First Annual Time Trial & DE School

[Jad]

Mirage International & San Diego Region of the Porsche Club of America
proudly present the

First Annual Time Trial and Drivers Ed School
November 3-4, 2007

This school is designed to help drivers with autocross experience advance to continuous lapping and controlled passing events such as DE's and time trials. It will cover items such as:

*Safety for both car and driver *Car preparation & requirements
*Driver qualifications & requirements *Continuous lapping and safe passing techniques

This is an opportunity to take your performance driving to the next level for only $100 per person in this 2-day school, consisting of a chalk-talk and full-day of driving along with food and drinks:
Saturday, Nov. 3, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Mirage Internationals new location will be a "chalk talk"
and Sunday, Nov. 4, 7:00am – 5:00pm at Qualcomm Stadium West Lot will be driving exercises and Drivers Education event

Six autocrosses and PCA membership are required; completion of our Performance Driving School is preferred. Applications must be by mail and MUST BE POSTMARKED Oct 10th 2007 OR LATER
(no metered mail) and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Look for the application in next months Witness or elsewhere on this site.

Sponsored by Mirage International and Victory Race Paints

[Red Rooster]

Wow, sounds like a great event..... I think course like this has been a missing piece in the progression from AX to TT....I know if this was available to me back in '03 I would have jumped at the opportunity and my learning curve as far as car prep and extra parts, tools, etc. would have been quicker.

But alas that driving thing just takes lota of seat time and catching Jad is a great goal but a reeeaaally a tough thing to do...

[Kim Crosser]

What DE safety requirements are going to be required/enforced for this school?

Fire extinguisher?
Broomstick rule?

[Curt Yaws]

Sorry Kim, all the regular rules are in place. Fire extinguishiers for everyone. 3-point belts are OK in SS and S classes. Cabs/Boxsters need to pass the broomstick rule. I hope we'll see you at Streets with OCR and GPX Regions.

[MikeD]

I'm curious, the stated purpose of the event is to teach people how to prepare their cars, but then they are required to have their cars be prepped before the event. Are't we putting the cart before the horse, the chicken before the egg, the exam before the instruction? Unless of course the plan is to tech them what to do on Friday, then have Jae and Dave stay all night to make sure all cars are prepped before the Sun AM exercises...

[Dan Chambers]

I'm curious, the stated purpose of the event is to teach people how to prepare their cars, but then they are required to have their cars be prepped before the event. Are't we putting the cart before the horse, the chicken before the egg, the exam before the instruction? Unless of course the plan is to tech them what to do on Friday, then have Jae and Dave stay all night to make sure all cars are prepped before the Sun AM exercises...

Interesting point, Mike. Although I read the message a little differently:

This school is designed to help drivers with autocross experience advance to continuous lapping and controlled passing events such as DE's and time trials.

Then it covers stuff such as:

*Safety for both car and driver *Car preparation & requirements
*Driver qualifications & requirements *Continuous lapping and safe passing techniques

You are right: if the intent of the Time Trial and Drivers Ed School is to teach car prep, how could they be ready by Sunday. On the other hand, it's not called "First Annual Car preparation Clinic for TT and DE Driving." I think the title was: Time Trial and Drivers Ed School

I highlight the aspects of all those items besides the car preparation because I'm of the understanding that the intent of the school is to be a step up from the "standard" Performance Driving School that introduces performance driving concepts. Dave/Keith/Jad, have I got that right?

I do agree with you, how do you transition from learning about it on Saturday to being ready by Sunday? Answer: Read the Zone 8 Time Trial and DE Safety Rules regarding Car preparation? Not sure. It is a delema.

I am also of the understanding that, as far as car prep is concerned, other aspects of car set-up besides safety gear will be discussed .... for the future. Such concepts as: lowering the ride-height; changing suspension system components; adjusting current cconfigurations for more agressive driving (camber/toe/etc); increasing HP; Tires and wheels; etc. These are adjustments that may not be needed on Sunday, but that may help in the future.

So maybe car preparation is more comprehensive than just Safety? At least, that's my take. I could be completely wrong, though. It happens a lot. Perhaps a definition of "Preparation and Requirements" should or will be made in the near future?

Just my opinions ...

[MikeD]

Yeah, I see your point Dan. And likely that is what is intended. I just wanted to point out that it *could* be interpreted to mean something else.

*Safety for both car and driver *Car preparation & requirements

Could mean that they will help me understand what the Zone 8/SDR car safety rules mean, and how they might apply specifically to my car. After all, we do get quite a few questions on the forum about what is, and is not applicable safety equipment for a given event on a given car. Anyway, not really an issue for me, just thought it could use a little more clarification.

