Mark Hubley

During the upcoming season I hope to attend two or three drivers ed events. My wife is an equine veterinarian, and she is very busy through the spring and summer. We have a five-year-old son, Nicolas, who will turn six in September. We live in Maryland.

Last year I attended one DE event: a three day event at Summit Point at the end of July. Our nanny, who typically works just MWF, worked overtime watching Nick while I was gone. When I attend DE this season, I imagine I will do the same--leave Nick at home and hire our nanny for extra hours to help care for Nick while I am off to the races.

However, I was wondering what you might think of bringing a young child to the track. Each day, I would probably have four sessions on the track, each lasting about 45 minutes (from the time I get in the car to the time I get out). During each track session I would need somebody to watch Nick.

I have been a member of PCA for nearly five years. However, parental duties have kept me from getting very involved in PCA events. So, I do not have a network of close friends in PCA. Rather, there are a few people that I might recognize by face and name.

Is it asking too much of my fellow DE participants to expect somebody to watch over a five-year-old while I'm on the track? If not, do you think it would be easy enough to find volunteers to babysit?

Nicolas is generally a good kid, he is generally easy to entertain, and he generally obeys adults. However, it is no small responsibility to take over the care of a child, even for just 45 minutes. Nick has his moments of getting into trouble (like any young child).

Should I just accept the fact that I should wait a couple more years before I take Nick with me to the track?

Or should I give the matter further consideration?

I have already registered for an event at Summit Point with Metro NY Region. I guess I should contact their DE chair and run the idea by him/her. Perhaps they have some policies already in place.

Thanks for any advice.

Mark

mds

I don't think it is a good idea. I nearly ran over my own son once when he was little when I was backing up. It is very hard for someone to keep track of a child 100% percent of the time, as is necessary in the paddock. Get a babysitter and leave him at home or arrange some sort of event for them, like a museum trip, movie or what not.

Z-man

In my region, there are a lot of 'track rats.' There's usually a herd of 5-10 of them at a given event. Perhaps it is because of this that they really stress safety in the pit / paddock area. Usually they rotate 'watchers' say parents both drive: one watches the kids while the other drives. Then they switch.

With a little patience and extreme organization (as well as care), it can be done.

-Z.

Robert Henriksen

I don't think it's unreasonable to bring a little one; but you've got to bring your own watchers - wife, nanny, sister, whatever.

MJR911

I began coming to events, totally unsupervised while Dad was on track, when I was 11. Now i'm faster on any track in North America at 21 because of those 10 years watching...

RedlineMan

Hey Mark;

No unsupervised kids at the track for sure, but what cool young dude wouldn't wanna be there?! That's how we make car guys, eh? It could lay the ground work for a lifetime relationship builder.

You need to make some track friends or get the wife to take a weekend off sometime! Writing the track chair is a good idea. They might be able to hook you up with someone amenable to adding another "rat" to their group.

Al P.

Stop here http://www.gtc-motorsports.com and ask FA (Food Angel) about kids at the track she's the resident expert on crumb gobblers.

Jaws911

I'd approach some parents at a DE about sharing before I brought your son - once its set up, no problem, but even those of us in the lower run groups feel that thees stuff to do in between runs, so to bring him and then look for help would be awkward

BrandonH

I think 5 is a bit young. The goal of introducing your kids to cars and the track can backfire if it is a long hot tedious day with smoke and noise and Dad not paying attention. Once I crashed and it was a day when all three kids were at the track, which was pretty traumatic, even with Mom there to explain (?!).
We do a family reunion every year at the Mid OH quattro club event, maybe 15-20 kids. They love it but only because a)they have plenty of kids to play with;b) they can leave when they want.
Last race last year at Summit my then 10 year old son came along and had a really good time. He rode his bike around the infield, ran lunch errands, checked tire pressures and generally participated in a way that made him feel good. Even so, he spent a fair amount of time playing nintendo in a friend's RV. I think, per Mitch's experience, that's probably the age to start.
B

Brian P

I've brought a 2 year-old and a nearly newborn to the track. DEFINITELY arrange for helpers (preferably family) to watch the kids before going to the event. Yes, you will likely be able to find someone to help at the track, but it's going to feel extremely awkward if you don't do it before the event.

