DirtFish Rally School Comes to Willow Springs Raceway in California
The well-known rally school announces its first ever residency, offering training classes in December & January…
Willow Springs Raceway has announced a new partnership that will bring the DirtFish Rally School to the Southern California motorsports complex this winter. Running across select dates in December 2026 and January 2027, the program marks DirtFish’s official arrival in California, introducing coached, loose-surface driving courses and instruction to rally and automotive enthusiasts.
The curriculum puts participants behind the wheel of a rally-prepared rear-wheel-drive Subaru BRZ on a purpose-built off-road course at Walt James Stadium. Following an introduction and vehicle dynamics demonstration, drivers progress through increasingly technical exercises centered on maximizing mechanical grip, mastering weight transfer and executing precise loose-surface car control.
DirtFish Rally School welcomes both first-time and more experienced dirt drivers looking to sharpen their car-control skills, and the program comes with a seal of approval from Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, Singer Drivers Club ambassador and a frequent visitor to Willow Springs Raceway.
“It’s a whole different world to what I’m used to,” said Button. “The DirtFish cars at Willow Springs are rear-wheel-drive, which means you can either go as fast as you can by being more precise, or have as much fun as you can by going as sideways as possible! I went to learn how to maximize my ultimate speed on gravel but, admittedly, I was massively sideways because of how fun it is to drive.”
The Thrill of Rally Cars
The residency builds on DirtFish’s presence at Willow Springs Reimagined in October, where attendees took high-speed passenger rides in the Rally School’s Subaru BRZs at the Walt James Stadium complex.
“Bringing the thrill of driving rally cars to automotive enthusiasts is a core mission of DirtFish,” said Brenten Kelly, DirtFish managing director. “Working with Willow Springs Raceway to deliver our one-day driving experience to California is a big step in growing our long-held ambition of bringing the adrenaline of driving a rally car to a wider audience.”
Driving offerings include single-day public classes limited to six drivers per day and tailored private programs for corporate groups, private parties or driving clubs.
“Bringing DirtFish to Willow Springs represents the next evolution of our mission to deliver world-class driving experiences across every motorsport discipline,” said Rick Fedrizzi, Willow Springs Raceway general manager. “Rally driving demands an entirely different relationship with grip and vehicle balance. Pairing DirtFish’s premier coaching pedigree and rally-spec machinery with our facility gives West Coast enthusiasts a rare opportunity to experience authentic rally driving right here in Southern California.”
