Driving a student's DE car
11-14-2014, 12:41 AM
#91
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Hahahaha! Yes, unfortunately, that is necessary...
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-Peter Krause
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
11-14-2014, 04:17 AM
#92
Nordschleife Master
I have coached with a few different groups over the years. One of the clubs I coach with has a format that requires the coaches to drive the student's car on the first session of the novice group.
For example, out of 5 or 6 coaches with 15-16 cars in the novice group, each of us will have 2 or 3 students. For that novice group, the coach will drive a students car for the first 3-4 laps of the first session, with the second and third student following behind in their cars. We pit, and the drive the second student's car with the 1st and 3rd student following, and so on. The cars are driven GENTLY.. and the focus is on demonstrating SMOOTHNESS and CORRECT LINE, correct turn in, correct braking points/braking markers, etc. NOT SPEED. Once we've had a turn driving each car, the process repeats but we are in the passenger seat. This way each student has had the chance to follow a car driving the right line and braking in the right spots. VERY BASIC STUFF. Nothing more aggressive (or even as aggressive) as what you'd see driving on a highway on-ramp/off ramp. Maybe 5-6/10ths?
There should be ZERO chance of mashing up a student's car in these circumstances.
I wonder what everyone's take is, on this sort of novice group "ducks in a row" formation lap.
The only thing I'm afraid of when running with this club is driving a student's car when it is older or modified and the clutch/gearbox is difficult to shift.. I don't want to embarrass myself.
With other clubs and other groups, where I am not required to drive a student's car, I am often ASKED by the student to drive their car. These are not familiarization laps, but faster speeds, closer to 8 or 9/10ths. Depending on how I feel about the car, AND IF I THINK THE STUDENT MIGHT BENEFIT FROM IT, I almost always say yes, because I know I'm not going to do anything stupid at 8/10ths, and after over a decade of doing it at autocross and different tracks I feel I know how to demonstrate something without pushing the car to an unacceptable risk level.. and if it's an older jalopy like mine, there is usually a discussion about how if it breaks it's not because I was being too hard on it.. but I'll help you fix it if I can.
To others who are contemplating it, the only advice I can offer is to follow your gut instinct, cover your *** (have a discussion BEFOREHAND) and BABY it when on track.. and don't try to quick shift.
For example, out of 5 or 6 coaches with 15-16 cars in the novice group, each of us will have 2 or 3 students. For that novice group, the coach will drive a students car for the first 3-4 laps of the first session, with the second and third student following behind in their cars. We pit, and the drive the second student's car with the 1st and 3rd student following, and so on. The cars are driven GENTLY.. and the focus is on demonstrating SMOOTHNESS and CORRECT LINE, correct turn in, correct braking points/braking markers, etc. NOT SPEED. Once we've had a turn driving each car, the process repeats but we are in the passenger seat. This way each student has had the chance to follow a car driving the right line and braking in the right spots. VERY BASIC STUFF. Nothing more aggressive (or even as aggressive) as what you'd see driving on a highway on-ramp/off ramp. Maybe 5-6/10ths?
There should be ZERO chance of mashing up a student's car in these circumstances.
I wonder what everyone's take is, on this sort of novice group "ducks in a row" formation lap.
The only thing I'm afraid of when running with this club is driving a student's car when it is older or modified and the clutch/gearbox is difficult to shift.. I don't want to embarrass myself.
With other clubs and other groups, where I am not required to drive a student's car, I am often ASKED by the student to drive their car. These are not familiarization laps, but faster speeds, closer to 8 or 9/10ths. Depending on how I feel about the car, AND IF I THINK THE STUDENT MIGHT BENEFIT FROM IT, I almost always say yes, because I know I'm not going to do anything stupid at 8/10ths, and after over a decade of doing it at autocross and different tracks I feel I know how to demonstrate something without pushing the car to an unacceptable risk level.. and if it's an older jalopy like mine, there is usually a discussion about how if it breaks it's not because I was being too hard on it.. but I'll help you fix it if I can.
To others who are contemplating it, the only advice I can offer is to follow your gut instinct, cover your *** (have a discussion BEFOREHAND) and BABY it when on track.. and don't try to quick shift.
