BBQ wings were enjoyed immensely.  All dinner orders were placed in advance to keep our wait time to a minimum;  never keep hungry teenagers waiting for their dinner!  Some relaxation time was spent in the community room in hopes of getting outside to the firepits for s’mores but mother nature was not cooperating. So, we made s’mores by using the microwave to melt the marshmallow (12 seconds) scooping it up with the graham cracker and placing the chocolate and other graham cracker on top, not bad!!

It was early to their rooms tonight in preparation for an earlier check-out to pack the suitcases in the vans and then unload at the clubhouse.  Hard to believe it was out last night.  Thursday will be an exciting last day for the campers; the instructors have prepared an amazing day to challenge the skills they have learned and practiced for the past 3 days.  Be sure to check out the PHOTO GALLERY – Password MMC.

The entire Teen Race Camp operations team looks forward to seeing everyone real soon for our closing ceremony in the Club House Dining Room ( 4:15 start).  I will be there to welcome everyone!

Safe travels.

Danielle C. Wright

203-545-5680

Teen Race Camp Director

It was so hard to believe that yesterday was the last day of camp; the time flew by so quickly.  Our morning was quite busy with room walk throughs, check-out and packing the vans.  All the campers were very helpful and we got to the track on time for French Toast Day!

The campers had a great last day with the Race of Champions Competition, we could not have asked for nicer weather!  The instructors developed driving challenges on the skid pad, the North Course and on the karting track to have the campers utilize all the skills they were taught Monday – Wednesday.  The campers were put into teams of two by the instructors and throughout the morning and afternoon went through multiple trials for each driving challenge.  We are happy to say each attempt made by the campers was improvement from the previous.

We were happy to see everyone at our closing ceremony.  Much appreciation to the parents for your patience and time.  The campers were so happy to know that when they got into the clubhouse their parent(s) were there waiting to see them.  Many thanks went out to our supporting staff, instructors, campers, and the parents for all their efforts to make the camp a huge success.

The instructors presented the campers with their completion certificates, awards, and Race of Champion medals.  Congratulations to Caleb Daniele, Deven Rausch, Ethan Zullin, Isaac Belo, Isabelly Belo, Miriam Khozouri-Zadeh, Maria Milkov, William Wilson, and Yoni Khozouri-Zadeh in successfully completing our Performance Driving Teen Race Camp.  Listed below are the campers who were awarded a trophy and the Race of Campion medal winners.

Cone Killer – Deven Rausch

Most Improved Driver – Miriam Khozouri-Zadeh

Most Valuable – Ethan Zullin

Smooth Operator – Will Wilson

G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Times) – Maria Milkov

Race of Champion Finishers – It was a close competition!

3^rd – Maria & Miriam

2^nd – Will & Yoni

1^st – Caleb & Isaac

Thank you, parents, for entrusting us with you most valued treasure, your child.  Ross and I enjoyed getting to know your child and seeing the transformation of their capabilities at camp.

We hope to see everyone next year for our next level camp, Competition Race Camp, which will be around the second week of August.  Competition Race Camp and the Intro to Motorsports camp will be running simultaneously.  A follow-up email with all the detail will be sent out in the next couple of weeks

Be well and hope to see you at the MMC track soon.

Be sure to check out the PHOTO GALLERY – Password MMC.

Danielle C. Wright

203-545-5680

Teen Race Camp Director