BMWs M cars on the track for M Track DaysBMWTaking a performance car out on a track and honing your skills as a driver is a bucket-list wish for many. But it's something that BMW thinks everyone should try.The idea of taking one of BMW's M cars out for a day of obligation-free track driving sounds like fun: get to know the car, see how it feels in your hands, what it's capable of in ideal conditions and test your own mettle, all under the guidance of trained track pros.BMW began its driving school program in 1977 and expanded it in 1999 when the company created its first permanent school in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Nestled alongside its North American manufacturing plant, the school, as well as BMW's other permanent school in Thermal, California, offers a range of classes for beginners to the pro-driver level.Driving School Creates Fans And Sells CarsThrough the years the company found that its driving school translates to a larger, more enthusiastic fan base and converts many of those fans to buyers. The more people they could teach to drive their cars, the more cars they would sell. That idea grew even further into better ways to sell the more complex and technical (and pricier) cars BMW builds, creating schools for advanced drivers to learn the intricacies of driving these thrilling machines.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut recognizing that not everyone can make the trip to California or South Carolina, the company built a touring program that brings its experiences to 20 locations around the country. The Ultimate Driving Experience will be stage in 13 cities this year and BMW M Track Days will be held on four tracks: Monticello Motor Club in Upstate New York, Willow Springs Raceway in California, Austin's Circuit of the Americas and the Autobahn Country Club in Chicago. Additionally, there are six days of BMW M School at the the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August, though this year's events are sold out.So if you can get a spot in one of BMW's events, what do you walk away with? I spent a half day at BMW M Track Days in Austin, along with 55 other drivers. A show of hands revealed that most were repeat visitors; a glance around the room showed they were mostly men; six women signed up for the experience and I was the only woman who arrived solo; the others attended with a male partner. Here's how the day unfolded and what you'll gain at BMW M Track Days.BMW M sedans lined up for M Track Days in Thermal, CaliforniaBMW And Michelin Set The Stage For A Great ExperienceTo really showcase the BMW experience and to let guests have a broad experience of BMW's performance cars, M Track Days allows drivers to hop into a full range of models. The M2, M3, M4, M5, i4, i5 and XM are each staged for the day's experiences, giving guests a taste of each.To complete the picture, Michelin equips the fleet with Pilot Sport tires for maximum grip and performance on the track. And it's fair to say that Michelin's partnership is important; each event goes through a lot of tires.Proper seating positions is key to a successful day behind the wheelNo Fear: Classroom Instruction Calms The NervesI once asked a pro driver if he still got butterflies before a drive day and he said he always did, even after more than a decade of driving for a living. But the anxiety is outweighed by the anticipation of accomplishment, of adrenaline, of the sheer fun of track driving.AdvertisementAdvertisementA solid classroom experience also battles the butterflies, and this is where the BMW M Track Days start. An instructor focuses on not just the rules of the road and what to expect, but delivers a primer, or reminder, on the mechanics of a good run, how to set your seat for optimal control—this might actually be the most valuable lesson of the day—and what to expect from the day. There are three sections in the half day class:Auto cross in M2s, a 0-60 drag competition in a range of cars and lead-follow on the main track in M4 and M5 models, followed by hot laps with the pro drivers in an M5.Driving the auto cross course in a BMW M2 is a great way to sharpen turning and braking skillsAuto Cross In BMW M2s Sharpens Your SkillsPutting the brand's most agile and some say most fun, sports coupe to the test, the team set up a short course that takes a mere 20 to 30 seconds to complete. Each driver gets to go through the autocross three times and their best time is recorded; a second is added to your time for each cone knocked over and two seconds are added for not stopping in the box at the end of the run. The day's overall winer came in at just under 19.8 seconds, making me feel pretty good about my 20.8 second performance, though many of us scored in the 20-second range.A 0-60 competition is part of the experience at BMW M Track DaysA Drag Race-Style Competition Shows The Difference Between Gas and EV Power"0-60" has taken on new meaning in the era of EVs thanks to their instant acceleration and this is the experience that shows it off best. Drivers cycle through four cars in this experience, two EVs and two gas-powered turbos. As each driver approaches the starting line, they wait for the countdown and floor accelerator, driving a short distance before braking with the goal of stopping in the cone-delineated box. Speed is a factor but so is braking; the driver who most accurately stops in the box is declared the winner.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt was no surprise to see the XM and M5 take off like a rocket; they were also easier to stop because they never went as fast as the i4 and i5, which took of faster but required earlier braking in order to hit the box.My drive partner Brand and I; helmets are provided for track drivingFinally, Track Time At COTA's Main TrackThis is where you'll really feel the adrenaline, and the power of BMW's M series sedans. In this lead-follow exercise, pro drivers lead groups of three cars in BMW M3s and M4s. The first lap is designed to learn the track, in this case a very technical course with a lot of tight turns and one particular curve that goes and goes (we drove a truncated course since part of the track was being repaved for the upcoming F1 race).Then, it's time to drive. Following the pro driver who also coaches the group over walkie-talkies, we learn to find our drive lines, brake going into a curve and properly hit each apex. If you do all those things just right you'll hit speeds of 130 MPH, which my drive partner and I did.The track drive takes place in two sections; 5 laps each in the BMW M3 and then in the M4, swapping with your co driver between laps.Lead-follow on the track at BMW M Track DaysWhat The BMW Track Experience CostsThe good news is that these experiences are approachable and not completely cost prohibitive, from free to the sky's the limit. The Ultimate Driving Experience events, which also allow guests to drive a BMW and experience it on pro-driver led street tours and an autocross course, are free but require registration and a valid driver's license. All events allow you to bring a non-driving friend if you'd like, and some will require you to pair up with another driver, as we did at BMW M Track Days.AdvertisementAdvertisementIntroductory classes at BMW's Performance Centers cost about $350 and up to several thousand dollars a day for more advanced classes. The Performance Centers also have the largest menu of offerings, from teen driving school to performance driving, M school, drift driving, electric performance driving, race licensing and more, as well as motorcycle track days and instruction.BMW M Track Days are $675 for the half day and $1,300 for a full day. And like the other experiences, they are designed to pull you further into the BMW world; you'll meet other owners and find yourself swapping stories and experiences and talking about your car. And you'll leave the day feeling very welcomed in the club.This article was originally published on Forbes.com