Instructors & Students

[bryanearll]

Replying to Tim's post on the charity challenge it did make me think for a minute about instructors and students.

With a driving school and an autocross under my belt, I'm comfortable driving at an autocross with a focus on safety and not damaging my car or someone else's. I've driven laps by myself after both Chuck, Dan, and lastly Doug have signed off on me.

That said, I signed up again and asked for an instructor. Why? Because I'm benefiting from the process. In fact, I can't imagine why you wouldn't want instruction from the best drivers available. Additionally, having someone knowledgeable talking with you, especially on the warm up laps about the course while you re-learn to drive your car in a more aggressive posture is really helpful. I can see value in this.

Perhaps another key factor is getting to know the club members. With instruction, you get some seat time with an old hand, and you get to meet their circle of friends and competitors within the club. There certainly is a networking process.

However, that said, is it a burdon on the club and instructor pool to keep requesting an instructor?
b

[Jackie C]

Bryan,
Keep asking for an instructor, you can always cut them loose after your 1st set of runs if need be. I've been racing in excess of 2 years and when I'm trying to perfect something new, I ask for an instructor who I know is proficient at that skill. After a while, you might request guys who drive in your class to compare techniques in similar vehicles. It's also a great way to measure the competition!
Blue skies,

[MikeD]

I wondered the same thing after my first few autocrosses. I thought it would be nice to have a checkbox on the entry form for a "Contigency Intstructor" -- only getting and instructor if one is available but NOT drawing from the pool if they were tight or short of instructors. I imgine the CDI's do not always know what the ratio of instructor to students will be prior to the event. This way they know you want and instructor but are capable to surviving the event without one. Otherwise, (I think) if your name is on the list you get an instructor.

Another thing to think about is that now you have been to a few events and (hopefully) know a few people. So you can ask any instructor you know (or meet) to ride with you and help you out. It doesn't HAVE to be an instructor you were assigned. If they have a red wristband they can ride with you and/or you with them.

[Kim Crosser]

As long as you feel you are learning something significant at each event, you should keep requesting an instructor.

One indication that you have reached a certain level of competency is when your lap times consistently DECREASE after the instructor gets out for the timed runs. If your lap times don't drop by a second or so, you are probably still depending on the instructor for guidance - otherwise, removing 150-200 lbs from the car should cause quicker laps. Another indicator is consistent lap times - if your lap times are varying up and down by a second or more, you should probably continue working with instructors.

Also, when you are driving with consistent lap times, think about what you should really focus on in order to improve further - then find an instructor who can work with you on that area. It might be trail braking, left foot braking, heel-and-toe, looking ahead, picking the right turn-in point, etc.

When you reach the "fine-tuning" point, you should probably find an instructor who regularly drives a car similar to yours, so the instructor knows how the car should be responding. Even though we all instruct in virtually all models, as a daily Boxster driver, I am not going to be the optimum instructor for "tweaking" someone's skills in a 928 or 930, where the handling is significantly different.

Periodically, I would still encourage riding with an instructor to avoid backsliding into bad habits. A few runs with Steve Dente last fall really focused me on correcting some poor techniques I had fallen into.

Finally, there is definitely some value in any seat time - even when it is in the right seat. Driving and riding with an instructor nearly doubles your time on the course, which should help you learn and improve (or even just learn the particular course better and run better lap times).

[Burl East]

A couple of points on this thread:

For the most part we have enough instructors to go around. Having said that their have been AXs in the last 12 months where we have a handful of instructors teach multiple students. As a general rule, feel free to request an instructor. No matter how much seat time you have there is always something to learn. Last year I instructed Martin (which I now regret, but that is another story).

The instructors don't mind working and it would be a colossal waste for us to have instructors unused.

Each instructor will make different points and as you progress past the basics of safety and car control to finer points it will be valuable to get input from different instructors over time. Instuctors also can have radically different driving styles. Jad Duncan and Steve Dente could not have more differnt styles, but both ARE VERY FAST and can refine your driving skills.

Finally I speak for most of the instuctors when I say that "if you want to learn something - teach it' We benefit and refine our own skills helping you.