Thank you all for reminding me this exists before it was too late. I bought a Fiesta ST in April, and I just signed up for a session in October. They're almost out of available spots for the year! This'll be a blast!
Hello Paul and Todd: I have been watching your you tube channel now for almost 2 years and I truly love what you guys are doing here. I have been watching also your new shows on the Velocity channel. Based on your advise and my previous car owning experience (2015 GTI, 2014 Mustang GT, 2007 Saturn Ion redline, 2005 SVT Focus) I decided to purchase a 2016 Ford Fiesta ST in December 2016. Man, where you guys right. That little car truly handles and drives like nothing else on the segment, and I have driven some hot hatches in the past faster than the Fiesta ST, but like you guys said: The balance of power and handling in the Fiesta ST is amazing. I decided to do some light modifications and invested in the Ford Performance (Borla) exhaust, left the Stock airbox, but dropped a K&N filter and opted for the Cobb Stage 1 tune. The car truly wakes up and gives an immediate boost in performance. I will be attending the ST Octane academy in October of this year, so I am truly excited. I wanted to thank you for the show. I feel like I am talking with good friends when I watch you guys. It makes you forget you are watching a program, and more like you are sharing a conversation with car enthusiasts and friends. I look forward to what coming up from everyday driver in the future. Motor on. Jose in Miami.
Jose! - Thank you. We're thrilled to hear you got a Fiesta ST, and are so enjoying it. We expect you'll have a blast at the ST Octane academy. Very glad to have been of help to you. You've given us some great encouragement and compliments here. Thanks for being with us!
That looked like so much fun!! Really glad that you guys enjoyed yourselves, and thanks for sharing this experience! It makes me wanna attend a track school just to get out there not only have fun, but to really hone those driving skills and make the whole experience of driving that much better.
maximus9401 We're thrilled to be able to share it with you, and glad you enjoyed it! If you have the chance to go to a track school we're certain you'll come away with new skills and perspectives. Thanks for consistently watching and commenting on our work!
I just got back from the ST Octane Academy (partly because of this video) and I have to say that it was completely, 100% worth the trip. You will be happy to know that the organizers did flip the order of the day around starting this season. We did the lead-follow and hot laps first and the skid car and Urban-X after lunch. If you have a Fiesta ST or Focus ST just go, you won't regret it.
Hey thanks for the info...i purchased a FiST this year new but thought we had to use our OWN cars there?? Or am i able to take a trip and use the vehicles as were shown.
Took a course at Bondurant high performance driving school in Arizona and did the same exercise in a Cadillac CTS skid car-- what a riot. The instructors have a field day spinning you out. It's great to see you guys having so much fun doing the same. These sorts of courses are, I think, absolutely necessary in regards to getting to know the limits of your car and your driving.
Really cool video. Love when you guys change it up with videos like this. I was the one who wrote into the podcast recently about my JDM Toyota MR2 by the way! :D
During lead/follow I was in a Fiesta ST right behind an instructor in the Mustang. I misunderstood the point of the exercise and thought I was supposed to stick with him as close as possible. As he went faster, I went faster, never letting up. Eventually he flipped me the bird and I realized he wanted me to back off. We laughed about it afterwards but I think he was pretty pissed. Was a great weekend nonetheless and I'd recommend it to anyone.
Great video guys. I attended last week and it was the most fun I've ever had. I hope you stuck around and drove the Mustangs . I did and that too was a blast.
mculli80 Ditto on what the other gent said! I was in the same class with Michael...(who actually won the coveted Urban Cross Cone)....you guys captured everything perfectly...great school...great location and more fun than I would have though possible.
I just got a '17 Fiesta and I'm going out there in August. Looking forward to having fun and learning to really handle my car at speed without getting a ticket.
I can't wait, I'll be going to the ST Octane Academy on April 19th-21st. Staying one day extra so that I can re-coup on driving back home the next day.
+Luke White - Excellent. It's a fantastic program and we think you'll really enjoy it. Glad to hear you signed up, enjoy your Focus, and thanks for watching!
