View Poll Results: Instructing...Overall Rewarding Experience???
Rewarding, Like it
77
90.59%
Frustrating, Avoid It
4
4.71%
Only when the club is short instructors
4
4.71%
Voters: 85. You may not vote on this poll
Instructing…Rewarding Experience???
#31
Rennlist Member
Ooops..........hit send too soon.
But damn straight the focus from rolling onto the track for the first session on Saturday AM was "what times are you running". Kinda why I shied away from actually running in '80, and chose to hang around to work corners, do timing, help wrenching, etc.
But damn straight the focus from rolling onto the track for the first session on Saturday AM was "what times are you running". Kinda why I shied away from actually running in '80, and chose to hang around to work corners, do timing, help wrenching, etc.
#32
Rennlist Member
Golden Gate Region Time Trial series since its inception in about 1973 @ Laguna. I'll let the POC guys speak to this themselves, but the first events I ended up helping guys out with them in maybe '83 or '84 were time trials.
Now understand this was running for time on Sunday afternoon, one warmup and two hot laps. So it's not like today where a transponder is timing all laps.
Now understand this was running for time on Sunday afternoon, one warmup and two hot laps. So it's not like today where a transponder is timing all laps.
#33
Rennlist Member
#34
Instructor
Here in the Florida regions the only PCA events with timing is club racing. NASA does time trials but you need to be solo approved to enter them. In 7 years +/- of instructing I think I may have timed 3 students, and they were all solo ready.
as mentioned by another instructor, my green students only get two gears their first session and I dont care about the line. My general outline is described below.
First session- track orientation
Second Session-work on line at slow pace (3 gears max)
third session-full instruction
Second day
First session-full instruction (at reduced pace from 3rd session first day)
second session-full instruction (plus flag quizes)
third session-slight reduced pace from second session (more flag/procedures quiz)
I have a general rule of show me you can drive slow then I'll let you drive fast, This has worked well for me 99% of the time. There is always one person that wants to show you how good (fast) they are and I will usually tell them great. Let me see your line and if it is clean I will send you for solo sign off, which has never happened. I will also not sign any off out of novice till they know flags and procedures cold (even though national has this as a solo requirement) as it is more important than knowing the line. I would rather know you are going to stop at a red flag and not black flag then hit an apex!
as mentioned by another instructor, my green students only get two gears their first session and I dont care about the line. My general outline is described below.
First session- track orientation
Second Session-work on line at slow pace (3 gears max)
third session-full instruction
Second day
First session-full instruction (at reduced pace from 3rd session first day)
second session-full instruction (plus flag quizes)
third session-slight reduced pace from second session (more flag/procedures quiz)
I have a general rule of show me you can drive slow then I'll let you drive fast, This has worked well for me 99% of the time. There is always one person that wants to show you how good (fast) they are and I will usually tell them great. Let me see your line and if it is clean I will send you for solo sign off, which has never happened. I will also not sign any off out of novice till they know flags and procedures cold (even though national has this as a solo requirement) as it is more important than knowing the line. I would rather know you are going to stop at a red flag and not black flag then hit an apex!
#35
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
WOW a timed event with newbies on track? That seems like a recipeit for disaster!
Sounds like you realize you should have spent more time instructing in the pits and thats great. You'll figure this all out in time, but the Nat. Instruct. program really does work. The initial interview (the more in depth you are the better), starting out with the basics of the track etc....
My green's don't get out of third gear. I make them memorize the track the entire first session, we don't go fast, we just drive around the track making sure they have the lefts/rights in mind (no lines, just direction). Second session I tell them to start driving lines and working on inputs and thats where the "instruction" all begins. I take lines first, then inputs (if necessary) in later sessions. Its a nice progression to getting them to fast without overloading.
I can't imagine a timed event with any of my green students, they just have nothing safe to work off of and I don't believe I'd get in someones car under those circumstances. You're a brave man
Best of luck and welcome to instructing
Sounds like you realize you should have spent more time instructing in the pits and thats great. You'll figure this all out in time, but the Nat. Instruct. program really does work. The initial interview (the more in depth you are the better), starting out with the basics of the track etc....
