Area 27 may be one of the best race tracks in North America that you haven’t yet heard of. But it’s nevertheless the track rat’s equivalent of a yacht club. Built in 2016, the main attraction is a 4.83 kilometer racing circuit designed by Jacques Villeneuve, surrounded by world-class amenities, including a banquet room, locker rooms, classrooms, a pro shop, and most recently – an 11,000 square-foot clubhouse. Along with the announcement of the clubhouse was the announcement of a Chevrolet Camaro driving school, exclusively with various 2019 Camaro models – currently the sportiest and most athletic of all the pony cars on the market. A fun fact: the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE media drive was held at this very track, likely paving the way for this driving program.
Pricing for the 2.5-Day Chevrolet Camaro Driving Academy starts at $2,795.00 CAD, and can run up to $4,060.00 CAD if attendees opt to rent a Camaro from the facility, as well as bring a plus one during the course. The first classes took place this past weekend, between July 21-23. Additional Chevrolet Camaro Driving Academy classes will take place September 4-6, October 14-16, and October 20-22.
Below are further details:
Classroom:
Theory covering seating position, braking technique, and finding the correct line through corners
Track safety – including instruction on the various flags and their meanings, with proper pit entry and exit procedures
On the circuit:
Braking and down shifting techniques
Cornering phases
Linking turns and establishing correct lines
Full circuit follow-the-leader lapping
Finally:
Open lapping sessions with coach critiques
Lapping session with student monitored for consistency and improvement, with comprehensive performance evaluation.
Area 27 is located in “Canada’s warmest climate”, and is located in Oliver, BC – a few hours just east of Vancouver. The Chevrolet Camaro Driving Academy sounds akin to the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School, which is a program aimed at Corvette owners at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park outside of Las Vegas.