Anonymous

Paid for class scheduled and cancelled twice!

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Paid for teen safety and survival class for my son last November (2016). Scheduled it at Sebring International Raceway for February. When class was cancelled, rescheduled for May at Palm Beach International... also cancelled... the day of! No classes scheduled in Florida in 2017, phone calls and emails go unresponded, how frustrating!
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous
map-marker Braselton, Georgia

CEO of Skip Barber Racing is a criminal *** bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The CEO of Skip Barber racing school has ruined a once great company, and taken it from the worlds best racing school, to the worlds worst racing school. He is dishonest, a thief, a *** artist, and a spineless worm of a human. I worked for this company for over 20 years, and since Culver bought the company, its has tanked. He has ruined the reputation of the school, fired, or let go of all of people and employees that made it great. Has skated on the backs of many long time employees, stealing money from the payroll accounts, bouncing paychecks. Owes money to most of its employees, and some he chose not to pay for work already done. He has scammed the customers money, their seat time, takes and spends money paid by customers for future programs, then cancels the program last minute, and unable to give a refund, or will continue to offer extra added driving time, or additional classes to keep stringing them along, continuing to cancel programs again on them. The cars are falling apart, and unsafe. Several people have been injured because of this, and just a matter of time before someone gets killed. Refuses to pay his mechanics, instructors, employees, and owes money everywhere, including many racetracks, vendors, truck drivers, you name it. Many ex employees after being lied to, strung along, and loyalty finally used up, had no choice but to sue the school, and Culver personally, for not paying wages earned and not paid in full, or on time, or ever! Do not spend your money with skip barber, it has become the laughing stock of motorsport schools, and Michael Culver is nothing more that a complete weasel of a human being, and a criminal, with the most bleek future on this planet. For a guy that owned a racing school, Culver couldn't drive a hot nail up a snowmans ***! Peddlesnapper!
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Reason of review:
Problem with delivery
Latravious Nxi

DO NOT TRUST THESE CROOKS WITH YOUR MONEY!!!

Updated by user Jun 29, 2013

Shane called me yesterday to set the record straight (by the way, he is no longer employed by Skip Barber). Apparently, during the time I was trying to contact him, he was laid off due to financial cut backs.

He also said, the reason he made that promise to me is because the accounting department assured him they would issue my refund within 30 days; which of course they never did. Because of this, I don't feel he should be held personally responsible. Although I cannot change the original report, please disregard Shane's name, as it's now apparent he was only acting as a messenger.

I continue to stand by this report, as I believe all consumers should be warned about Skip Barber's business practices, as well as their financial condition, before choosing to do business with them. I just don't want an innocent person's name brought down in the process.