I did have another thought. What is going to be the instruction format? Is each student going to have their own instructor on Sun.? Who is going to run the exercises on Sat.? Are the organizers of this event now going to be asking instructors to give up 2 weekends this fall (1 for PDS and now another for DE/TT School [TTS])? And... I'm sure it's been thought about already, but just on the off chance it has not, there are far fewer qualified TT instructors than there are qualified AX instructors.

[Dan Chambers]

Yeah, I see your point Dan. And likely that is what is intended. I just wanted to point out that it *could* be interpreted to mean something else.

*Safety for both car and driver *Car preparation & requirements

Could mean that they will help me understand what the Zone 8/SDR car safety rules mean, and how they might apply specifically to my car. After all, we do get quite a few questions on the forum about what is, and is not applicable safety equipment for a given event on a given car. Anyway, not really an issue for me, just thought it could use a little more clarification.

I did have another thought. What is going to be the instruction format? Is each student going to have their own instructor on Sun.? Who is going to run the exercises on Sat.? Are the organizers of this event now going to be asking instructors to give up 2 weekends this fall (1 for PDS and now another for DE/TT School [TTS])? And... I'm sure it's been thought about already, but just on the off chance it has not, there are far fewer qualified TT instructors than there are qualified AX instructors.

Mike:

From what I understand, Saturday is an evening event from 5:00 PM to 8:00 at Jae's; that would probably be a chalk-talk format. Sunday would be a driving day for the students, and the Instructors would have to volunteer one day of teaching/driving. So, yeah, a bit busy, however, for some of us, it may only be a one-day commitment ... Sunday. And ... who knows ... maybe the Instructors will have a "teach by example" opportunity. To me that means SEAT-TIME???? Couple that with the joy of teaching, and I think you have a fun Sunday vs. pushing a lawnmower around a patch of dirt, and getting bitten by flies.

[Curt Yaws]

Most drivers who are in our target market will have Stock or Showroom Stock cars. They will be required to have fire extinguishers before driving on Sunday (better get those in early). 3-point belts are OK in those classes. If your car is beyond Stock, you should have harnesses and fire extinguishers already.

Saturday will be a dinner and chalk talk at Mirage in the evening -- no driving event on Saturday. Sunday will be DE style driving and exercises. We anticipate a one-on-one Instructor and Student ratio.

To encourage Instructor support, DISCOUNT TIRE IS PROVIDING A FREE SET OF V710's to be raffled off to one lucky Instructor. We are working on a few more goodies. We do need as many TT qualified Instructors as possible to volunteer. We will then go to AX Instructors who have significant TT experience.

The goal is to move more folks to continuous lapping events, and make it an easy transition.

So yes, Instructors, we are asking for more help. But, you get a free DE out of it, and maybe some tires, so sign up now. Keith Verlaque is managing the Instructor list and Jad Duncan is responsible for curriculum.

[Jad]

I'm curious, the stated purpose of the event is to teach people how to prepare their cars, but then they are required to have their cars be prepped before the event. Are't we putting the cart before the horse, the chicken before the egg, the exam before the instruction? Unless of course the plan is to tech them what to do on Friday, then have Jae and Dave stay all night to make sure all cars are prepped before the Sun AM exercises...

The plan is to send a somewhat custom package to each applicant several weeks before the event describing the needs of their car based on the info on the enrollment. This should give Jae and Dave or others plenty of time to install fire equipment or order rollbar extensions for Boxsters.

[PShipman]

Perhaps what is meant be "prep" is really a gentle prod "to prep"

I know I have my new roll bar selected at Autopower AND I know I wouldn't have ordered it if I wasn't spured on by this class (any by Linda, too).

As Curt would say ... this is all part of the "slippery slope!"

[Curt Yaws]

Perry:
It's good to have your wife spur you on to car parts purschases. When I recently told Janet our car needed new tires or it would just keep getting slower, she said "What are you waiting for...get 'em." We have a problem most of our friends would love to have!

[PShipman]

Darn tootin right! I wouldn't trade Linda for a garage full of GT3's and 1000 vestal virgins. I will even continue to say this when Linda's times are faster than mine. And unlike someone I know (you know who you are ... I won't mention your name ... but the initials are MR) I will be bettered at some point!!!

[Jackie C]

Raffling off V710s? I'll take 2 students, please!!

[Curt Yaws]

That's right, Instructors. Double your odds from zero to one chance by volunteering for the DE school. (Is that math good?) Thanks to Discount Tire and Kumho Tires, we have a set of V710's to give away to some lucky Instructor who helps support this new school. Sign up early and often. Send Keith V an email if you can help. He's at cdi@pcasdr.org.