MUSTANG (Oct. 2) – For almost two decades Josh Hall has been a driving instructor as well as an accomplished desert racer. Now he’s evolved that into a new venture at the Wild West Motorsports Park located east of Sparks.
“Wild West is expanding and we want to be part of that,” he said
Class at the Wildcat Desert Driving Academy begins with a short lecture by Josh Hall as he explains what the students are going to do and the goals of the academy.
After picking up their helmets students are introduced to the Artic Cat side-by-side and its controls. Here Damien Michelin is trying out the seat while an instructor explains the switches on the dashboard.
Next exercise is to learn how to accelerate and brake on the dirt. Here Josh Hall demonstrates how to brake from high speed before crossing a yellow string on the ground.
During every part of the training Hall or his instructors offer advice and encouragement to the student. Here’s he giving a tip to Damien Michelin and passenger Harry Wagner after a braking exercise.
The students also learn how to complete their braking then use the throttle to negotiate a turn. Here Rick Colcock is wheeling through a corner.
After driving on a flat surface students then learn how to climb a rocky section while in low range. Every pair switches off driving. Here Sherrie Sims watches for rocks on her side while Baja veteran Shelby Hall drives and also watches for rocks.
The day after the academy’s first class there was another group using Jeeps to learn precision driving and how to get around getting stuck on a rock.
Part of the precision driving was to put a jeep where the driver can drop a ball into a tube. Here Ann Anderson, co-owner of a Big O Tire store, drops the ball. Her passenger, who would get his turn, is Overland Journal editor-in-chief Chris Collard.
Driving and racing are in his blood as his father Rod Hall is a racing legend.
The new business is the Wildcat Desert Driving Academy and it’s evolved from what he’s been doing over the past years.
“I started instructing about 18-years ago and it was pretty much based on the fact that I enjoyed to drive and I enjoyed racing so I decided I was going to do an off road racing school,” he said.
He first started instructing at the Rod Hall Off road High Performance Driving School. The school’s direction changed when former Special Forces Sergeant Major Sam Edgar brought some of his people there to hone their driving skills.
“Pretty soon there were other organizations that would bring their guys through the school. Then more people came to the school from the professional side than from the recreational side,” Hall said. “So it just evolved into tactical off road instruction and Sam and I were partners in that for many years.”
With the changes going on in the military Hall felt it was time to branch back into the civilian side of things.
“Necessity is the mother of invention so as the tactical side of things became less and less volume wise, we still have families, obligations so the opportunity to get involved in this was kind of serendipitous,” he said. “We were available, number one, and then number two with Mike Winkle being involved with Freedom Cycles of Reno, which became the Artic Cat dealer.”
Hall said this gave him and his staff an opportunity to acquire machines they could use at the academy.
“And through my dad, Mike and myself and now with training expertise of Rob Caufield and Sam we have everything we’ve always wanted,” he said. “And that is, not only do we have excellent instruction but we have the equipment. So people can show up at the Academy, where the vehicles and the venue is here and it’s perfect.”
Most of the training takes place in the parking lot area so students are given a lot of space, which eliminates the potential of running into anything.
Artic Cat side-by-side machines are used and after a quick lecture by Hall students and instructors walk over to the machines. Then everyone is shown the controls, switches and find if they fit into the seats without needing any padding, which is available if needed.
After getting a helmet students are paired up and everyone heads from behind the grandstand area to the parking lot area. Then the real learning begins.
At first students learn how to accelerate without spinning the wheels of these four-wheel drive machines. Then at the end of a straight they must break, first hard then slowly in such a way they stop within a given distance.
As the students are driving on dirt, where traction is not that great, they quickly learn it’s not an easy task but one that can be mastered in the time they are given.
After that it’s onto an oval with long straights. Here the object is to finish braking before entering the turns then use the throttle to place the machine where they want it to be.
And subtle inputs with the throttle as well as braking are key to making a smooth run.
Then a Slalom is then added before the turn’s entrance to once again get students used to using braking and subtle throttle inputs to control their vehicles.
Next is a rock section where students are taught how to use low range and to decide just how they are to proceed around and over racks without damaging their vehicles. And the day ends with a combined course in the Lucas Oil pit area.
After the initial class ended Hall said, “We’ve never been open for business for a civilian training course in 12-years and I’m pretty happy. By watching our first class at 4 o’clock that afternoon, well that the reason why we’re optimistic.”
Hall and his staff will review how things went, what needs to be changed or improved to make the Academy more effective for both students and instructors.
The next day had a different type of school was run, one where precision driving is key. The vehicles are Jeeps and the school is set up so tire representatives, sales people and others in the field can see what is required and how their products stand up under stress.
Here students negotiate rocky sections that have some degree of difficulty and they are given a time limit before each run. And students are timed during their two runs over the courses.
In one section there were tubes put at the top of cones. The object is for the student to bring his or her Jeep close enough to drop a tennis ball into the tube, not an easy task while driving over a rocky surface.
After a lunch they then assembled, were shown the controls, got a helmet, paired up and went to try the Academy’s course in a Wild Cat side-by-side.
Looking forward Hall explained they have a website set up for both types of instruction, the Academy and precision or corporate driving schools. And everything, bookings, schedules and lodging are available there.
“The Atlantis Hotel and Casino is our choice for lodging,” he said. “It’s a beautiful property and they’ve given us pretty special rates for our guests. If it’s a military organization we have three and five day schools available, have different lodging for them but again it’s a click away, right on the site as everything is right there.”
All in all Hall was pleased at the initial two days of both schools and that the Academy is off and running. And now he and the staff can offer of driving experiences from dynamic, corporate to military training.
Those wishing further information are asked to go to the school’s website at, www.precisiondrivenlimited.com.