Original review Jun 26, 2013
Where do I begin... Should I start by letting you all know that this is the most unprofessional business that I’ve ever dealt with, or warn you that Skip Barber Racing School is on the *** of bankruptcy??? Lets just start from the beginning. I signed up and stupidly agreed to pay these jack-holes in advance, over $5,600 for 2 racing programs - their 3 day racing school, and a 2 day advanced racing school. I completed the 3 day school and had a lot of fun, apart from the *** stale lunch they served us, the instructors were skilled and entertaining. Plus they taught me a lot about racing and car control - this complaint is not about the instructors or experience itself, but rather the staff and “management” at their headquarters based in Georgia. After the 3 day racing school, I was in a lot of back and neck pain for a couple of weeks. I decided it would be best to cancel the 2 day school and request a refund. Since I had not scheduled a date yet for next class, it was basically a floating credit. As stated on their website at the time, I had the right to a full refund (which they have since changed. They now offer NO refund to anyone. PERIOD). Peyton Reeves, my “advisor”, said no problem, and submitted the refund request to their accounting department, which I can only assume is some guy sitting at a desk eating Cheetos and watching *** all day. The reason I assume that is because he told me it could take up to 60 days for me to get my refund... 60 DAYS?!?! Never have I heard of a company that takes 2 months to reverse a credit card charge. Nevertheless, I said “ok” and waited patiently for my refund. Fast forward 60 days and what do you know? Still no refund. I call Peyton, he says he will check on it and call me back. Guess what? No call back. I call again. No Answer. I leave a message. No call back. I call again. No answer.... I think you get the idea. After a Google search, I finally found the guy I needed to get ahold of - Shane Miller. I call him, and he DOES call me back, right while I’m sitting in my bank manager’s office, about to submit a charge back for the $2,425 that they owed me. I told him I needed my refund immediately, as Peyton told me it would take UP TO 60 days to get it and has since been over 60 days. He told me it was impossible, because they simply DID NOT HAVE the $2,425 that they owed me!!! Seriously?! I don’t know why he would tell me that, saying something like that is a BIG no no in business. Yet, he proceeded to tell me that the company was recently brought under new management and money has been very tight. However, he PROMISED me that I would have the money in my hands in another 30 days if I didn’t do the charge back. At this point I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Skip Barber or be scared sh*tless for my own sake! But silly me, I empathized with him, because I have had businesses of my own and know first hand how things can get financially tight at times. I accepted his promise and walked out of my bank managers office, even though they were going to charge back the money RIGHT THEN. 26 days later, still no refund. So I give Shane a call to remind him that the 30 days is almost up. No answer. No call back. Emailed him. No reply. Facebooked him. No reply. Needless to say, it was apparent I was not to getting my refund back. So, on day 30, I walked into my bank and the manager gladly put the charge back through and even said she couldn’t believe that I actually believed his bogus promise to refund me, as she heard everything he told me, too! 3 hours after they did the charge back, I had my money back! BIG thank you to my bank and my awesome branch manager, who will remain nameless! If it wasn’t for you, I would still be eating the *** sandwich Skip Barber made me! Oh, you think this story’s over now? Not quite. A couple of weeks later, I emailed Peyton requesting my Certificate of Compliance from completing the 3 day racing school, which is what I need in order to get a racing license from the SCCA (which by the way is the only reason they can charge so much money for their schools). He replies back within a couple of hours (WOW!), and said this: “Hi Christian, The Certificate of Compliance cost $225 and I can send it to you via email in PDF Format. The Visa that I have on file expired in February. Is there another card you would like to use? Thanks” I swear when I read this I almost lost my *** The nerve these people have to expect me to pay them MORE money for a lousy PDF file, which is something that SHOULD be included in the $3,200 that I already paid them! Especially after all of the *** I went through to get my money back for the class I didn’t take. Not to mention, they NEVER said there was an additional cost to get this Certificate, even after I discussed it with them over the phone before I signed up. I really did not want to have to write this review, as I know it will be extremely harmful to their business, but after everything I’ve gone through with them, it’s only fair for other consumers to be aware of Skip Barber’s practices.
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4 comments
Guest

I just completed the three day class at Lime Rock Park. Skip Barber school is excellent in all categories. They are back!!

Guest

Christian's frustration stemmed from an unfortunate delay in making a refund we had granted him when for medical reasons he cancelled the second program in a bundle purchase. We agreed to accept a charge-back on his credit card to accomplish the refund; and we do apologize for the delays.

Recently, we assisted Christian in applying to SCCA for his regional competition license. After we discussed a charge required for the application and SCCA Certificate of Compliance, he understood, and paid it. We thank Christian for understanding.

We do hope that, in spite of the problems, Christian will decide to become another one of our many Racing School graduates who over the past 38 years have chosen to develop their racing careers through our various programs.

In any event, we wish Christian the best of luck wherever he races.

Guest

wow sorry to hear about that experience, that sucks. With that being said that sounds about right.

You are right, the instructors are awesome.

I feel bad for the instructors having to deal with that poor management. If it wasn't for the great job they do they would already be out of business!

Guest

Thank you for the post!

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