[todd@bsaw]

Per driving schools, head to Skip Barber in Elkhart Lake, WI. If Pops has the cash to buy you a set of wheels, he should be able to pay a few hundred dollars to make sure you don't wreck it in the first week. I took their Formula driving course and had the time of my life and I now consider myself the best driver I know. When you get that confidence behind the wheel of a vehicle, you can handle anything with 2-/18+ wheels. I now have my SCCA license, motorcycle license, and Class A CDL and have driven anything from a Dodge Formula car to Ducatis to Vipers to a Mack truck.

IIRC, you can take a Beginner 3-day Driver Course (don't let the name fool you!) where they teach you the basics of driving (ala drivers ed) including a skid pad, maneuvering, accident avoidance, etc. The final day, they allow you to drive the Road America course in a Viper.

As for the new car selection, find something small (and Evo is an excellent choice). One of the hardest things to learn being a new driver is knowing where the corners of your vehicle are, and that comes with time. That's one reason I still prefer small handling-minded cars over large power-heavy cars. I'll take a Porsche 911 over a Viper/Corvette anyday!