Haha xD nice vid guys! Must have been wierd with this handbrake ^^ congrats for the fastest time! ^^ Last week I did just the lead and follow thing and some fast laps on RedBull Ring in Spielberg in a KTM X-Bow R - 815kg and 320HP - that was fun ^^ also met Mark Webber because he was training there ^^ can't wait to do this again ^^
taylor wagneers We couldn't encourage you more to go and be a part of this course! There was a large range of driver experience and ability in our class and everyone had a great time. We're very glad to give you a glimpse of it, and thanks for watching!
Tate Astill I went last July and there was a guy from Canada who attended. So if you can get yourself to Utah the ST Octane Academy is open to you as well.
But is it really worth the $1k to go to for flights and hotel when you could spend half that and do 3 autox's and a track day? Especially if you have both track and autox experience..
Nice video. Did they go over heel-toe downshifting? I've notice a lot of people that preach about driving a manual and rowing through the gears on their own have no idea how to heel-toe downshift. They're fine to be with in normal driving but any form of spirited driving down a windy road with them can be a little scary. It seems like after they'd complete a course like this their confidence would be high but they'd still be hampered by lack of a basic skill.
Is it just me or does this schools advice of "add more oversteer cause you can always take it out" seem like a terrible idea? After doing lots of autocross and riding with other people, those who overcorrect usually end up shot out the other way due to snap oversteer. "under"correcting is safer and just results in a slow and controlled slide. Other than that great video and cool that Ford is doing that!
SpartanG6 Since these are front wheel drive cars, oversteer will counteract the understeer and you'll end-up with a neutral exit. Basically, just lift off the throttle to take weight off of the rear wheels.
It's actually an added rear brake, I think you can get one installed as a mod, but it's not the same as the stock parking brake, I know with the FiST (Fiesta ST) the parking brake isn't really strong enough to initiate drifts like that. I'm pretty sure the Focus ST is the same.
TassieLorenzo thanks I didn't know that! oh and btw, in Poland the rule is that you should stay on racing line, so the faster car always passes by outside of the racing line
Not significantly. It's significantly lighter, since it doesn't have a full roll cage, but that's not significant. All Fiesta STs sold in NA have nearly identical engines making the same power.
Ohh, well their obviously garbage then, is that what you are saying? Ya know what's Also obvious? The fact that you've never driven a well sorted fwd sport compact car... Haters gonna hate I guess.
Bro what do you drive ? Have you driven anything other then your ride ? ... Unless you have done it all ... Don't knock the competition go to a real racetrack .. In anything a smart car, mustang v6, Prius ... People won't judge till you cross the finish line ...badge and history don't mean squat on the track anything track ready means money is not an issue ... I know people with rwd corvets (c5/c6) that have gotten smashed by the likes of Insights ,corrolas ,smartcars.
Hear That? FWD is fine, but as good? No. All platforms have their pro's and con's, but there are reasons why Nissan's FWD LMP1 car was lapping slower than eight (8!) of the lower class LMP2 cars at 24hrs of Le mans.
Chance Hales The point I was trying to make was, FWD has many positives, but lap times and entertainment are not it's strongest characteristics. Although their hybrid systems were only providing sporadic minimal assist, it was not their only problem. They were having problems with their front brakes over heating. They have more weight on the front of their car because of their FWD setup. They are the lone island in a sea of RWD race cars, outside of them I can't think of a single FWD race car that isn't based around a road car. There are many reasons why they are the only bespoke racing car that uses FWD and I believe the main reason Nissan chose this route was not for racing gains, but for technology gains for the future GT-R that will send a lot more power to the front with electric motors in the rear.
Bob Hope You do make a good point there and I agree with you. Nissan has given themselves a steep hill to climb. At least they finished the race though unlike the Deltawing.
Bob Hope And you must not pay attention whatsoever. The car had only done testing while the other teams had the previous season and a lot more testing. Of course their cars are going to be sorted. The LMP1 GT-R was designed and produced in 8 months and it finished the race. That is impressive. Also, that's completely irrelevant. A sorted FWD car whose focus is on performance is just as good as a RWD car. Source? The FiST and the new Type R. The Type R is actually quicker around the track than the GT-R, Ferrari, and Lamborghini.
Ha, I was one of the guys who bought one in '13 they mentioned in the video. Nice to meet you guys, what a fun day!
