Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park — Attraction in Starke

Update: I was told that management has been changing at this place so I can no longer vouch for the accuracy of my review. I am not sure if the same people are still there any more.

I am new to motorsports and I have been active in taking classes and participating in SCCA events. The FIRM has been the absolute best for me in terms of learning to be a better and more competitive driver. If you want details, read on:

I have attended two days of rally driving training, and I have become a much better driver because of it. The instructor (Bryn) was great, and taught me not only how to drive, but about how to set up my rally and track car. We also discussed the philosophy of being a driver and how to think like one. Previously I could only learn these things on forums online, and even my previous 3 day racing class did not teach me any of this. Learning these "extras" helped me better understand what the heck I was doing to my rallycross car.

I always started off on the rallycross course, but then Bryn would take me to the tarmac track or even to the stage rally course to hone skills that were deficient for me. That was very refreshing, since it means that even though I only signed up for a "rally" class they were willing to use all of their facilities to make me a more competent driver.

They are located right by an airfield near US 301/Keystone Heights. You have to get past a gate and a rough road to enter the facility grounds. The staff and manager are very friendly and even accommodated me for a day of Saturday class because of my work schedule. They are responsive with responding to e-mails and phone calls, and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

I drove both the Ford Focus and the Fiesta. I did not request the AWD cars because my rallycross car is FWD. They have both available and I saw some Subarus, Evos, and NA Miatas in their lot. I believe they also have Lamborghinis for track days, but I'm sure they were in a covered garage somewhere.

The whole time I was here I received 1:1 instruction and that has been key for me. Previously, I attended a 3 day racing school (which shall remain unnamed), but they did not give me 1:1 feedback and I did not end up learning very much despite spending several thousand dollars. I would say that the FIRM gives you the best for your money and time invested. If you are in the area and want to learn to be a better competitive driver, I highly suggest that you take a look...

Short review: if you're looking for an extremely memorable, fun, exhilarating day, don't think twice. Book yourself a Rally experience. It was everything I hoped for.

Long review: I purchased the two for one Rally day by calling in and working with Kim. Kim was friendly, patient and happy to answer all of the questions I posed to her. She worked with me through multiple phone calls to set up a day that my husband and I could make it out for our experience. They kept us posted as we came up to the day with reminders about what to wear (long pants and closed toe shoes) and that they would handle lunch. Morning of we arrived and were quickly checked in and directed to the main building. There we met John who was to be our instructor for the day. John was AMAZING. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and a great instructor. He pushed you when he knew you could be pushed but also reminded you to breath after taking a tough corner. The first hour or so of the day was spent in classroom going over the physics behind how the different maneuvers worked which when we got out onto the course I think definitely helped in actually being able to execute. We also were provided a menu for a local restaurant to choose what we wanted for lunch from the full menu. Then we went out to the rally strip where we practiced hand brake turns (possibly my new favorite thing) and pendulum swings (fun on the track, but even more satisfying when you master on the actual Rally course). We then spent some time on the sand track practicing control of the car. After that was lunch which was tasty! Lunch was a bit extended but it offered us the opportunity to get to know John. From lunch we moved out onto the Rally track and let me just say, wow! It was terrifying and wonderful all at the same time. This was where John really showed his merit. He was a fantastic co-pilot guiding you, pushing you, and training you. My husband and I both got 4 turns on the course, with 3 or 4 laps each which was much more time than I would have expected! Finally, we got a chance to spend some time on the West track which didn't have many maneuvers on it but was fun all the same. By the end of the day we were exhausted and happy. We will definitely be returning! I just wish we could afford to do it...

Went there for the first time on July 22nd 2017 after a Facebook add suggested to me their event. It was an Open House event. And let me tell you... Awwww Mawww Gawwwd! It was an amazing day! They have an RC field to fly with your RC plane, they have a Rally drifting course where they let you drive and coach you to improve your technique (Ford Focus Rally cars). A long Rally course where you can ride along an instructor or even drive it in other days (Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STi modified for Rally). A Go Kart tarmac track (much better than indoor), an all wheel drive trail, where you can get into one of their heavy duty lifted Jeeps. Also, a track where you can race your own vehicle, or one of their performance cars (Nissan Skyline GT-R35, Lamborghini Gallardo, Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat). The day we were there, there was free fresh water bottles everywhere (which kept us hydrated and made the experience very enjoyable), and truck food vendors. Every single personnel that we dealt with was so friendly that we felt like there were our friends. The day was cut short because of the rain, so I didn't get to experience half of what they offered, and wish they started earlier than 9am. This place has such a great potential that is not being exploited during the rest of the year. There would be so much more things that I could think of to make that track a great experience for the visitors and owners. But regardless, a big THANK to all the people who organized and made that day possible (from the top to the bottom of the chain). And to the owner, you gave me the best birthday present that any stranger can give me, and that was not an easy task for you. Thank you! I also got the chance to discover that great track and will definitely come back during any chance I get. Thanks...