Looking for insights from HPDE instructors

I shall enter the fray with some trepidation as I have not officially gone to Instructor school yet. I have been pressed into duty as an instructor but only with intermediate students unfamiliar with a track or wanting a second or umpteenth opinion of where they might improve (fresh set of eyes and all that)

I drive a slow (by track standards 116whp) car and therefore whether its required or not find myself doing alot of point bys and have to really pay attention to my mirrors.

I progressed through the NASA HPDE program up to 3/4 and found value in the point by passing only in the straights novice class. When a student first starts they have enough on their plate just learning their car and the track. It often falls to the instructor to watch the mirrors and traffic while the novice learns how to drive again. I do not like the idea of relying on your instructor to tell you who is behind you or when to point but sadly in happens alot. I reccomend getting the student to do their own traffic management as soon as possible.

I have had all kinds of instructors over the years from the guys who I could hear speaking to me without a chatter bio to the guy who only could use hand signals because his chatter box broke. I was not very successful as a student using only hand signals. I was too busy driving and watching the mirrors to pay attention to the emphatic and un-recognizable hand gyrations going on next to me. In his defense he was very soft spoken and needed his chatter box to instruct. I had an instructor grab my steering wheel going into Turn 1 Road Atl because he was conviced "we" could turn in sharper. He was a little off as my street tires did not messure up to his expectations. Lucky for "us" we just slid out to the far gators without incident. I did not like it one dang bit and he didn't do it again. He learned that I did in fact know the limits of my car. It's not always the case but sometimes the student does know what the car is capable of.

A few bullet points I have learned from experience on track and from lengthy discussions with instructors.

Don't give up on having an instructor just becuase you are being promoted to a solo group. Having an experienced driver ride second seat will almost always help your driving improve.

If you don't click with your instructor/student talk to them about it and if needed make a change swap instructors/students. It can save your track weekend.

Listen to your instructor he/she was put in your car for a reason and it wasn't to hear how fast you think you are and how much you don't need their help.

Breathe, relax your hands a little, breathe, stay calm, keep your eyes up and ahead of where you are, and Breathe.

If there is a car in your mirror for more than a few seconds he did not magically appear there he is faster than you let him by whether that means a mandatory point by or a politewave/point by to tell them you know they are there and aware they are going to pass you.

If possible Watch said faster car/driver to see if you can learn why they are faster than you

Ride with your instructor/ take your student out in your car to show them what you are teaching them.

I could go on and on.

wbjones wrote: ..... I totally agree with you about comp school... though not everyone can afford a racing school... I know I can't .. at least one that provides the car and the instruction .... neither can I afford a "race car" .. it's all I can do to keep the a-x/TT car doing it's thing ...

BMWCCA comp school allows street cars. I think that if you can afford enough track time to have qualified for ITS then one last check for $375 isn't too much to pile on and you are not nervous about using your own car since you have been for years. I mean... you had to have approx. 5yrs of consistent, frequent track days and demonstrated some proficiency to have had them invite you to instruct. Not only that - it is a metric E36 M3 ton of fun - so it's easy money to spend.

LopRacer wrote: I have had all kinds of instructors over the years from the guys who I could hear speaking to me without a chatter bio to the guy who only could use hand signals because his chatter box broke. I was not very successful as a student using only hand signals.

I actually had an instructor at Roebling whose communicator had broke. Luckily it was my 4th weekend so it was just a refresher and to learn a new track. We clicked well even with just hand signals.

There are some people that are just so damn flustered on their first weekend that they are barely able to manage traffic. I think snorklewacker is basically saying the same thing as the rest of us. "Anything above novice", that basically is DE 3/4, TT, and racers as I look at it.

Here are a few things I always try to remember:

1. Instructing doesn't save you money. As an instructor you might (most likely) have to pay someone to prep your car for your next on track session as you may be busy with a student. It also reduces the time you have available to make detailed notes after your session. Devote time to your student and do not ever shorten a students session so that you can make the grid on time for qualifying or practice.

2. Instructing does not make you faster. More time on track here is not very helpful as the extra workload does take a toll on you over the course of a weekend and sometimes you have to go out late for qualifying, see above.

3. No good can come from driving a student's car.

4. Taking a student on a ride along with you, even at 6/10ths, always results in a student going at least 5 seconds a lap faster and many times 10+ seconds.

5. An instructor is like a duck, calm on the surface and paddling like hell underneath.

6. Always have your communicator charged and working.

7. Always have the students wave at the corner workers on the cool down lap. Always. Always make the student take a cool down lap.

8. Always find out what your students goals are at the track. Take notes after the session and work towards their goals whatever they are.

9. Make sure that the student knows where you are located in the paddock.

10. Always walk around the students car on grid and take the opportunity to explain the tire wear marks and indicators if the student does not know.

11. ENTHUSIASM!! Be effusive with praise and keep encouraging on the straights. Ask if they are having fun etc etc. As instructors there is always something we want to fix, but Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a good student. To many students, driving on the track is a dream that they were able to fulfill. Sometimes we forget our own entry into this addiction.

I always thought the point-by was a formality for noobs. I pretty much immediately point-by any faster car that's approaching.

HDPE is high density polyethelyne in my business. And I have read a couple of your books.

Thats all.

Fantastic insights so far. Here's what I wish I knew the first time I instructed: watch the student's feet, too :). It took me too long to figure out that one student was putting the clutch in for every corner . . .

Rob

ZOO wrote: Fantastic insights so far. Here's what I wish I knew the first time I instructed: watch the student's feet, too :). It took me too long to figure out that one student was putting the clutch in for every corner . . . Rob

Funny you mention the watching the feet. I had an instructor tell me just this last weekend an intermediate student he was on a ride along with was rowing through the gears in preperation for each corner but not actually taking her foot off the clutch and just relying on braking to slow the car. then just lightly engaging he engine at corner entry with just the smallest hint of throttle. He had to spend a few laps explaining that it does no good to coast down to corner entry speed and to use the gears. So yes watch what your student is actually doing with their feet and hands.

mattm wrote: To many students, driving on the track is a dream that they were able to fulfill. Sometimes we forget our own entry into this addiction.

This. Driving on a real track is an aspirational dream for many of us...something I'm saving up for and hoping to achieve some day.

In reply to mattm:

Damn well put!!!