Lyn St. James in training

I've been saying I'm a racecar driver for years. But my only real track time consists of a couple of Northwoods Shelby Club track days at Road America. Considering that's closer to racing than most people get, no one could really dispute me.

So when Colin decided a trip to Bondurant Driving School would make for a great anniversary gift, my initial reaction was excitement. However my excitement was soon replaced by fear. Going to driving school is the first step to getting a competition license. What if I didn't pass? What if I crashed and burned? A poor performance at driving school could out me once and for all, completely discrediting the happy little delusion I'd been living - and letting others believe - that I was in fact, a racecar driver. Plus I was pretty sure Colin would decide I was unfit to marry if I couldn't pass driving school. 

But this is what I wanted, wasn't it? I wanted to have some concrete evidence behind my "I'm a racecar driver" story. So off I went to Bondurant driving school in search of my competition driving license and my nerve. 

Bondurant has a photographer on staff to take pictures of the students along with offering the option of having an in car camera installed to capture your track time. Naturally, I thought it'd be great to have the experience captured forever on a DVD. Two laps in it dawned on me, maybe the in car camera wasn't the best decision. Simply because it meant that if I did in fact fail, now there'd be documentation of my failure. I couldn't make up a story about mechanical failure, poor teaching or the lack of talent on behalf of another student because the whole experience would be caught on camera as proof. I seriously considered exiting the track so as to have the camera removed. But then I realized I was driving a C6 Corvette on a racetrack and instead of focusing on my impending failure, I should really be concentrating on the track. Isn't concentration the first defense against making a fatal mistake anyway? 

That was the last thought I gave to not passing the class. Honestly, how bad could I do? I'd had track time (though limited), Colin's confidence and an innate desire to go fast paired with just a hint of being overly cautious all on my side. Plus, it's the job of the instructors to teach me and guide me and make sure I pass. So if I didn't pass it was more a reflection on their ability as teachers than on my ability as a driver. (Isn't it nice to be able to rationalize anything?)

I did pass the class. And I even showed Colin the DVD. It wasn't the embarrassing evidence of what a poor driver I am I was worried it would end up being, besides that fact that maybe it showed a little more of my overly cautious side than my desire to go fast side. In fact, the DVD is really a great teaching tool. Colin and I can watch it together and he can help show me where I did well and where I could use some improvements. 

Now all I need is a racecar. Any sponsors out there?