Donnie
Isley , of Arden, NC, brings 25 years of racing formula cars in both the SCCA and IMSA racing series. As a result of
his championship win in Formula Vee in 2000, he was awarded the Driver-of-the-Year award. That year in the opening Pro Formula Vee race at
Moroso, Donnie led every lap from the pole position. He later won this same race the next two consecutive years.
In 2001, his racing led him to the BMW Performance Driving
School as a performance/safe driving instructor. That next year in 2002, Donnie teamed up with businessman and
racer David Hamilton of Virginia Beach, Virginia to form the Mill End Carpet Racing Team. The two campaigned their Formula Mazdas on tracks such as Sebring, Road America, Road Atlanta, Virginia International Raceway, and Daytona to name a few. That year the team
won several races and numerous top five victories. In 2003, Donnie received his second level of BMW International instructor certification in Munich,
Germany while driving BMW M3s at the Salzburgring in Salzburg, Austria.
In the fall of 2005, Donnie completed
instructor certification with BMD Defense in Laurens, SC to provide specialty driver's training to those individuals in a multitude of driving arenas such
as:
In addition to working for BMW,
Donnie has also been involved with other automotive projects for other manufacturers such as Michelin, Goodyear, General Motors,
Volkswagon, and Daimler-Chrysler.
In March of 2006, Donnie accepted
a full-time instructing position with the BMW Performance Driving School. His main focus will be the drivers that
have chosen to take delivery on their Ultimate Driving Machine at the BMW Performance Center. Get Donnie to instruct you at the BMW Performance Driving School when you take delivery of your new BMW that has been ordered
from a US dealer. Did we mention there is NO ADDITIONAL COST added to your purchase price?
In the Spring of 2008, Donnie's
private coaching led him to the Nurburgring in Germany while driving the BMW M3. Donnie says, "This was one of
the highlights of my life! After spending 4 days at the Nurburgring, it is obvious why this is considered to be the
most ultimate track in the world!"
Donnie's racing success continued
in 2009 in Formula Vee. That year, he won 4 SCCA National races, 3 second place finishes, and one track record at VIR.
One of Donnie's responsibilities
as a BMW Driving Instructor is driving some of BMW's historic race cars which include David Hobbs' M1, the David Donohue's E34 M5, and the championship winning E46 M3 GTR as raced in 2006. Click on the link above and turn up the volume to
see Donnie giving a hot lap at Hutchinson Island, GA in the Donohue M5.
E-mail Donnie today to schedule your day of private coaching either at the race track to lower your lap times or at
the BMW Performance Driving School to improve your driving skills. Additionally, Donnie is contractually available
for any of your driving needs.
