On the Brink? Not exactly.

This blog post is in response to "On the Brink: The unacceptable danger of modern track-day coaching"

Ken WAS a great instructor.  Ken HAD training. Ken had years of experience under his belt. The article implies that lack of instructor training and formal process is part of the problem.  I can assure you that was not the case in this event.  I knew Ken.  I was on track in another student's car at the time of the incident unaware of how serious the incident was. The student the was driving had apparently been a model student earlier in the day as well.  The greatest influence to that accident IMO was the environment around that event, but I won't touch on that here.

I went through instructor training with BSR.  I have been told they are one of the better programs to go through as they actually have you practice exercises such as steering the car from the passenger seat (for entire laps around all three tracks at summit point).  They have instructors mimic student behaviors so you can learn to expect them and counter them.  I have been told by other instructors who have been doing this much longer than I that the only two groups they hold at the same or higher level for instructor training are Audi Club and BMW Club.  That being said, there is no replacement for experience either and there will always be "wet behind the ears" instructors (myself included).  At events where I choose my students, I choose based on my comfort, knowledge and experience, not because "Oh man, it will be a  blast to ride in an R8!"  At events where the organizers pair me up, they all know me fairly well now, so pair me with appropriate cars/students. Sometimes I end up in high horsepower cars like the Supercharged 2014 Chevrolet SS at Pocono (600+hp), but the student an I had a long discussion about what can happen if they try flooring it in the middle of a turn, etc, and what would happen if they didn't follow my instruction (pack it up and go home)

Do I do it for the free/cheap track time?  Yes. But I also do it because I genuinely enjoy instructing and paying it forward.  There are few things as rewarding during an HPDE event as watching your student have that "Ah-ha!" moment where they finally understand something you have been explaining to them.  Also, what other instructor fatalities have their been?  I know of the maiming incident at Summit Point last year, but that is it.  I have never heard of an instructor fatality before and none of my peers could recall one either.  

Hooked on Driving, WDCR SCCA and Audi Club NA have the opportunity for students to see the track at a low-speed, low-risk environment with intro laps before the students ever go out on track at speed.  I think EVERY group should have this.  Every group I work with has classroom time that is actually pretty informative, but a good thing might be a quick one-lap video deconstructing the track in the morning for a second in addition to the "going over the rules".

I have watched an event organizer send someone home w/ refund before they even got on the track because they had a bad feeling about that student/car combination.  I have seen instructors not make "the cut" and not be invited to instruct at all or back to instruct later.  There needs to be more of this, not less.  And we need to instill in our students that yes, this is dangerous.  We make it as safe as we can, but it is dangerous. And if you can't deal with that, other sports beckon.  In fact, there should be a place for different schools to know what students have been expelled from different groups, and why.

One other note - Competitive driving does not automatically an instructor make.  In fact, they can be the worst instructors, encouraging students to make racing-like moves while on the track during HPDE events, and put too much pressure on the car in front of them.  They also might push the student way beyond their comfort level or be too intense for the student.  Lastly, just because they can "do" doesn't mean they can "teach."  

Just a little side note - The instructor and student in the illustration would never even be allowed on track in any group I have run in as they are in that drawing.  The rules start with long pants and long sleeve shirts (the latter is sometimes waved, but I have never seen the pants requirement waived).  That would be the first sign of a problem to me.

Thanks for Forcing My Hand, Mike

Yeah, if you read Mike's post, I drove at Dub Deliverance 4.  It was my second track event stateside.  I had fun but I can't do Shenandoah in my sleep like I can Summit Main (yeah, when I was riding with Mike during his morning FATT session, I had my eyes closed and I know all of the turns and lines by heart because I've ridden along so many times on that course.

The first time I rode shotgun on Shenandoah, it felt like it was 100 degrees and with the twists and turns (22 of them), I was either going to lose my lunch or pass out.  In the spring, I was better able to stomach the course since it was a frigid day in March.  Yesterday, the weather was beyond perfect for a Spraugust day.  :-)

The biggest thing for me driving Shenandoah is that there's a very different view and understanding of the track from the left side of the car than the from the right.  Sure, growing up, we learn to mimic the actions of our parents driving, who are there as we attempt to gain our drivers licenses as teenagers.  The problem with mimicking someone as an adult is that there is a better understanding of what the car can do.  I don't drive the Rabbit often, but being shotgun so much, I do know the courses, in a sense; and I know what that car can do, because Mike does it.