Thank you all for reminding me this exists before it was too late. I bought a Fiesta ST in April, and I just signed up for a session in October. They're almost out of available spots for the year! This'll be a blast!
Aging Wheels Really glad to hear you are going to go!
Hello Paul and Todd: I have been watching your you tube channel now for almost 2 years and I truly love what you guys are doing here. I have been watching also your new shows on the Velocity channel. Based on your advise and my previous car owning experience (2015 GTI, 2014 Mustang GT, 2007 Saturn Ion redline, 2005 SVT Focus) I decided to purchase a 2016 Ford Fiesta ST in December 2016. Man, where you guys right. That little car truly handles and drives like nothing else on the segment, and I have driven some hot hatches in the past faster than the Fiesta ST, but like you guys said: The balance of power and handling in the Fiesta ST is amazing. I decided to do some light modifications and invested in the Ford Performance (Borla) exhaust, left the Stock airbox, but dropped a K&N filter and opted for the Cobb Stage 1 tune. The car truly wakes up and gives an immediate boost in performance. I will be attending the ST Octane academy in October of this year, so I am truly excited. I wanted to thank you for the show. I feel like I am talking with good friends when I watch you guys. It makes you forget you are watching a program, and more like you are sharing a conversation with car enthusiasts and friends. I look forward to what coming up from everyday driver in the future. Motor on. Jose in Miami.
Jose! - Thank you. We're thrilled to hear you got a Fiesta ST, and are so enjoying it. We expect you'll have a blast at the ST Octane academy. Very glad to have been of help to you. You've given us some great encouragement and compliments here. Thanks for being with us!
That looked like so much fun!! Really glad that you guys enjoyed yourselves, and thanks for sharing this experience!
It makes me wanna attend a track school just to get out there not only have fun, but to really hone those driving skills and make the whole experience of driving that much better.
maximus9401 We're thrilled to be able to share it with you, and glad you enjoyed it! If you have the chance to go to a track school we're certain you'll come away with new skills and perspectives. Thanks for consistently watching and commenting on our work!
EverydayDriver You bet. Keep em coming :)
I just got back from the ST Octane Academy (partly because of this video) and I have to say that it was completely, 100% worth the trip. You will be happy to know that the organizers did flip the order of the day around starting this season. We did the lead-follow and hot laps first and the skid car and Urban-X after lunch. If you have a Fiesta ST or Focus ST just go, you won't regret it.
Hey thanks for the info...i purchased a FiST this year new but thought we had to use our OWN cars there?? Or am i able to take a trip and use the vehicles as were shown.
Took a course at Bondurant high performance driving school in Arizona and did the same exercise in a Cadillac CTS skid car-- what a riot. The instructors have a field day spinning you out. It's great to see you guys having so much fun doing the same. These sorts of courses are, I think, absolutely necessary in regards to getting to know the limits of your car and your driving.
Really cool video. Love when you guys change it up with videos like this. I was the one who wrote into the podcast recently about my JDM Toyota MR2 by the way! :D
During lead/follow I was in a Fiesta ST right behind an instructor in the Mustang. I misunderstood the point of the exercise and thought I was supposed to stick with him as close as possible. As he went faster, I went faster, never letting up. Eventually he flipped me the bird and I realized he wanted me to back off. We laughed about it afterwards but I think he was pretty pissed. Was a great weekend nonetheless and I'd recommend it to anyone.
"Try it again... deeper in the box." Eh heh. Heheheheheheh. I CAN'T HELP MYSELF
This was so much fun to watch. It was definitely different from what I'm use to seeing on this channel and I liked it. Keep up the great work guys !
Great video guys. I attended last week and it was the most fun I've ever had. I hope you stuck around and drove the Mustangs . I did and that too was a blast.
mculli80 - Glad you went!
mculli80 Ditto on what the other gent said! I was in the same class with Michael...(who actually won the coveted Urban Cross Cone)....you guys captured everything perfectly...great school...great location and more fun than I would have though possible.
xTouragx Wish I could go back and do it all over again. Good times.
I've done a few track days in my ST already but this looks like epic fun and nice to have a professional correct and improve your driving.
I just got a '17 Fiesta and I'm going out there in August. Looking forward to having fun and learning to really handle my car at speed without getting a ticket.
