The topic is Yellow Student Curriculum, where Yellow falls into the following progression of run groups:

Green (novice)
Blue
Blue Solo
Yellow
*White
*Red (instructor).

*Club racers are either in the white or red run group. If you would expect club racers to drive at more than 80% of the capability of their car, then is 80% not appropriate for those in the run group just behind the club racers?

 

Let me clarify that my comments were based on the OP’s request for feedback about a student run group at a DE, not Club Racing. I don’t much about Club Racing, except that I’m sure it’s a blast.

Actually, now that I’m paying more attention, he directed his post to DE Instructors, so my apologies.

 

Would be nice if PCA National created a universal scale. We have Green, Yellow + Yellow Solo, White, Black, and Red (instructor). So please take that into consideration when considering my chapter's advancement criteria.

 

Hey, great feedback here. I'm keeping a list of everyone's suggestions.

The biggest question I have is on the best way to present the information. I can speak for myself when I say that I hate to sit in a one way infomercial type classroom, listening to the instructor tell me about how great they are.

What I am wondering is how can I utilize technology (YouTube, video, data aquisition, etc) to add a visual element to the classroom. I am looking to see what has worked in the past and where people feel like they could have improved.

Feedback from current or past yellow students it very much welcomed.

 

I believe that one of the greatest teaching tools in DE is riding with the instructor. They can show you what needs to be demonstrated instead of getting the sage advice when you are about to enter a difficult of corners.

As far as a check list it would be nice to have but then you would end up with a punch list mentality, something I do not know would be beneficial. But it would cut down on the political promotions that you see occurring.

 

If you use technology, make sure it works, and the lighting conditions support it.

I know some people just can't absorb science, but I find the friction circle to be the best paradigm for describing what tires do, what you can do to affect what your tires do, and how to understand vehicle dynamics. Once you understand the friction circles, you have a framework for discussing virtually everything that happens to the car on track.

 

1) How about an old fashioned steering wheel? You'd be amazed at how much better a real object can focus the attention of classroom students compared to an imaginary object.

2) To that, you could add additional props, such as a rope that hangs from the bottom of the steering wheel with a loop at the end to hold your right foot. That would allow you to demonstrate the relationship between steering input and throttle input (e.g. how to feather in throttle only as you unwind the steering wheel). The imagery also gives students an mental model to remember when they are on the track.

3) You also might find a few little tricks to use with a computer at this site for animations of various physics problems...

Virtual Physics Lab

There are several simulations available on friction, springs, velocity, etc... If computer/network access is a problem, perhaps you could come up with ways to replicate these software models using real-world objects.

4) Just thinking out of the box here... how about a live video feed from a car in a different run group that is on-track during the classroom session? You could have a blast with group-critique on both the driver and their instructor - now that could turn into a standing-room-only peanut gallery that no student could pass up!

 

ervtx - great recommendations. Maybe replaying video from instructor laps and have students critique driving technique. I can send an instructor, or myself, out with an agenda and see if students can visually pick up positives and negatives from the video.

 

I liked to talk about topical based things, like balancing the car, or trailbraking or how to properly brake, steer and accelerate, and then blend that into how it can be applied to the driving the track that we are at. It is a lot more informative than a general review of "how to drive" and it seems to tie in well with the way most students think about how to develop and improve their driving. You can spend an entire classroom on what may seem like a small item, but applied in context across the spectrum of driving can be very informative & entertaining.

 

Now THAT sounds like fun! I volunteer.









Professional Racing and Driving Coach

 

Let me guess...

Concocting and executing faux pas for them to catch will be an unnatural act, but you'll manage somehow...

 

Hell, just show them my videos. That will pretty well cover all the negatives.

I think this is a great idea.

At the yellow level, they should know the line, so it really should be about driving techniques more so. Bill, you might not remember, but you helped me in-car understand the difference between a turn in that is too quick, and a turn in that's decisive. Helping them understand the cadences associated with hands and feet would be good.

A class on car upgrades is also a good one at the yellow level. They are all itching to do SOMETHING to the car, but don't know what makes sense. Seats and harnesses, brake pads, brake fluid, tires,... Walking them through what makes sense and what doesn't, along with the consequences of some of the changes (track pads might overpower street tires, etc...) would be good.

I actually think video of some offs and wrecks is not a bad suggestion too. With all due respect to guys that are in yellow right now, yellow students are the equivalent of teenagers in some respects. They don't yet realize they are mortal. I know because I was one not very long ago (yellow student that is). I wouldn't do it for sensationalism, I would do it to work with them on understanding the cause for the off.

 

Classroom discussion about safety equipment would be appropriate. There is a reason that advanced drivers, instructors and racers all wear a HANS device, have the proper seats, harnesses, rollbars or cages and wear the proper clothing every time we go out.

 

Hahaha! Exactly.

Common mistakes?

-being early (consequences)
-missing apexes by miles (consequences)
-jamming on the brakes, too hard & too late (consequences)
-etc









Professional Racing and Driving Coach

 

Oh you hit it dead on!

(only took you 53 years to get something right )