Terrible HPDE Instructor
I was happy that at my first track day I knew my instructor beforehand. I brought the Evo to EFI in CT for a corner balance/alignment and I met one of the owners (I think he is) who races an STI with NASA, Devon Gregory. We were talking and I said I would be at the Lime Rock HPDE and he said he was instructing and requested me as a student. He was friendly and helpful in pointing out what I was doing wrong (turning in too early, not looking at the flaggers, etc). It was positive instruction and worked because I could remember what he was correcting the next time I went to Lime Rock and made sure to correct those mistakes. Oh, and like jid just said, he pushed me (within reasonable limits for a n00b) to drive harder and brake later. When the car got a little loose and I corrected it he let out a yell of happiness that I was at the point of not holding back. The encouragement was appreciated.
I will most likely be in HPDE2 after my next event and am looking forward to getting out of the crowded (and sometimes painfully slow) HPDE1 crowd. I'm no great driver, but when I spend a lot of money for a track day, I don't want to drop to 2nd gear at Lime Rock because there are too many slow cars on the track at once.
I will most likely be in HPDE2 after my next event and am looking forward to getting out of the crowded (and sometimes painfully slow) HPDE1 crowd. I'm no great driver, but when I spend a lot of money for a track day, I don't want to drop to 2nd gear at Lime Rock because there are too many slow cars on the track at once.
Last edited by delongedoug; Feb 5, 2010 at 08:41 AM.
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I feel sorry for the student, particularly since it was his first event.
He probably didn't know any better and must have thought all instructors
behave like drill Sergeants.
Hopefully, a more even keeled instructor was assigned to him later.
I'm glad this is getting good circulation, b/c I saw this on another forum as well.
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I feel sorry for the student, particularly since it was his first event.
He probably didn't know any better and must have thought all instructors
behave like drill Sergeants.
Hopefully, a more even keeled instructor was assigned to him later.
I'm glad this is getting good circulation, b/c I saw this on another forum as well.
.
Ok, I'm a certified SCCA instructor - this guy was horrible.
Forget the a-hole comment off the bat, maybe that was said to try and loosen up the guy. But to have a 1st-timer out there and to plan to NOT say anything the first few laps is horrible.
When you've got a first timer, you should pretty much be telling him/her the line! Before you go out you need to talk about terminology, driving position, some track etiquette, review flags, talk about the car and experience, etc. That's what helps loosen up a person - so talk about their car!
I could go on.....ugh...disgusted.
Forget the a-hole comment off the bat, maybe that was said to try and loosen up the guy. But to have a 1st-timer out there and to plan to NOT say anything the first few laps is horrible.
When you've got a first timer, you should pretty much be telling him/her the line! Before you go out you need to talk about terminology, driving position, some track etiquette, review flags, talk about the car and experience, etc. That's what helps loosen up a person - so talk about their car!
I could go on.....ugh...disgusted.
I'm an instructor with NASA, and I noticed when he said - "this fisrt lap I'm just going to watch you"
That's no way to be instructing new students, especially since this guy cooperated and didn't make big mistakes for the first timer
I couldn't agree more with your comment
I'm an instructor with NASA, and I noticed when he said - "this fisrt lap I'm just going to watch you"
That's no way to be instructing new students, especially since this guy cooperated and didn't make big mistakes for the first timer
I'm an instructor with NASA, and I noticed when he said - "this fisrt lap I'm just going to watch you"
That's no way to be instructing new students, especially since this guy cooperated and didn't make big mistakes for the first timer
hit all his marks perfectly. The comment that he's a nice guy and was probably
having a bad day is baloney. I have bad days and NEVER speak to my students
like that. It you're having a REALLY bad day, then do everyone a favor and don't
instruct. Afterall, we're just human.
ok, i'm a certified scca instructor - this guy was horrible.
Forget the a-hole comment off the bat, maybe that was said to try and loosen up the guy. But to have a 1st-timer out there and to plan to not say anything the first few laps is horrible.
When you've got a first timer, you should pretty much be telling him/her the line! Before you go out you need to talk about terminology, driving position, some track etiquette, review flags, talk about the car and experience, etc. That's what helps loosen up a person - so talk about their car!
I could go on.....ugh...disgusted.
Forget the a-hole comment off the bat, maybe that was said to try and loosen up the guy. But to have a 1st-timer out there and to plan to not say anything the first few laps is horrible.
When you've got a first timer, you should pretty much be telling him/her the line! Before you go out you need to talk about terminology, driving position, some track etiquette, review flags, talk about the car and experience, etc. That's what helps loosen up a person - so talk about their car!
I could go on.....ugh...disgusted.
What an ******* instrutor, my first autocrosa event I took an instrutor and lost control doing a 360 in a turn, he was so calm and just guided me in the correct path again, all was fine. This instructor is good for ****.
I just hope he doesn't get discouraged from more track time after this event, being that it was his first.
I've never been to an HPDE. I plan on doing four or five this year. I would've reacted the very same way this guy did, until I stewed on it later and let it get to me. I can say, this would've turned me off to tracking my car completely.
I've never been to an HPDE. I plan on doing four or five this year. I would've reacted the very same way this guy did, until I stewed on it later and let it get to me. I can say, this would've turned me off to tracking my car completely.
I'm pretty surprised he kept his cool. I would have gone ballistic towards to the track management or the club that was running the event.
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From: ohio
sorry guys i hope i am not flamed.your driving appeared smoother than he claimed.could sense some under steer in the corners,but the instructor did the right thing,he was not comfortable,&he got out.you got a better instructor,win win situation.move on.
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From: Canuckistan
Nobody here was driving. This wasn't a win-win situation, it could easily have been a lose-lose situation. The instructor acted in an unprofessional manner and was fired and the driver could easily have been turned off of motorsports altogether.
jk
but i agree with the principle - but not the manner in which he did it. He was very rude about it
