TomGT3

Is this common in other clubs?

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/diary-...tor-1776911599

Excerpt:

His name was Joel, and he was a 19 year old Australian with a 2010 Camaro SS, with zero track experience.

My student, as young and brazen as he was, listened to his lessons and improved quickly and massively during the course of the day, without wrecking his car. Or killing me in the process, which is always a bonus! After the last session in which I rode with him, I introduced him to a friend who drives a Mustang Boss 302 to show him better lines for a muscle car. My Miata’s momentum lines didn’t really suit his Camaro’s brute power. I bumped him up to Novice Solo, and cut him loose to continue learning on his own.

Spyerx

Well with the clubs I frequent pca and poc. Nope.

With other less structured groups? Yup. Some have no instruction requirement.

RickBetterley

Signed off before the end of day 1?
I doubt any normal human being is ready to be let loose that soon.

Gary R.

"I bumped him up to Novice Solo, and cut him loose to continue learning on his own.
He finished the day a faster driver and without any incidents. It almost brings a tear to the eye."

Sounds like my first instructor in PCA at my first event, was on the phone the whole time, told me "I have nothing to teach you as you get an A on all corners" (he actually marked a trackmap with "A"'s at each corner at Watkins Glen my first day ever on a race track in my 05 997S!) and then left me signed off with NO clue. Thanks again John! Bet he had a tear in his eye that day too! Thank god he was the ONLY bad instructor I ever had at PCA!

sbelles

I saw that on the FB and my chin dropped a little. I don't think I've let anyone solo in their first event let alone their first day.

ProCoach

What an incredible disservice to the student...

Veloce Raptor

THIS

Gofishracing

If no Instructor training I wonder if helmets are required or seatbelts ? Open passing ? I support the CVR PCA advancement policy and needed seat time etc to Instruct.

NYoutftr

Yikes !!

For someone who is going to do my first DE this weekend, that doesn't sound right.

After I found out who my assigned instructor is and asking a local PCA instructor about the weekend, well let's just say I hit the jackpot !

I think I am very, very lucky to paired with my instructor.

LuigiVampa

+1

When I first joined CVR about 4 years ago I was in HPDE 3 with NASA - CVR put me in HPDE 1 (green) for my first two events at Lime Rock.

How I resented that! I'm a solo driver, I said. The fact was I was promoted way too quickly and I was barely an HPDE 2 (yellow instructed) driver at that point.

Years later I am now an instructor in training and CVR makes that difficult as well. It doesn't matter if you have a high horsepower car and can do LRP in under a minute. You have to be safe and have the right attitude.

CVR is also tough with advancement - you have to earn it. But when you drive with them you know that the person in your run group has earned a right to be there. A certain amount of track days is just the starter for advancement. Speed is just a small component. Smoothness is key. Attitude is key. Safety is key.

Instructing is HARD! As part of my training I have been going out with instructors while they drive and pretend to screw up to see how I will react. Even with the confidence of knowing that they are purposefully screwing around it is still daunting.

It is also hard to keep up with the track. My brain says "let's talk about the left-hander" ooops but we are at no name already. So let's talk about the up hill oops we are at west bend already. Man it is hard and I think I am getting better now that I have a plan in my head. I have also been really lucky to have some great amateur instructors and several professionals as well.

My hat is off to all the instructors out there. Just like kids don't appreciate being a kid until they are older it appears drivers don't appreciate instructors until they realize just how little they know.

To all you instructed students - don't be so quick to want to go solo. I wanted the same thing and now I pay professionals several thousand dollars for a weekend of training! Ironic.

ProCoach

Fantastic post! Hats off to you (and CVR).

sbelles

Yes, it can be tough to let go of the past turn. You have to just remember what you were going to say and wait until the net time around. Even better, give them a chance to tell you what they just did wrong. Always focus on the upcoming corner(s) and give the student plenty of time to digest what you want them to do.

ProCoach

Great advice. Otherwise, the instructor becomes a distraction rather than a resource...

TXE36

Dogpiling on, but yeah, this.

While I enjoy this sport, I am not a natural. There are a number of instructors who held me back before I was ready, and most of them didn't mince words. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am today.

I'm very picky about the organizations I'm willing to instruct for. Wouldn't touch that event with a 10 ft pole.

-Mike

gums

I had some encouraging encounters in my early days, DE'ing every weekend, and receiving accolades from instructors. I now regret that I pursued getting signed off early on. I now realize what a luxury a good coach can be.