About

The Phil Wicks Driving Academy serves one vision – to help our students be better drivers.  We’re not a racing school.  But we are much more than a performance driving school.  Performance driving is an integral part of our curriculum due to the nature of small cars, especially Fiat and MINI’s  legendary performance envelope.  But our principal purpose is to help our students be better  drivers – on the street and, as it is the best and safest place to learn the basics of performance driving, on the track. 

More than 50% of the students who attend the Phil Wicks Driving Academy have never been to a driving academy of any sort.  They have never driven on a racetrack.  But they have most likely recently purchased a Fiat, MINI Cooper, or MINI Cooper S and found that the superb handling of the car unlike any other they have ever experienced.

The Phil Wicks Driving Academy was designed with you in mind.

Phil and his staff will help each student, at his/her own pace, gain a better understanding of the tremendous handling capability of the Fiats and MINIs, or any make and model of car.  Most of us don’t drive Ferraris, Porsches or other world-class performance cars.  At the Phil Wicks MINI Driving Academy we’ll teach you how to “handle the handling” so to speak, bringing your driving skill to a level better suited to your car’s capability.  In the process, we’ll help make every driver a better driver, a safer driver and one who enjoys his/her car to the MAX every day.

Once you experience your car in this controlled and safe environment, you’ll want to come back hopefully, again and again.  Not only to gain additional skill to meet the increased levels of driving performance, but also share in the camaraderie of the experience with othercar owners.

Additional Services Available –

You may choose to keep your car unmodified.  Or you may choose to upgrade your car to improve handling via optional swaybars, suspension units, springs and shocks, brakes, or engine upgrades for more power.  The Phil Wicks Driving Academy will consult with you and recommend modifications to meet your goals.  And, if necessary, adjust your upgrades to obtain optimum performance.  All of these upgrades can be performed at the Phil Wicks Driving Academy facility in Columbia, South Carolina.

Consultation and Upgrades for Classic Small Bore Cars –

Whether your classic car is an unmodified street car, or track and race prepared, Phil Wicks will personally consult with you to help you obtain your optimum performance goals.  Small bore classic car owners have the unique opportunity to seek advice from one of the world’s foremost authorities on Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Mini Cooper, MG, Austin-Healy, Lotus, etc.  Indeed, Phil has probably done more track miles in classic and modern cars — especially Mini/MINI Cooper — than anyone else.