Originally Posted by JCP911S

Ultimately, you are strapping yourself into the car of a total stranger, riding around at high speed and placing yourself at the mercy of their skills.

Originally Posted by JCP911S

If your student screws-up, you pay the price.

Originally Posted by JCP911S

If that's your idea of a good time, then you should be an Instructor.

Originally Posted by mkd944

Chin has 3 run groups: Red / Advanced Solo (mandatory passing anywhere on track with a point-by), Blue / Intermediate Solo (optional passing anywhere on track with a point-by), Green / Beginner Solo and Instructed Students (passing only in designated straights with a point-by). If the instructor believes their student is more advanced and running faster than Green group pace, they may choose to instruct them in the Blue group.

Originally Posted by Gary R.

Chin sounds great, once I hang up my race shoes I look forward to attending their events. One question, what is "Mandatory Passing" with a Point By? I'm picturing entering the Bus Stop at the Glen and giving last second left side point by to my buddy so he has to run through the grass cause it's mandatory!

Originally Posted by FFaust

Mandatory point-by is that if a car shows up on your bumper you have to give a point-by, regardless of where you are on track. If you don't, you get called in.

In my case, during my first visit to Road Atlanta, I found this to be quite "interesting" going up the esses or down between 11 and 12, but you get used to it.

Originally Posted by Gary R.

I believe that's the idea with all Clubs, but it's great that Chin enforces it..

Originally Posted by mkd944

It is mandatory to give the point-by anyplace on track. It is incumbent on the driver of the overtaking car to accomplish a safe pass. Drivers in the Red Group are expected to know when a pass is low percentage and they can wave off the pass until it is safe. The intent is that we should never have a train of cars being held up in the Red Group. We ask that drivers monitor their mirrors, anticipate the closing speed of faster cars, and give them a point-by early enough that there should be no or very little break in the overtaking car's momentum. We have been running this format for some time now and the drivers generally play well together. If one of the corner workers reports that someone is breaking the rules, we will black flag them if necessary so that we can remind them of the rules. Our main theme is courtesy and cooperation with our fellow drivers leads to a safe and fun time for all.

Thanks,
Mike

Originally Posted by ProCoach

^^This^^

Originally Posted by Gary R.

I intend to have control of the situation

Originally Posted by mkd944

As a long time Chief Instructor for Chin, I was happy to see the positive comments and I wanted to clear up the perceptions above. First, we have no 2 hour sessions. They are all 3 hours. Just Kidding!!! All instructed sessions are 30 minutes long. The last hour of each day is our "Happy Hour" in which all run groups are allowed on track using Intermediate passing rules (explained below). While the instructors may have to instruct during "Happy Hour", we advise them to advise their students not to spend an hour on track at the end of the day since they will be tired and be more apt to make mistakes. I have never heard of a student driving all 60 minutes of the last hour. You can always know which group is on track by looking at your watch since we run Red, Blue, Green groups in order every 30 minutes all day long until Happy Hour.

Chin has 3 run groups: Red / Advanced Solo (mandatory passing anywhere on track with a point-by), Blue / Intermediate Solo (optional passing anywhere on track with a point-by), Green / Beginner Solo and Instructed Students (passing only in designated straights with a point-by). If the instructor believes their student is more advanced and running faster than Green group pace, they may choose to instruct them in the Blue group.

Second, it is not really that hectic. We do ask that, if possible, our instructors evaluate and de-brief their student after each session. We understand that may cut into the instructor's track time, however, our instructors are allowed to drive in any group in which they are not instructing.

Chin places a high priority on making sure that our students needs are met and that they have a safe and FUN experience. We require all instructors to have communicators and we ask that instructors establish pre-designated meeting areas and times for each session.

Our students submit evaluations for their instructors and we do actually read them. Also, if the student and instructor are not clicking or instructor doesn't fit in the car, or there is a language barrier, then we can try to do some swapping or use one of our reserve instructors.

As Peter Krause mentioned, we should not get too comfortable with our formats and Chin has tweaked our format over the years to see what works and what doesn't and we continue to look for ways to improve. I realize that my view is biased, but I believe that Chin has high standards for instructors and very much appreciates their contributions. Besides getting free track time, Maria provides free drinks (soda and water) along with cookies and crackers to all instructors. Also, because Mark and Maria are at almost every event, the standards are consistent at all Chin events.

I only have Chin and Citrus Region PCA as reference points for my instructing and both are quality organizations but we use instructors from other PCA regions, BMWCCA, and other organizations and I believe the majority instructors we use are doing to give back to this hobby that we all enjoy.

Sorry for the long diatribe and somewhat biased view but I really was actually trying to answer BostonDMD's question.

Thanks,
Mike

Originally Posted by sbelles

... I wish you guys would run some more events in the NE.

Originally Posted by sbelles

I wasn't really being critical of Chin's format, it allows for a lot of track time for both instructor and student but three groups is inherently more hectic then four or five since you have to climb out of one car and into another. It certainly never stopped me from instructing and I look forward to running with Chin in the future. I wish you guys would run some more events in the NE.