I'm going later this year! Thanks for the video gents, this gives me an idea of what to expect from the day and I'm even more excited.
I can't wait, I'll be going to the ST Octane Academy on April 19th-21st. Staying one day extra so that I can re-coup on driving back home the next day.
I went early 2015 and highly recomend it. Spaces fill up quickly so book quickly. It was intense and everyone was wiped by the end of the day!
That was a great video !! I could sense the adrenalin your voices. FUN !!!
Great job guys! Really enjoyed this. I know now what I'll be signing up for as a Bday present to meeeeeee.
Very good video guys.. I remember my first time on a track day and it was awesome.. I end up with shaking hands :)
Great video. Thanks for doing this. I bought my Focus St in Feb and I'm signed up for July 2016!
+Luke White - Excellent. It's a fantastic program and we think you'll really enjoy it. Glad to hear you signed up, enjoy your Focus, and thanks for watching!
that ringing in my ear was killing me
Haha xD nice vid guys! Must have been wierd with this handbrake ^^ congrats for the fastest time! ^^
Last week I did just the lead and follow thing and some fast laps on RedBull Ring in Spielberg in a KTM X-Bow R - 815kg and 320HP - that was fun ^^ also met Mark Webber because he was training there ^^ can't wait to do this again ^^
Deeper in the box... Balls deep!!
that looks like a real good time...the fiesta ST just got a little more tempting lol
I have a fiesta st might go because of this. Only thing holding me back is the travel costs and hotel
You won't regret it!
taylor wagneers We couldn't encourage you more to go and be a part of this course! There was a large range of driver experience and ability in our class and everyone had a great time. We're very glad to give you a glimpse of it, and thanks for watching!
Almost makes me want to buy a Fiesta ST even more.
@EverydayDriver, I loved Donny! He and Kyle were my instructors.
Wish I could have gone when I got my ST but Utah was just too far away.
Wish I could have went when I bought my ST. Too far away unfortunately.
That must have been freaking awesome!!!
that track looks like it would be an absolute blast on small cc sportbike
The ST Octane academy was the reason I bought a new Fiesta ST.
Picking up my 2015 Focus ST tomorrow. I hope I can find something like this in Canada
Tate Astill I went last July and there was a guy from Canada who attended. So if you can get yourself to Utah the ST Octane Academy is open to you as well.
But is it really worth the $1k to go to for flights and hotel when you could spend half that and do 3 autox's and a track day? Especially if you have both track and autox experience..
I'm going here! June 13th, 2019 Babyyy!!!!
Just go to rally school.
Awesome video guys! Who the hell gave thumbs down?!
Will the ST Octane Academy be available for 2016 ST purchases?
Nice video. Did they go over heel-toe downshifting? I've notice a lot of people that preach about driving a manual and rowing through the gears on their own have no idea how to heel-toe downshift. They're fine to be with in normal driving but any form of spirited driving down a windy road with them can be a little scary. It seems like after they'd complete a course like this their confidence would be high but they'd still be hampered by lack of a basic skill.
Stig Msr I did this in the Mustang GT a few months ago, and yes they talk about heel-toeing and how vital it is.
Is it just me or does this schools advice of "add more oversteer cause you can always take it out" seem like a terrible idea? After doing lots of autocross and riding with other people, those who overcorrect usually end up shot out the other way due to snap oversteer. "under"correcting is safer and just results in a slow and controlled slide.
Other than that great video and cool that Ford is doing that!
SpartanG6 Since these are front wheel drive cars, oversteer will counteract the understeer and you'll end-up with a neutral exit. Basically, just lift off the throttle to take weight off of the rear wheels.
I was thinking that too, they might want to add the disclaimer that it doesn't work so well with RWD vehicles :D
Miller... my local track, nice
is there one in Australia as well? WA
need one im from Vic but in WA eating curry and reading this :)
Where can I get an Ebrake handle extension for my FoST?
It's actually an added rear brake, I think you can get one installed as a mod, but it's not the same as the stock parking brake, I know with the FiST (Fiesta ST) the parking brake isn't really strong enough to initiate drifts like that. I'm pretty sure the Focus ST is the same.
I bought a 2016 Focus ST, and I didn't get the offer for ST Octane Academy. :(
You just need to sign up.