My green's don't get out of third gear. I make them memorize the track the entire first session, we don't go fast, we just drive around the track making sure they have the lefts/rights in mind (no lines, just direction). Second session I tell them to start driving lines and working on inputs and thats where the "instruction" all begins. I take lines first, then inputs (if necessary) in later sessions. Its a nice progression to getting them to fast without overloading.
I can't imagine a timed event with any of my green students, they just have nothing safe to work off of and I don't believe I'd get in someones car under those circumstances. You're a brave man
Best of luck and welcome to instructing
There is no need to be afraid of the car or the event. It's the attitude of the driver and how well he/she accepts instruction that will determine how your weekend will go.
#39
Addict
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Member
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#41
Burning Brakes
Redline does similar timed events: http://redlinetimeattack.com/
I am a mid-level Blue student with Potomac, a friend of mine signed me up for this time attack last year at Summit; they put me into the unlimited mod black group and wanted to send me solo out there with full track cars and semi-professional drivers. I refused and just watched from the sidelines. The first day it was for students and just track time, but you could get your laps timed with the transponders; there were many first timers out there. These things happen, no matter how illogical they may seem, we all sign waivers remember?!?!?
I am a mid-level Blue student with Potomac, a friend of mine signed me up for this time attack last year at Summit; they put me into the unlimited mod black group and wanted to send me solo out there with full track cars and semi-professional drivers. I refused and just watched from the sidelines. The first day it was for students and just track time, but you could get your laps timed with the transponders; there were many first timers out there. These things happen, no matter how illogical they may seem, we all sign waivers remember?!?!?
#42
Platinum Dealership
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for our local PCA chapter, I was the young guy in the GT3 a few months ago-
instructor: "so how many DEs have you done?"
me- "this is my first one, so we can count that, eh?"
instructor: "are you solo certified?"
me- "Solo? I drive alone all the time, what does that mean?"
instructor: "let me make sure these harnesses are nice and tight..."
I had probably done 25-30 track days in 3 different cars so I was decently proficient, but not knowing me at all this guy was scared. I was laughing inside, because by that point I was a really responsible guy behind the wheel already, but on paper it didn't look like it would be that way.
when we got back in, we both had a good laugh about it. next instructor that day was a lot more fun-
"dude- sweet car! I've never been in one of these before"
I've done a handful of one on one, all day instruction things, and find them about 300% more useful than HPDE instruction. I'd like to instruct eventually, but feel the need to cut my teeth in the racing ranks before I'll get credibility (being a young guy, nobody takes me seriously at first)
the service you guys as instructors provide is really valuable and as a general rule I'm very thankful of anyone giving tips in my right seat.
instructor: "so how many DEs have you done?"
me- "this is my first one, so we can count that, eh?"
instructor: "are you solo certified?"
me- "Solo? I drive alone all the time, what does that mean?"
instructor: "let me make sure these harnesses are nice and tight..."
I had probably done 25-30 track days in 3 different cars so I was decently proficient, but not knowing me at all this guy was scared. I was laughing inside, because by that point I was a really responsible guy behind the wheel already, but on paper it didn't look like it would be that way.
when we got back in, we both had a good laugh about it. next instructor that day was a lot more fun-
"dude- sweet car! I've never been in one of these before"
I've done a handful of one on one, all day instruction things, and find them about 300% more useful than HPDE instruction. I'd like to instruct eventually, but feel the need to cut my teeth in the racing ranks before I'll get credibility (being a young guy, nobody takes me seriously at first)
the service you guys as instructors provide is really valuable and as a general rule I'm very thankful of anyone giving tips in my right seat.
#43
Three Wheelin'
for our local PCA chapter, I was the young guy in the GT3 a few months ago-
instructor: "so how many DEs have you done?"
me- "this is my first one, so we can count that, eh?"
instructor: "are you solo certified?"
me- "Solo? I drive alone all the time, what does that mean?"
instructor: "let me make sure these harnesses are nice and tight..."
instructor: "so how many DEs have you done?"
me- "this is my first one, so we can count that, eh?"
instructor: "are you solo certified?"
me- "Solo? I drive alone all the time, what does that mean?"
instructor: "let me make sure these harnesses are nice and tight..."
+1!!!