DirtFish Rally School
This is a belated post, we attended DirtFish Rally School the weekend before Palm Springs. The school is located in Snoqualmie an hour outside Seattle, on land that used to be an old lumber mill. Under a very picturesque setting with the Cascade Mountains and lush forest surrounding the school, you have a scenic backdrop whilst driving. First glance, all I could think about was what a perfect setting for a Ken Block Gymkhana.
I want to start off by saying that Curtis and I had a blast! It was an adrenaline rush and it felt great to be behind a wheel participating in a motorsport again! The instructors are all professional race car drivers, this is their full-time gig and race on the side. They all provide great feedback and instructions to get you comfortable to achieve your best results that day. The facilities are top-notch, they shuttle you around the school on a bus and the groups are small. This ensures everyone receives ample time in the car throughout the day. All cars are in standard, and if you haven’t driven one before, no problem. The instructors will teach you standard in approximately 20 minutes; we had a guy in our class learn that day!
We went on the skid pad, the slalom and then what they call the Boneyard. Both Curtis and I found the slalom the most challenging, I kept going way too fast haha. I am known to have a lead foot. I was told at the start to forget everything I knew, forget my past in racing and just pretend I know nothing. It is completely different than regular car racing where you look for a smooth line unlike rally where you go in hard and hard on the brake. The instructors are very patient and I had a great time chatting with mine about racing and joking around. Ted, the host, was funny, explained the concepts clearly and provided great commentary while watching our fellow students.
All skills learned that day are beneficial off the track as well. Great for extreme circumstances with car control, patience and weight balance. The final part of the day was having your instructor take you through the Wedge with him or her driving. WOW what a thrill!
Dirtfish Rally Photo Recap
At the end of the day, you leave happy and on an extreme high, but also sad that you didn’t have more time or another day. They do offer half days, full days, two days, three days and advanced courses. I would love to do the three day course, you receive a ton of track time and have the skills to go through the Wedge.
Definitely recommend attending this school if you can, it was an addicting and thrilling experience! One thing checked off my bucket list! I’m pretty sure Curtis and I dreamt about rally and had a grin on our faces for the week after.
DirtFish Rally School
www.dirtfish.com
1.866.285.1332
7001 396th Drive SE
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
