Team O'Neil offering two-day women's only rally class [w/video]

Team O'Neil has something special lined up for next month. The home of perfecting the art of rally driving on the East Coast will offer a special women's two-day school August 18-19. The class will feature all of the standard classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training with the school's regular instructors, as well as input from a couple of special guests who know more than a little bit about competing as a woman. Verena Mei, a former Formula D and Redline Time Attack driver and Christy Carlson, a National SCCA Solo champion, will both be on hand to instruct, encourage and answer any questions.

Carlson first crossed paths with Team O'Neil back in 2008, when she won a three-day course from the school while competing in SCCA. When she's not working on her dissertation in a quest to complete her PhD in Meteorology and Climatology, she's been busy in the SCCA rally world. She's also the first and only woman to walk away with a trophy at the SCCA Rallycross National Championships and was the quickest female at both Sno*Drift and the 100 Acre Woods events this year.

"There are lots of women who would love to take the course just as it is," Carlson said, "but with a women's only course, it gives women the opportunity to not feel like they have to compete."

The school will cover basics like left foot braking, using the throttle to steer the vehicle, accident avoidance, types of skids and the basics of weight transfer and pendulum turns.

"Both myself and Verena Mei will be there to help sit with the drivers and provide additional insight on techniques as female competitors."

The whole package will cost $1,897, and will include vehicles, safety equipment and lunch on Saturday. Head over to Team O'Neil site for more information. Watch Carlson lay waste to the 100 Acre Wood in her 2002 Subaru WRX by scrolling below.

While Team O'Neil is technically the first rally school in the country to offer an exclusively female curriculum, word has it other rally schools are set to do the same. Both Rally Ready in Austin, Texas and DirtFish Rally School in Snoqualmie, Washington are reportedly working on similar programs. Stay tuned.