What I'm getting at is that I was trying to use his lines.  His braking zones.  This is a bad idea for someone's first time driving the course.  I know that going into 20, he brakes probably 150 feet before he tracks in.  My skill level isn't to that point; yet that was the lead I was following.  I know going into the Karussel, he brakes at this darker spot on the pavement, about 100 feet going into the sloped turn.  Again, not appropriate when I wasn't quite hitting the line.  Like Mike, I carried up in my last run of the day and skid across the top of the concrete and asphalt on the car's belly pan (aluminum sub frame protection FTW), although it didn't result in a four-off like his.

In general, I had a great day.  I had good instructors.  And got to catch up with the usual faces of these kinds of events (like Dubs on the Boards, SCCA, NASA, FATT, H20i...) for VWs.  I know where I have problems following the line (aside from the Karussel and turn 20; I was hitting the others pretty spot on by the end of the day) and I know that I shouldn't be following Mike's lines and brake zones.

The event on the new Jefferson in early June was probably better for me.  I didn't have any experience on that track before.  Mike didn't have any experience on new Jefferson.  It was a blank slate.  Nothing to mimic.  After I got over my nerves going into the Jefferson event, I did great.  I probably would have done great, if not better, on Jefferson if the event venue didn't have to change for logistical reasons.  I knew I wasn't ready for Shenandoah because of its turns.  Yesterday was proof of that.

On September 12th, I go out on Summit Main for my last event of the year.  After yesterday, I know that the turn 1 braking zone for me is the 3.5 marker and not the almost 1 like Mike's.  I know that turn 4 is a PitA.  Hopefully, I'll do better in September.  We shall see.

Dub Deliverance and Friday at the Track

This was originally just going to be a status update, then I realized it was getting REALLY long and had some good information to share with a wider audience.

Exhausting weekend.  Friday I had students in two of the three run groups and during Dub Deliverance I was instructing in nine of the on-track sessions.  I will start with Dub Deliverance and then double back to Friday at the Track.

Dub Deliverance is a great event run by TrackDaze and sponsored by VW, APR and NGP Racing.  This is a great event for anyone who wants a cheap track day because thanks to the sponsorship it is only $55 for participants.  Such a good deal that I was originally going to enjoy my time as a participant, but they needed more instructors and I have this flaw that makes me volunteer to help.  Somewhat sorry I did because I was run ragged on Saturday.

First I was in-car instructing a VW Employee around track in a MkVII Golf TSI (1.8T engine) that had some R bits and pieces on it (most notably, brakes).  I really like the styling of the new golf, although if that car had been a manual it would have made it more suitable for the track (The auto won't let you stay in the power band as easily).  Adding the APR 1.8T software probably would have made that even better, although it is not officially released for the MkVII yet, but I don't think the MkVII Golf (as opposed to the GTI) is in dealership lots yet.  The traction control REALLY didn't like the carousel constantly clamping the brakes as we went around it.

After that session I got a break (Because I wasn't back in time to hop in a Blue group car anyway) but then come green, I was in a MkV R32.  First ever time on track for that guy (and it turns out he was three spots down from us in the paddock).  Even though there weren't assigned instructors, I worked with him in ever run he did that day because I prefer the consistency.  (He skipped one session to let his friend use the car since his friend couldn't get his car ready for the track)  In the second and third blue group sessions I went out with Nate from NGP and helped him with the line on a couple parts of the course. I also instructed one of the cars in the second VW Employee session (Same driver, this time a MkVII GTI).

The MkVII GTI had nice power and was a manual.  The only problem with that car was it had completely stock GTI brakes and the driver who took it out the first session REALLY worked them so they started to fade about half way through the session and we had to pull it in.  The same problem happened with my green students R32, his brakes were still stock and his last run of the day he had to pull off early due to fade.  The very last session of the day for green/blue combined I ended up riding with a different student (despite REALLY wanting a break and wanting to start packing up) but he was a more passive driver (who still needed constant direction around the track, but at least he wasn't trying to drive into the hairpins 20 mph too fast or anything.  After that I was so wiped out I skipped my last track session and just loaded up the car.

