Thread: Penguin Racing School Basic Roadracing Course Review.

If you have been inspired to get involved in club level roadracing, you may be wondering where to get the training and testing necessary to receive your race license. One avenue is to attend a specific school to fill these requirements, and give you the necessary tools to start your racing experience.

Penguin Racing School is advertised as the oldest such school in the country, having been founded in 1973 by Jerry Wood and Joe Ziegler. For the last 35 years, they have been giving potential racers their first taste of race track procedure, safety and technique. The school is held at three locations: New Hampshire National Speedway in Loudon, NH, Jennings GP racetrack in Jennings, FL, and Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, FL.

Waiting outside the gate school morning.


I attended class at Homestead Motor Speedway in February, which is a particularly nice time to be there. The school was held on a Friday preceding a Championship Cup Series racing event weekend. I decided to take the Penguin course for a few reasons: I had heard and read good things about it through friends and the Internet message boards, it was convenient to my location, and the price of $250 was very reasonable. .

I registered and paid on line. The Penguin website is very comprehensive in detailing how to prep your bike, gear and person for attendance. They have an extensive inventory of gear, including track-prepared bikes listed for rental at reasonable rates. . It would possible to fly in with only your personal clothing items and rent everything needed to attend the class, practice day and race on Sunday. When I attended in Februrary, 2008, a full complement of quality gear (Vanson leathers and gloves, Arai helmet, and Gaerne boots) could be had for $80/day. Ducati 900 Supersport motorcycles were available at $250/day, and there were multi-day combination packages available.

After arriving at the track we signed in, got our armbands, and proceeded on to tech inspection. School staff was very helpful in orienting first timers to the track. Tech inspection for the school was quite thorough, similar to that of a good trackday organization. We were required to tape off the lights and remove mirrors, but safety wiring was not required. The Penguin crew checked all bikes to make sure there were no leaks, and that the tires, brakes and chain were well maintained, with better than 50% life remaining. Antifreeze had to be replaced with straight water or a race approved coolant. Penguin School recommends, but does not require, sidestand removal.

The safety gear specification was a Snell2000-certified helmet with no damage and leather suit, boots and gloves in good condition. The rental options mentioned above were very convenient in the event one's equipment didn't pass muster.

After tech, the riders went to our respective classes. In addition to the introductory classes, Penguin also offers advanced instruction (led by Jeff and Eric Wood) for experienced racers looking to improve their race results.

Penguin rental fleet

The basic course classroom section is led by Jerry Wood himself. With four decades of racing experience and a no-nonsense delivery, Jerry taught essential info on race procedures, protocol, and etiquette. His teaching style was colorful and entertaining while he related rules and tips designed to make us better and safer racers.

A workbook full of valuable information was included with the class. Jerry didn't go through every detail in it, but he did highlight the section on basic bike set-up and gear selection. He also spoke in depth about the track layout, racing line and reference points. We followed along with track maps the school provided, showing the suggested racing line.

The specifics of throttle control, braking technique, and looking at the right things are covered in detail, as applied to track riding. In general, Jerry stressed the essential role smoothness plays in ALL our inputs to the bike. He pointed out the key visual reference points to fix our eyes on as we approached each corner, braked, apexed, and then began the acceleration that would launch us down the next straight. He also emphasized the importance of not letting "Target Fixation" draw our sight to things that we shouldn't look at, such as a rider going down, or an obstacle that we would want to avoid.

Jerry also spent quite a bit of time on the proper way to handle the situation if any of us did happen to crash, complete with stories of some of the more bonehead maneuvers he has witnessed on the track. That was almost worth the price of admission in itself!

Jerry Wood in the classroom Eric Wood on the track

We took a written test to end the classroom session, and then we were off to lunch. After that, it was finally time to get into gear and out onto the track!

The first two riding sessions consisted of following the Penguin instructor or local expert racer. As these sessions progressed, we rotated from first position to the back of the pack on each lap to give everyone the benefit of closely following the instructor. Afterward, with gear still on, we met in the classroom to review our experience on the track and to air any questions or concerns. Then we went right back out onto the track.

We started the next couple of sessions in follow-the-leader fashion until our tires were warm, at which point we were released to lap on our own under the watchful eyes of the on-track instructors. If a rider was having issues, or wanted personal instruction, Jerry or one of the other instructors would work with them one on one. Very cool!

Jeff Wood worked with the Advanced class. He rides a Motard fairly well, too!

At the end of the day we met in the classroom again to receive our test results and race license certificates. Jerry reviewed key points of the day and addressed our questions until all had been answered - long after closing time. At that point, all that remained for us to do to receive the actual license was to sign up with the racing organization of our choice, pay the fee, and actually enter a race. The Penguin people helped facilitate that the next day at the Homestead CCS event, and were available at race practice to answer any remaining questions.

In summary:

The Good:
- A lot of info for not much more cash than a track day.
- Access to seasoned racers with decades of experiance.
- One on one instruction available for the asking.
- Well planned and orchestrated in all effects. All personal were helpful and professional.

The Bad:
- A minor complaint -we did not do a "mock", or "rookie" race. It was never addressed, and I forgot to ask why. While I wouldn't consider it essential, it would have helped with a bit of familarity before the real races.

Overall rating: (out of 5)

Conclusion:
I think I will be signing up for a advanced class on the track with the Wood brothers as soon as scheduling permits.

Race Day!!!

Contact information for scheduling, prices, and availability: The Oldest Motorcycle Roadracing School in the Country! - Penguin Roadracing School
Photo credits – Dale Hallgren and Kezer Photography ©