F1 and Racing Dreams Start With a High-Adrenaline Weekend at Radford Racing School
In Phoenix, this racing academy is built for serious fun; no racing aspirations necessary.
The high-pitched whine of a supercharger pierces the air, followed by the sound of cones being demolished—thump thump—on the slalom course. Tires squeal and engines rev as eager students of all ages watch the professional drivers demonstrate. Then they jump behind the wheel to take their turn at Radford Racing School just outside of Phoenix, in the middle of the desert.
Once a playground for men only, racetracks are frequented today by women of all ages. Doriane Pin of the all-female Iron Dames racing team was the first woman to drive an F1 car just this month, and up-and-comers like Lia Block are taking the world by the shoulders and shaking it, hard.
So why not you?
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Also, I was a guest of Pennzoil’s, but all opinions and impressions are my own.
The Need for Speed Isn’t Based on Gender
Racecar driver Bob Bondurant founded the racing academy in the late 60s in California as the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Business flourished over the decades as different manufacturers donated time, vehicles, and money to the cause. A group of investors purchased the facility in 2019, two years before Bondurant passed away at age 88.
Rebranded as Radford Racing School, the site now hosts 3,000 or more students every year. They learn how to drag race, navigate an autocross course, and nail the apexes of the curves of the Firebird track. Most of all, they learn how to be a better driver. I took on a two-day course at Radford to hone my defensive driving and track moves, and I learned more than I expected from the A+ instructors.
In one group, a 15-year-old in a peach shorts ensemble is unbothered by the fact that she is the only girl in her section. Lexi lives in rural Nebraska and learned how to drive on a tractor when she was 10. Her brother took the Radford course before and now it’s her turn.
Hunter, 21, is studying to be a pilot. Her story started when she was 17 and her dad planned to bring her to Radford for her birthday, but he died of cancer before he could. Hunter’s mother and uncle accompany her now, watching from the stands and smiling away, proud of her.
Avoiding the Overconfident Driver
When the day begins, students split into small groups to ride with the instructors in four-door Dodge Chargers for coaching and instruction before driving. First, the cars must be divvied up.
“One of you requested a manual,” the instructor says, looking around the training room.
The tall, gangly teen in front of me speaks up: “That was me.”
Manual transmission-equipped Challenger models feature one hood scoop for air intake instead of the two festooning machines with automatic transmission, the instructor explains. It makes it easy to tell which is which. Once the teen boy claimed his forest green Challenger, only a metallic rust orange car and a neon green example remained.
“I’ll take the green,” a muscular man in my group said quickly. That’s fine, I thought. I’ve driven plenty of neon green vehicles in my life and he’s living out a fantasy. Let him have it.
As time would show, the brightly colored hue would serve as a beacon for me on the track to warn me away. Neon Green Guy had a need for speed, and he was visibly impatient when anyone got in his way. Our instructor discreetly urged our small group to give a wide berth to anyone tailing us on the track and showed us how to exit onto a short “pit lane” to reposition.
Real-World Testing for Dodge and Pennzoil
Every Dodge on track is meticulously maintained by a crew of about 10 full-time staff, led by shop and facilities manager Jason Kutner. Radford partners with Pennzoil, which supplies the school with scads of top-quality Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic motor oil for the fleet, which includes the bright yellow Pennzoil-branded Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170.
As you might imagine, these vehicles take a beating every day with nonprofessional drivers aggressively braking, accelerating, and generally working them over. Incredibly, Cutner says, they have never lost an engine despite the punishing conditions; he credits Pennzoil for ensuring the cars don’t fail.
“We’re proud to say that we have not lost an engine due to oil-related circumstances,” says Mark Valentino, Radford’s director of business development. “We’ve run the 1,000-horsepower Dodge Demon 170 vehicle through 30-40 quarter-mile runs in extreme heat without overheating issues.”
As I thread my Challenger through cones at high speed, this is of great comfort to me.
Horsepower is So Very Empowering
At the end of two days, I feel more confident than ever about my track skills. (Not too confident, however. I’m not trying to be Neon Green Guy.) I have already tackled three Rebelle Rallies, each a challenging 8-day off-road competition and now I’m ready to take on the brand-new Trinite (pronounced “trinity”) Road Rally for Team Lucid in a blindingly quick all-electric Air Sapphire. The only thing I have to prove is to myself, and what I want is to be the best and safest driver and most knowledgeable driver I can be.
Next time, I’m bringing my girlfriends with me on the journey. Because here’s the thing: Radford isn’t for people who want to be full-time racecar drivers. It’s for building skills, confidence, and defensive driving techniques that might save your life in an impending crash. The icing on the proverbial cake is the full-on adrenaline rush that comes from taking on one of the most muscular muscle cars in the universe and forcing it to bend to your will.
I never had a desire to get into racing. But I do love to push my limits in a place like Radford that teaches me how to improve my skills and have a blast at the same time. I was smiling from ear to ear every time I finished a run.
What It Costs and How to Schedule Your Track Time
The High Performance Driving School, which is the program I tested out and is perfect for a girls’ weekend, is $3,699 for a two-day and $4,999 for a three-day course. If you’re yearning for straight-line thrills, check out the Demon in the Desert drag racing experience for $2,499. Or go low-key with a 4-hour Throttle Therapy session for $499 each. There’s something for everyone, and don’t forget to take a peek at the “Offers” tab for discounted dates.
When you sign up for your outing at Radford, tell ‘em I sent you!
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