I've had zero troubles with the kids and safety. However, you have to do the obvious things - don't park near other people and have them in your eyesight at ALL times.

Other issues - temperatures can be all over the place, and you might end up keeping the kids in the car all day because that's the only spot that is warm. If there's no other kids to play with, they might also get a little bored.

As it is, my three-year old is now practically begging me to bring her to the track this weekend. As I think it's going to be too cold, and I don't have somebody to watch her when I'm on the track, I'm trying to figure out how to explain to her that staying home with mom is equally cool.

DrJupeman

Seeing that my two kids are part of the "rats in the herd" that Zman refers to, I thought I'd chime in (I'm also the other half of "Food Angel" that AlP mentions...).

I have been bringing my two kids (now 5 and 3) to the track since they were born. Granted my wife, who also drives, is at the track, too. What we have found is that there are generally other families at the track and if you are lucky you can share some supervisory responsibilities with them. I know my wife and I have been lucky enough to have Brian P and his wife watch my kids while my wife is returning from a run and I have to go find my student, etc... Like BrianP's kids, my kids have been constantly asking me all winter "when do we go to the track again?" Obviously they love it...

Oh, and I've "been there done that" on the crashing with the kids at the track thing (not my fault, tire failure at 120mph, not a pretty site). My kids were wonderful in their understanding, but I have to say it was almost harder looking at their disappointment that the family's beloved Porsche was mangled than it was for me to look at the car. So be prepared to disappoint them as much or more than yourself if something should happen to the car!

If you're bringing the 5 year old without having someone there to look out for them while you're on track, I'd say do not do it. I'd wait until the kid is ~10 to feel more comfortable leaving him unsupervised. You want to make sure your kid is safe so that when you're on track you're focused on driving and not worrying about the safety and whereabouts of your kid.

The best advice is to find a way for your wife to come, too, so that the entire family can enjoy the fun. Going to the track has been a terrific and rewarding family experience for me.

Dave in Chicago

Been there, done that. Track-rat herd is VERY helpful. Each of us bring the kids from time-to-time and there are some "hot seat" couples that make it all the more a family affair. If you have a friend or two running in different run groups and can impress the requisite safe behavior upon the child, then it's all good.

I used to bring the babies out in the garage while I was working on the car. I'm talking infants in port-a-cribs here. You know what? It didn't matter if we were at DisneyWorld or picking up dog poop... We spent time together. Believe me, they value every moment you can spend together.

Besides, how many kids get to talk intelligently about racing, Porsches, and sunny days smelling brake dust?

TT Gasman

I've brought my boys (5&4) to the track a few times when not driving, they love it, but I wouldn't bring them up if I was alone and driving. I don't think it is safe, I have seen how some people drive around in the pits, and it's too easy for them to walk into traffic if you take your eyes off for one second. Secondly, I don't think, I know I could not concentrate on driving if my boys were unattended, it would be unsafe for me and the other drivers if my head wasn't in the game. Third, I wouldn't want to burden someone with the responsibility of watching my kids, it's just not fair especially if I don't know the people. And last it would probably be very boring for them after a few hours. So I am going to hold off until they are a little older, if that means I miss a few track days who cares.

38D

Blasphemy!

My 7 mo old daughter will make her first track appearance this year. My wife will also be driving at the event, so we will take turns watching the little one. Having been at the track many times with DrJupeman and Brian P, I have seen that small kids at the track can work just fine, but definitely do not bring the kid if you have no one to watch him.

If I were you I would load up the Nanny & kid and bring both to the track. Also, go to your first event alone, find the parents of the crumb gobblers in your region and ask them how they do it.

78SC

My son will be 7 in April and he has been going to DE's and now Club races with me for the past 2 years. It is a great father and son experience. He loves the idea of a big road trip with the hotels and travel etc... In the DE's, I would usually set up in hte paddock with a group of friends in various run groups so that they are always people around to help keep an eye out. At the Club races they are always groups of kids that have a great time hanging out togther and entertaining one another.

Not too many first graders know how to bleed brakes and check tire pressure!

Lawson