Instructor Day

[LUCKY DAVE]

A big thanks to the CDI's and others who made this happen, it was a blast.
I burned 3/4 tank of gas, it seemed like I drove as much as at a DE. Riding with fellow instructors is something we don't usually get to do, as our time is normally needed by beginning type drivers.
It was a great learning session for me, I learned something from every instructor every lap. We all know at least one thing better than everybody else, trading skills by riding with each other benefits us all and I hope we get to do it again. Soon.

[mrondeau]

Dave, thanks to you and the Sharp's for letting me drive your cars for a session after mine tried to commit suicide. I learned a lot from you about how to drive your Turbo and that car is a blast! Thanks to everyone else who offered me their keys. I really appreciate it and it says a lot about the kind of great people we have as instructors in San Diego.

I saw improvement in so many of our drivers throughout the day. Jad Duncan, Jim Duncan and Randy Blaesi came down without cars just to help instruct. Debby Sharp just kept getting faster and faster with some help from Leigh Rayner. Steve McKay took about 4 seconds off his times with Jad's help. Jackie Corwin took just about everybody who could instruct in her car and got incredibly fast by the end of the day! (and had to limp home on very corded tires). Almost every car went out with two people in it and I saw a lot of smiles. Oh, and thanks to Gary Burch, who made sure that I didn't get bored out on the track.

Thanks to all of the instructors who participated in this event. You all helped to make it the success that it was and we appreciate you hard work and dedication. We wouldn't be the club we are and we wouldn't have such a great driving program without you.

Thanks to my fellow CDI's, Dan Chambers and Joel Bowman, for helping to put this event on.

Here's to the SDR Instructor Corp.

[ttweed]

+1 --a beautiful day, great track, good food, and friends enjoying their cars the way they were meant to be used--muy bueno! A nice birthday for Steve and Jackie!

My thanks to everyone involved,
TT

[AGill]

What a great time! There was so much driving knowledge in one place, it was such a great opportunity for young drivers like myself to learn volumes all in one day I was Jim Duncan's "project" for the day and boy was that a treat. He expanded my technical knowledge of handling dynamics; role-played as probably the worst student one could ever experience and tested me to see how much I could catch...it took a lot not to just start laughing at him; and finally, we worked on my driving...most importantly, I was "too smooth" when braking and Jim put a stop to that by turning my "limo" braking into proper threshold braking. Thanks for all the help and making me work, Jim! With his help I shaved over 2 seconds off my morning times and ended up with a 1:01.6

Thanks to all that made this event possible. As a young driver with much to learn I strongly encourage keeping this tradition alive, I think it will ensure we "pass the torch" properly and continue a high level of instruction to each and every student in the future.

P.S. Sorry I could not stay and help pick up the track; Shannon in his white 993 broke a spring in his e-brake assembly which was then apparently pushing into the rotor and could not be driven...if you heard the shreaking sound it was obvious something was wrong. I gave him a ride home so he could pick up his trailer and hopefully get his car loaded before sunset. Thanks to Steve G. who diagnosed this problem within 5 seconds of hearing the car pull into the pits!

Best,
Adam

[jenniferreinhardt]

Thank you Mark, Joel and Dan and everyone else. It was a perfect day, and was great to drive again with all you guys! The track was fun and super wide for all the sliding the Boxster could muster up.

That Twinkie cake Katina made was a riot! Happy B'day Steve and Jackie!

[Jackie C]

Best birthday and cake (thank you Katina) ever!!!!!! Thank you to our family of instructors who made sure everyone learned, had BIG fun, and played safe. I was fortunate enough to experience this same type of event (5?) years ago with this club and remember "the gift that keeps on giving". I wondered how much more I'd really learn this time and laughed when I realized I'm just a better student now. Thank you to every single person who jumped in with me. I hope I helped at least someone as much as each of you helped me. Also to Mark, Dan, and Joel at start, who were everyone's personal cheerleader. If you want to cement morale with instructors, make this an annual event. BTW, thanks to Leigh for following me home on my "Sharped" tires. You know you're in trouble when you're headed straight at the corner worker and they're bent over laughing too hard to get out of the way. No cones were touched, for those interested. Too much fun. Thanks again.

[stevemckay]

I consider myself a rookie at a/x, and even being an instructor.But the more events I do with with great group of people,like Jim Duncan coming up to me and offering Jads help just reminds me of how luckey I am to be part of this club.THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL WHO MAKE THESE EVENTS POSSIBLE!!!!! P.S. SAD TO HERE TOM WILL NOT BE DRIVING WITH US ANY MORE.

[ChuckS]

Both Debby and I want to say - Thanks for a GREAT event.
Not only was it well organized and well run, but it was a LOT of fun - and with friends!

Thanks to everyone who jumped in to help Debby. By the end of the day, she was driving the best I have ever seen her drive.

Thanks to Jim Richmond, Dave Malmberg, Mark Rondeau, Sean Molloy and Jim Duncan for helping me! Each was able to help me understand several finer points that absolutely improved my driving. Now if I can only KEEP remembering them.

Instructors helping instructors was not only a blast, but one of the best ways we can help each other to improve and become better drivers.

Thanks again to everyone who helped put on this event!

Oh - and by the way, WE didn't cord a single tire the whole day!!!! (In spite of running on ones that mostly shouldn't have made it even half of a day!)

[John Straub]

Sounds like fun...sorry I missed it.

John

[Dan Chambers]

On behalf of the CDI's I'd like to thank everyone who participated this year as Instructors and Driving Event Volunteers.

I can't remember a more perfect day; and seeing so many beaming smiles from members of the "Corps" really made my day. You have all helped to make SDR the best group of volunteers I've ever seen and I'm proud to be a part of such a great group of giving individuals.

And speaking of giving individuals: Steve McKay eluded to a fact that saddens my heart: Tom Comeau has decided after many, many years of PCA driving events at the Q to hang-up the ol' driving shoes and move on to other things. I'm really gonna miss that "ol' grizzly" at the Q events. Few people have worked so hard as Tom: first one there in the morning, last one there loading the Trailer at night, ever-present in keeping the cars moving in pre-grid, there to lend a hand whenever needed ... and always quick with a joke or ..errr .. "friendly" comment about your driving skills. All this effort from a guy in his 70's. They sure don't make 'em like Tom anymore.

Tom: Here's to you, ol' friend . May your orchards bear you the fruits of happiness for many years to come. You will be missed.

Thanks again to everyone who showed up, helped out, and carried the volunteer torch of the driving events.

[Tim Comeau]

Yes, a great time. Lots of track time, too.
I was thinking about it again the other day. San Diego Region really GROWS drivers. We're very fortunate to have the big parking lot to teach on.
Alan Johnson, Wayne Baker, Rick Raimist, Paul Haas and Margie Smith-Haas. Just a small list of PCASDR drivers who've taken their parking lot beginnings and gone on to much bigger things.

I'll let my dad know about your nice comment, Dan. Thanks.