Needing Seat Time

[64GunPilot]

Not all of your driving experience needs to be with NASA. There are several other groups that can provide instruction and track time to get you going. In order to get your license with NASA you have to prove a level competency and safety. Since it's been found that some people lie, are wrong, or are just flat delusional about their driving abilities, some of your events need to be with NASA, especially as you get closer to getting your licence, so they can see your skills first hand.

Josh, Dan, and I instruct with The Driver's Edge. http://www.thedriversedge.net They do an excellent job of teaching with a very structured program and would be a great place to start.

Some other groups also have good teaching available. Some of the smaller groups are just focused on getting people track time and offer very little to no instruction capability. Find some events that you can make and start getting some track time.


Richard P.

Thanks for the link. Definitely will get involved with Drivers Edge. Are there any other DE organizations around? I think I will probably still go to Roebling Road and CMP as I have family near those locations. But I may enroll in more DE events if I can find them throughout this summer timeframe. Hallett only has HPDE 3/4. I dont know if I'll have climbed the ladder that high by that point. I don't know how good I am, or how much talent I have. We'll see I guess. Hoping I can climb up to make Hallett.

[AI#97]

Thanks for the link. Definitely will get involved with Drivers Edge. Are there any other DE organizations around? I think I will probably still go to Roebling Road and CMP as I have family near those locations. But I may enroll in more DE events if I can find them throughout this summer timeframe. Hallett only has HPDE 3/4. I dont know if I'll have climbed the ladder that high by that point. I don't know how good I am, or how much talent I have. We'll see I guess. Hoping I can climb up to make Hallett.

Check out Chin driving events and Apex Driving Academy at Cresson. Both very good organizations.

[ShadowBolt]

Thanks for the link. Definitely will get involved with Drivers Edge. Are there any other DE organizations around? I think I will probably still go to Roebling Road and CMP as I have family near those locations. But I may enroll in more DE events if I can find them throughout this summer timeframe. Hallett only has HPDE 3/4. I dont know if I'll have climbed the ladder that high by that point. I don't know how good I am, or how much talent I have. We'll see I guess. Hoping I can climb up to make Hallett.

Do what you can do to make it into HPDE 3/4 at Hallett. You do not want to miss Hallett. For most of us this is the best track and the best weekend of the year.


JJ

[centerville]

Drivers edge is probably the best for beginners. The only problem with them is they fill up so fast for green and blue. Their first two levels for them. Edge Addicts is another one that does quite a few at COTA. Porsche club, PCA and SCCA both hold de events.

[64GunPilot]

Do what you can do to make it into HPDE 3/4 at Hallett. You do not want to miss Hallett. For most of us this is the best track and the best weekend of the year.
JJ

I’m signed up and paid for 3 HPDE events with NASA. April 5-6 Roebling Road, April 13-14 Memphis, and May 4-5 Carolina CMP. I will probably try and sign up for Drivers Edge May 31-1 when it’s registration opens.

I am not sure how quickly I am expected or should expect of myself to progress, but I am ambitiously and probably naively hoping to jump up one ladder rung each event which would put me in HPDE 3/4 at Hallett. There is literally nothing more I can sign up for.

Praying this new car which I have never even unstrapped from the trailer holds up. A few maint items to take care of I know are: 1. Drain the fuel tank 2. Install a seat and seat belts for the instructor. 3. Full general inspection (if anyone has a checklist of their preflight checklist on their 3rd Gen I’m all ears)

[centerville]

NASA is pretty quick to promote. You should not have an issue making Hallett.

[Al Fernandez]

Everyone is of course different, but the promotion rate you're looking at is not unheard of. The instructors wont (shouldn't) be looking for outright speed, rather knowledge of and use of the full racing line, control, smoothness, and, perhaps most importantly, situational awareness. The speed will come if all of those are in place.

[michaelmosty]

Like what Al said, the most important thing is safety, corner station /flag awareness, and awareness for cars that are overtaking you and you are overtaking. The biggest learning is the big difference driving the racing line by yourself vs in traffic with other HPDE cars. Safety and awareness is key!!

[64GunPilot]

Like what Al said, the most important thing is safety, corner station /flag awareness, and awareness for cars that are overtaking you and you are overtaking. The biggest learning is the big difference driving the racing line by yourself vs in traffic with other HPDE cars. Safety and awareness is key!!

Are the cars in 3/4 a 50/50 mix of daily driver cars and purpose built race cars? I imagine the disparity of cars and driving abilities is pretty big in 3 but maybe a little tighter in 4??

As in the air, situational awareness is not a God gifted attribute, it’ll take me a little time to get the hang of it all. But SA is #1 in my line of work whether it be busy air traffic or combat. Last thing I want to be is a danger to others. The mentors (you guys) sigh of disappointment or worse “WTF” is always the last thing a rookie wants to hear.