What track is this? You guys neglected to mention that.
Miller Motorsports Park
What were your auto x times?
Why windows down folks? For the engine sounds?
Adam Banaszak USA rules for point-bys.
TassieLorenzo thanks I didn't know that! oh and btw, in Poland the rule is that you should stay on racing line, so the faster car always passes by outside of the racing line
Some tracks have rules, windows always up, or down. Easier to get someone out of a vehicle if it's down.
Sweet!
Please review the 3 cylinder Fiesta 1.0 or Focus 1.0
.
I am fortunate to get one of these yellow focus ST car literally on my hand with only 13k mileages. Hit me up if interested.
Track focus road n rally fiesta
a Fiesta ST would have been preferable to a BRZ, so that's a great loss!
put a Canadian on pure ice mode and we'll ride circles around you... literally
Normal autocross is designed for people with WRXes (non-STi) who aren't "allowed" to do handbrake turns. :) *curses stupid centre viscous coupling* :(
Fiesta ST's! Just don't roll them, guys!...I've heard things...
The 19 fiesta st is significantly faster than the fiesta in this video
Not significantly. It's significantly lighter, since it doesn't have a full roll cage, but that's not significant. All Fiesta STs sold in NA have nearly identical engines making the same power.
track a Fiesta? ahahahahahahhahahahahahah! I am renting one right now in LA. What a joke.
You didn't rent a Fiesta ST.
Sadly, this amazing track may be shut down for good at the end of the year.
I don't think it's been shut down, has it?
Ben No, it was sold in 2015 and renamed Utah Motorsports Campus.
But, they're front wheel drive.
Ohh, well their obviously garbage then, is that what you are saying? Ya know what's Also obvious? The fact that you've never driven a well sorted fwd sport compact car... Haters gonna hate I guess.
Bro what do you drive ? Have you driven anything other then your ride ? ... Unless you have done it all ... Don't knock the competition go to a real racetrack .. In anything a smart car, mustang v6, Prius ... People won't judge till you cross the finish line ...badge and history don't mean squat on the track anything track ready means money is not an issue ... I know people with rwd corvets (c5/c6) that have gotten smashed by the likes of Insights ,corrolas ,smartcars.
***** A ford fiesta is a "sorted" fwd car? Lol. Fiesta is NOT a track car. I am driving one right now. This is some kind of sick joke.
***** You must be high.
Bob Marley You drive a Fiesta ST and you don't find it fun to drive through winding roads?
It's not a track car no, it's meant to be fun..
Oh the wanna be drivers are already here. FWD is just as good as any other platform.
Hear That? FWD is fine, but as good? No. All platforms have their pro's and con's, but there are reasons why Nissan's FWD LMP1 car was lapping slower than eight (8!) of the lower class LMP2 cars at 24hrs of Le mans.
Bob hope that's because the Nissan lmp cars were not running their hybrid systems. Their performance had nothing to do with being fwd.
Chance Hales The point I was trying to make was, FWD has many positives, but lap times and entertainment are not it's strongest characteristics.
Although their hybrid systems were only providing sporadic minimal assist, it was not their only problem. They were having problems with their front brakes over heating. They have more weight on the front of their car because of their FWD setup. They are the lone island in a sea of RWD race cars, outside of them I can't think of a single FWD race car that isn't based around a road car.
There are many reasons why they are the only bespoke racing car that uses FWD and I believe the main reason Nissan chose this route was not for racing gains, but for technology gains for the future GT-R that will send a lot more power to the front with electric motors in the rear.
Bob Hope You do make a good point there and I agree with you. Nissan has given themselves a steep hill to climb. At least they finished the race though unlike the Deltawing.
Bob Hope And you must not pay attention whatsoever. The car had only done testing while the other teams had the previous season and a lot more testing. Of course their cars are going to be sorted. The LMP1 GT-R was designed and produced in 8 months and it finished the race. That is impressive.
Also, that's completely irrelevant. A sorted FWD car whose focus is on performance is just as good as a RWD car. Source? The FiST and the new Type R. The Type R is actually quicker around the track than the GT-R, Ferrari, and Lamborghini.
these are the best clowns
so boring. I don't plan on going to this to be patronized by these guys.