Novice school instructors

[AQuimby]

This may have already covered, but I haven't been around this site lately.
Are the novice school instructors going to be the same this year?

[esper]

This may have already covered, but I haven't been around this site lately.
Are the novice school instructors going to be the same this year?

I think it was mentioned at the monthly meeting that dave parsons has been emailing people about it. I don't know who has been getting the emails however, but I bet he does.

[aansorge]

I'd like to instruct, but can't do both that and go down to the Divisional the next weekend. Sign me up as a maybe, Dave!

[washburn]

Dave, I don't know if your monitoring this one, but if you are, please make sure Bob Fogt gets on the instructor list. He sounds excited to be able to help out this year.

The instructors are usually the same group of misfit, degenerate reprobates that we get every year. ('Ceptin for Bob of course.) I don't know how we even pull this off. One tip for noob's: watch your wallet during your run. While your all distracted and busy driving and stuff, the instructor's probably looking for ways of funding the upcoming season's tire bill. If he says something like "Yeah...ahhh....that was goood...just look ahead more." after your run, immediately check your stuff because he probably wasn't paying attention to your run, and was rifleing through your glovebox and side door pockets while you where "looking ahead". :)

Just goofing on ya...we have the best group of instructors around, and I hope we are lucky enough to get the same volunteers we had last year plus maybe a couple more.

[weidnerpaul]

Dave, I don't know if your monitoring this one, but if you are, please make sure Bob Fogt gets on the instructor list. He sounds excited to be able to help out this year.

The instructors are usually the same group of misfit, degenerate reprobates that we get every year. ('Ceptin for Bob of course.) I don't know how we even pull this off. One tip for noob's: watch your wallet during your run. While your all distracted and busy driving and stuff, the instructor's probably looking for ways of funding the upcoming season's tire bill. If he says something like "Yeah...ahhh....that was goood...just look ahead more." after your run, immediately check your stuff because he probably wasn't paying attention to your run, and was rifleing through your glovebox and side door pockets while you where "looking ahead". :)

Just goofing on ya...we have the best group of instructors around, and I hope we are lucky enough to get the same volunteers we had last year plus maybe a couple more.

Damn!!!
I had my tyres paid for til you opened your mouth, thanks a lot Pat :x

Paul (One of the "Couple More")

[AlexL]

I wouldn't mind instructing, but a pylon-munching hooligan like myself would probably be a bad influence on the newbies.

Plus, Adam says I make him drive poorly every time I ride in his car so I'll probably do more harm than good.

[wannabfast]

wow this stuff is coming up sooo quickly
i wouldnt mind giving a hand here and there.. altho i think that i wouldnt be qualified to instruct.. as im a noobian...

[weidnerpaul]

wow this stuff is coming up sooo quickly
i wouldnt mind giving a hand here and there.. altho i think that i wouldnt be qualified to instruct.. as im a noobian...

I thought you were an Xian ???

What class are you ending up in --- DP I hope. :evil:

[esper]

I can volunteer fo helping out, not sure wha the qualifications for instructors are, but I have evolution school and a pretty decent season standing i guess. I did a lot of instruction at ice races this winter too.

I can also freak people out in my new car =]

[wannabfast]

I thought you were an Xian ???

What class are you ending up in --- DP I hope. :evil:

yea.. i wish.. altho my car is mainly stock...

[washburn]

Dave makes the final call, but just so you know, instructors are selected more for their overall knowledge and ability to communicate well than their driving skill. Hell, look at Phil! (Sorry Phil...couldn't resist the opening I left for myself!) :) :)

Being able to offer good information clearly and in a freindly way, talk about about why something happened, what the driver can do on the next run to correct it, and not overwhelming the new driver with too much stuff too fast are good qualities.

[Darryl]

I wouldn't mind instructing, but a pylon-munching hooligan like myself would probably be a bad influence on the newbies.

I'm sure Dave and Pat would be happy to have you "young gun" Alex...

I'll be in Phoenix AZ for the Nextel Race for all you NASCAR haters...

I'll miss it, second year in a row... Sh*t...

[ot81to]

Darryl, what's the scoop on the car in your avatar?

[pinhead]

Ya, Darryl, what gives.

Does that happen to be Randy's car? I sense a disturbance in the force.

- Roger (who does plan to be at the novice school)

[esper]

Looks like there's an FMIC on that miata almost. Can't see well enough.

[Darryl]

Ya, Darryl, what gives.

Does that happen to be Randy's car? I sense a disturbance in the force.

- Roger (who does plan to be at the novice school)

Off too...

Not Randy's "BIG RACK" car... Just another black Miata I found down in Iowa...

99 Sport, that's it... So I'm back in CS, for another year...

Now back on...

[AlexL]

Looks like there's an FMIC on that miata almost. Can't see well enough.
I heard it's making somewhere around 400 RWHP, but I could be wrong on that...

it could be stock, and that could be an AC condenser, only Darryl knows for sure.

[aansorge]

I heard it's making somewhere around 400 RWHP, but I could be wrong on that...

it could be stock, and that could be an AC condenser, only Darryl knows for sure.



He'll need it. . . :p

[SUV-ETR]

While your all distracted and busy driving and stuff, the instructor's probably looking for ways of funding the upcoming season's tire bill.

Actually, I've managed to fund my entire car with the change people seem to insist on keeping in their cupholders, and things like "you know, that CD-wallet could come off your sun visor in a turn and hit you in the head...why don't you let ME hold it for now?"

Why is it that some people just don't believe us when we tell them that crap flies around if you leave it in your car?!?

Neal

(actually, I *have* been hit in the head by a CD wallet coming off a visor while instructing...that's the real reason we require helmets!)

[Darryl]

He'll need it. . . :p


I can almost beat you with 140 hp... no need to add another 260...

That's it... Back on topic...

[washburn]

Smack!

[MNbiker]

I'll be there.

The Miata will be there too - assuming I finally stop taking pieces off, and start putting the thing back together.:p

-Steve

[phile]

(actually, I *have* been hit in the head by a CD wallet coming off a visor while instructing...that's the real reason we require helmets!)

Watch out for the doors on Cobra kits.

[phile]

Dave makes the final call, but just so you know, instructors are selected more for their overall knowledge and ability to communicate well than their driving skill. Hell, look at Phil! (Sorry Phil...couldn't resist the opening I left for myself!) :) :)

Yeah. And who was it who told you how to do the brake/turn-in trick when you got a formula car. ;)

[phile]

I wouldn't mind instructing, but a pylon-munching hooligan like myself would probably be a bad influence on the newbies.

IF you know why you are hitting the pylons
AND
IF you can explain to the student when and why (s)he should start hitting pylons
THEN you might be OK

Seriously, I'll give a preview of instruction:

There are essentially two reasons to hit a pylon:

1. You were not in control of the car, so it went in the wrong place.

2. You were in control of the car and you drove it in the wrong place.

Knowing which of these was the case is a step towards improvement. I think "2" is more valuable. Exceeding the limits of the line while the car is tracking in control helps you understand how things look and feel in the moments before you successfully come close to the important cones. Expect our instructors to tell you to hit some specific cones at various times in your runs. After you actually do this under our guidance, you will understand why.

This is part of what makes instruction so valuable, both at our Novice School level and at the Evolution School level.

I don't have a lot of natural talent for car placement (I didn't say that Washburn was *wrong*, did I?), and I am starting with a new-to-me autocross car this season. Expect to see some crushed cones. I gave them all way too much respect at the two events I ran last October. Their honeymoon is over. ;)