Director of the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School

Director of the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School since 2006, Dan has been racing since childhood. From his involvement with virtually every auto manufacturer and his major roles at several other schools, Dan has crafted a curriculum that effectively incorporates the best elements of instructional technique, ultimately making the time you invest in any of our programs more rewarding.

Though busy with his management of the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School, Dan also manages to find time for the track, winning the 2000 Legends Car National Championship, competing in Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge events, leading the 2008 25 Hours of Thunderhill by a two-lap margin and most-recently capturing the 2010 NASA Spec Miata National Championship.

12-time road racing champion

Cindi Lux is a 12-time road racing champion. She is the inaugural champion of the American Le Mans Series Women’s Global GT Series. She has also won the prestigious SCCA June Sprints two times, once driving a Corvette and then, driving a Viper. Cindi seized the silver medal in the 2006 SCCA National Championship in T1. She has captured more than 75 victories and over 150 podiums in her career. She races in high profile events such as the Petit Le Mans, Portland Rose Cup and SCCA Runoffs and has competed with impressive results as a factory driver for MOPAR and Dodge Motorsports in the SCCA World Challenge GT Series. Cindi’s knowledge, talent and friendly demeanor make her a natural not only here at the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School but in countless new car media drive launches around the world.

2008 Grand Am Koni Challenge Championn

Joe Foster has been racing professionally for over 26 years. He was the 2008 Grand Am Koni Challenge Champion in a Ford Mustang FR-500C and continues as a Ford factory driver with the Multimatic-prepared Ford Mustang BOSS 302R campaign in the Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. In 2009 Joe finished 9th at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France driving a Ferrari 430GT. Joe was the Chief Driving Instructor of the Panoz Racing School for 10 years. With undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, Joe brings a wealth of technical knowledge as well as winning experience to his instructing.

Ten Years of Teaching and Instruction

At 27 years old, English transplant James Burke is one of our youngest instructors—but certainly not the least experienced. As a past instructor at Silverstone with corporate Ford events, this English transplant has managed to amass 10 years of teaching. And he still races, managing to fit in competition in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill and the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

SCCA, Grand-Am and Panoz Pro GT Championship Competitor

This gentleman racer didn’t begin his driving career until age 41, but he made a fast start. Over the last seven years, Charles has competed strongly in the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge Championship,Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and Panoz Pro GT Championship, as well as in amateur SCCA and NASA events. He’s also one of those naturally gifted, athletic people who excel at absolutely all things they attempt. Performance driving instruction is no exception.

PCA, POC, MPRA and & NASA licenses

Bob has been racing on wheels since he was 4 years old. Passionate about all things driving, he focuses less now on racing, and more on sharing. Bob has an extensive background instructing all ages and skill levels in the art of performance driving. His experience in racing and test driving multiple types of cars gives him an edge in understanding the dynamics of driving on track. With PCA, POC, MPRA and & NASA licenses, he keeps himself very busy. If you want to maximize your learning experience or move to the next level in your motorsports career, Bob can help you improve quickly.

Races a GT3 Porsche in the IMSA series

Melanie has a huge love for racing. Meeting her husband Martin at the racetrack and raising 4 kids at the track also means racing is her life. She has been racing since she was 18 years old. Together, she and Martin won their division at the 12 hours of Sebring in 1999. She began teaching at the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School in 2007 and racing a GT3 Porsche in the IMSA series. In 2009 Melanie won two championships: one co-driving with her husband in the ALMS series and the other in the IMSA GT3 Porsche series.

The reason Melanie instructs is to pass her passion for racing on to others. She loves to see the participants improve and catch the bug of racing like she has. "There is nothing better than to see one of your students come in after a session on the track with a huge smile on their face. Knowing it all clicked and they now understand the concepts I’ve been teaching them. That is what instructing is all about!"

Professional driver/instructor who's turned laps in a Formula One car

Byron Payne is a professional race car driver/instructor who has been working in the Industry for many years racing everything from Formula cars and sports cars to drifting cars. Byron also had the opportunity of turning some laps in a Formula One car. When he is not competing, Byron works as an instructor with racing schools, teen driving programs, military driving clinics, hot lap racing promotional programs, and corporate driving schools.

He raced with the late Steve McQueen!

Bill Rhinehart is one of those guys who is not only a fast driver, but a true enthusiast of the sport as well.

His racing career started at age 14, on motorcycles, in and around his hometown of Las Vegas. He competed in motocross, hillclimb, desert racing and circle-track events. He claims the unique distinction of once having raced with the late Steve McQueen.

At age 17, he switched from two wheels to four, racing stock cars and Super Modified on oval tracks. At age 20 he found his true calling in road racing, and became a regular competitor in SCCA production cars. He also completed a season in Formula B. He was a two-time state autocross champion (in two different classes) in Utah, and was once voted SCCA Utah Region Driver of the Year.

He has been a driving instructor since 1976, and relishes the opportunity to pass along his knowledge to students from all walks of life.

When he’s not instructing at Miller Motorsports Park, teaching Kempo karate or playing with his grandkids. He also competes in the Miller Park Racing Association (MPRA) and various vintage racing events.

Understands performance, on and off the race track

Born and raised in America, Stan Wilson is a charismatic young man that never gives up. He is well-educated, enjoys helping others, and understands performing, on and off the race track. Through the years, Stan has raced several classes of cars with different teams. Stan is aggressive on the track, and the ultimate professional off the track. He understands the mission and goals of students, and puts his skills into action to help them achieve their goals.

Works as a driving instructor teaching all over the country

Johnny Kanavas is a professional driver and instructor who has been involved in the motorsports all his life. Growing up in a racing family, Johnny has driven go-karts, vintage cars, formula cars, stock cars, sports cars, off-road cars, and drift cars. His race experience covers World Challenge, Grand-Am, Formula Drift, Playboy Cup Series, SCCA & NASA pro and club racing, The 25 hours of Thunderhill and more. When not racing, Kanavas works as a driving instructor teaching all over the country, military driver training, hot-lap promotional programs, commercial stunt driving, automotive marketing for manufacturers, private coaching and more. He’ll drive anything, anytime, anywhere. . .His passion for his craft is evident through his instructing methods

Car builder, engineer and national champion go karter

Sean has been racing since 2009. He understands and communicates with the cars to get the most out of them. Prior to racing cars he was a multi-state National Champion go karter. He is a good engineer and likes making lots of changes to the setup of his cars all at once. Thus getting the maximum out of its performance in varying weather and track conditions. He has widespread experience with auto manufacturer ride and drive events and has caught the eye of some high-level executives for sponsorship of his Solo 1 1971 Plymouth Duster. He was the third alternate driver for an aspiring back maker ChumpCar team in 2009. He was the 1999-2003 Go-kart National Champion for under 10cc Small Market under $500 karting series. He is also a car builder and engineer.

Car chief and driver development in the Playboy MX-5 Cup Championship

Ronnie began auto racing at the age of 18 in the most hyper competitive classes in the northwest earning numerous championships in ICSCC / SCCA regional and national divisions. He started karting at the age of 29, winning 2 Regional Pro Tour Championships in 3 years. He has extensive experience in team development and management in the STAR Mazda Championship Series from 2004 – 2006 and was the car chief and driver development in the Playboy MX-5 Cup Championship in 2007-2008 with 3 time series champions, Team MER. Ronnie has been coaching and improving drivers abilities for nearly 22 years.