Not a bad welcome—seeing a row of BMW Performance Driving School helmets all lined up in front of an endless row of ready-to-pounce M3s and M4s, eagerly pointing at the Thermal race track. Perhaps the only thing better was the promise that in moments, our heads would be in those helmets, our butts in those M cars—and our hearts in the backs of our throats.
Almost a true oasis in the desert, The BMW Performance Driving School West opened in January 2015 at the Thermal Club. Driving through parched air and endless rows of date palms suddenly reveals this hidden gem—a BMW school now within reach for those western BMW and track fans in the same style, structure and direction as its eastern counterpart in South Carolina.
The BMW CCA Board took one for the team and visited the track on a balmy 113 degree day in August, inviting local club members out for a quick tour of the facility and a very quick tour of one of the tracks. Pacific Regional VP, Nick Owen, no stranger to controlled speed, climbed out of the passenger seat of an Austin Yellow M3 saying, “Now that was a ride I was looking for!”
Piloting that hot lap was Senior Instructor Lead for BMW NA, Adam Seaman, who took his six-plus years of experience westward to help launch the West Center. “What appeals most to me about being an instructor here is being able to spend my days with people who are just as passionate about driving the automobile as I am. Not only do we meet new enthusiasts everyday but we also get to pass along some of our knowledge to those enthusiasts helping to fuel their passion even further,” Adam explained. “Getting paid to drive some of the best vehicles in the world is a plus, too!”
He added, “Starting at the beginning of something new was very appealing to me.”
Now with a Performance Driving School in the West, especially if you’ve never been on a track, here’s a chance for something new with some of the best instructors and best cars available. And BMW CCA club members get a 15% discount on all driving schools at Performance Center!
Visit http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Explore/Experience/PDS for more!—Kyle P. van Hoften
