Dangers of big track instructing: Road & Track Sept 2014

[MR LIPP]

[Jad]

+1

We need to do a better job teaching instructors.

[kleggo]

+1

We need to do a better job teaching instructors.

Agreed
When will we next have a DE Instructor course?
Last years class run by GPX was cancelled and I am not aware of another one scheduled in So Cal.

[ChuckS]

We have been trying to schedule one, but available dates are scarce and the best resources are in big demand. It will likely be out of San Diego with other PCA regions. Hopefully later this year.

[kjr914]

The PCA National DE Instructor training was AWESOME. Really nothing about driving/racing at all. ALL about student-instructor relationship, instructors being in proper control of the situation at all times, how to dial students back, how to deal with a variety of student types and methods used to work with different students. Highly recommend this if you attend if you have the chance!

Chuck, If we could get PCA National to come and do the same or similar training here in SD it would be awesome.

[auxxcay]

I've been looking for a National DE Instructor course. Would love to see one in Zone 8 sometime soon.

[ChuckS]

What both of you are referring to is exactly what we want to do. However, it is difficult to get both the National guy and a track date. We are working on it and will let all of the instructors know as soon as something can be arranged.

[kleggo]

Looking forward to it when the opportunity arises.

[pecivil]

When I attended the one GPX did at The Fairgrounds, there were only about half of the experienced instructors available, my 2 instructors were both students, as we each acted as "instructor" for the other.
This should be fixed.

[Kim Crosser]

Some years back, I showed up for Streets of Willow, never having done anything other than parking lot AX events, and was promptly designated as an Instructor, as this was formally an "Autocross". Ok - no problem there, except that during the "AX practice" sessions, all the cars in a run group did continuous laps together, and passing was allowed in certain sections (with point-by, at least). (Can someone say "DE", please?) (And no - it wasn't run by San Diego Region.)

From parking lot AX direct to instructing on a big track with traffic and passing was a bit of an experience. My student had a GT3, which defnitely added to the fun for this 2.7L Boxster driver!
Everything turned out fine, we both won our classes and had a great time (aside for a fairly spectacular off into the dirt on my part - I think I am still finding sand and dirt years later).
However, had one bad mistake been made, someone there could have been featured in an article like this one.

Later, I was privileged to take the National DE Instructor course held at the Q, which was a great course.
As noted, it is a lot more about communication and control of your student than driving and racing techniques.

If a big track isn't available, I believe that course at the Q really covered all the key points. A big track would add to the fun factor while driving, but I am not sure it would really add that much to the message and course content. Perhaps another Q DE Instructors course could be an option if there aren't any good track dates available?

[Cajundaddy]

I agree that we are overdue for a NDEIT course in SoCal. It has little to do with driving fast, and everything to do with safety and learning to control the car and a novice student from the right seat in a friendly but effective manner. I recommend it for all qualified PCA instructors and I have been through the course twice. I will volunteer to mentor the next one.

What we need to make this happen:

1. A facility. (Perhaps we could add this to the Fontana infield DE/TT event Nov 1st)

2. Support of existing experienced instructors. This has been very difficult in the past as many experienced instructors have not seen value in participating. Instructor mentors are a pretty critical component of this program I think and student instructors really do need your input. If you don't show up, we have students mentoring students which is not nearly as effective.

3. Recommendations of qualified candidates from your CDIs. Again this has been difficult in the past. We don't need the fastest drivers. We need instructor candidates with good driving skills who also have high safety awareness, good communication and leadership skills.

4. A date that Zone 8 CDI Scott Mann is available to teach the course. I will contact him to see if we can put an event together this year.

[Dan Chambers]

I agree with everything that's been said.

In addition; I think it's really important that DE/TT Instructors have a meeting prior to getting into their Student's cars. Jim Abbot and I have initiated an Instructor's Meeting 15 minutes before the general DE/TT Driver's Meeting just to review the tasks of the exercises, review the purpose and goals of the DE program, and discuss conditions and situations of that particular event and track. Most of the Instructors have shown up, and their input helps all of us remember a couple of basic points:
-Safety First
-Car Control is more important than speed
-Complacency can be dangerous to all
-Some students have never done any performance driving, and they show up to Big Track DE's

It's also been beneficial when experienced Instructors (Mentors) share their communication and interpretation skills with the newer Instructors.

Those of you who instruct at the DE/TT's should stop by the Instructor's Meetings, even if you aren't teaching that particular weekend. Your input is always welcome, and your support of the other members in the Instructor's Corps help make us all better instructors. I hope to see you all at Chuckwalla's Instructor's Meeting if you're driving in that event. Again, the meeting is 15 minutes before the general Driver's Meeting.

Cheers!

[Cajundaddy]

Ok, I talked to Scott Mann and he is available to teach the instructor course on the weekend we have a DE/TT at Fontana infield. We talked about running it concurrently but I think it would stretch our instructor corps too thin with all of them driving, instructing novices, and mentoring instructor candidates. My thought is to hold the NDEIT course there on Fri Oct. 31 with the DE/TT on Nov 1. This would give all of our newly minted instructors an opportunity to apply what they learned in the class, the following day during a live DE. The infield at Fontana is a pretty good novice course for drivers to learn passing skills with two large passing zones and a nice grassy infield for the occasional oops.

I will work on pinning down the facility if the SDR CDIs will begin to create a list of instructor candidates, each accompanied by a SDR mentor instructor. Let's make this happen.

[kleggo]

Ok, I talked to Scott Mann and he is available to teach the instructor course on the weekend we have a DE/TT at Fontana infield. We talked about running it concurrently but I think it would stretch our instructor corps too thin with all of them driving, instructing novices, and mentoring instructor candidates. My thought is to hold the NDEIT course there on Fri Oct. 31 with the DE/TT on Nov 1. This would give all of our newly minted instructors an opportunity to apply what they learned in the class, the following day during a live DE. The infield at Fontana is a pretty good novice course for drivers to learn passing skills with two large passing zones and a nice grassy infield for the occasional oops.

I will work on pinning down the facility if the SDR CDIs will begin to create a list of instructor candidates, each accompanied by a SDR mentor instructor. Let's make this happen.

Dave, thank you.
I am planning on attending on the first and would love to join on the 31st, but halloween night in Fontana may be TRULY scary.

[Jad]

I think it is asking a lot to have instructors take a day off work and drive to Fontana for a class. I would look into demand before paying for the track... And on Halloween?