Chrissy was also driving the car through the day in blue group but I will let her summarize her experience if she so chooses.  I also took the car out in two yellow sessions to get myself some extra track time, unfortunately, one had a bad start.  My brakes are sometimes a little inconsistent when cold, but they seemed to have enough heat in them from the other turns I went into leading up to the carousel.  Unfortunately, they weren't quite warm enough and I ended up hitting the carousel a little fast.  The car bounced a bit, slid up the hill, my skid plate scraped along the rim and I was shot out into the grass headed straight towards the tire wall. (see video below)  Fortunately I was still slow enough, especially with the added friction from scraping against the concrete, to avoid the wall.  And that was the second time that weekend I was four off (I was only driving one of the two times though, more on that later).

Now for Friday at the Track.  In Group 1A I picked a student in a MkV GTI who I had met at a previous Friday at the Track.  He was a great student who took instruction well and improved through the day.  He still needs to work on his threshold braking and cleaning up his line a bit in the back section.  For Group 1B I ended up working with three different students.  An E46 325i, a supercharged BRZ and for a very brief period, an Evo MR.  The Evo was a check-ride.  Another instructor had given him straight fives for two sessions straight and I was checking him to move him up to group 2i for the next event.  I told him I was just going to observe and only intervene if needed.  He didn't break hard enough for turn 10 on main.  At that point there isn't anything you can do because if you brake going into the turn you end up on the inside wall.  As we were starting to head out in to the graven, I just started yelling "Straight straight straight" so we didn't catch the front wheels and either roll the car or dart towards the inner wall.  The car started to slow in the gravel but one of the ruts in the sand jerked the wheel a bit so we started wiggling across track.  Once we were in the inner grass he gained just enough traction to gradually steer it away from the wall and we missed the tires at pit exit by about 2 feet.

So, we pulled into the pits, talked about it and talked to the pit control and headed back out planning on taking it slower.  He went a couple more laps, but had to pull it in after feeling a vibration and just parked it for the rest of the event.  He was actually much more shaken by it than I was (I was eerily calm during the whole thing).  His line also was sloppy when I was in the car with him so I think maybe nerves got to him knowing it was a check-ride.  So, I didn't put him forward.  So...that was my Friday and Saturday, how was yours?

Track track and more track

I have had a busy year so far.  So busy that I keep losing count of the number of days I have had on track.  I have met some great people and been building up my instructing resume at the same time.  To think, just last year I was a student and now the roles have reversed.  I had expressed my interest in instructing last year and BSR invited me to their instructor clinic this past winter.  From there, things have almost become a blur.

I started going to the Friday at the Track events, and emailed the TrackDaze guys to get started with them.  Then during one of the Friday at the Track events, they said the SCCA event the following couple of days needed additional instructors so I volunteered.  All of that happened before my first event instructing with Track Daze and while originally they had planned on putting me through their own mini instructor clinic but instead they had to just put me to work due to a shortage of instructors that event.  I then decided to show up for their VIR event as well even though I originally intended to skip it.

After that I was put in touch with the head instructor of another organization (Hooked on Driving) that was looking for more instructors for their VIR event.  So I made the long trek back down to VIR to audition for a recurring gig instructing for them.  That event went well and so at that point I had four organizations under my belt that I was already instructing for.  Another SCCA, Friday at the Track, HoD and Track Daze event later and I was pretty content with my schedule.

There was then a call for help for a teen driver education event (Tire Rack Street Survival).  If you have a teen driver, send them through the program!  It was a long but rewarding day.  Audi Club North America Potomac-Chesapeake Chapter was running that specific event and they said they were also in need of more instructors for their next event coming up.  Again, I am a sucker so I volunteered for that as well.  That event was half of a day of exercises like was offered during the teen driver education event, and then half a day of a normal track event.  Had a blast, met some more great people, and even got a nifty hat out of the deal that says Instructor on the side (Thank you Criswell Audi).

So, now my schedule for the rest of the year is pretty well set and I hope to have the BMW on track by the August 24th event and if not, by the SCCA event in September.

My New/Future Track Car - Looking for sponsors to help me out with this new project

While Klopfer has served me well, it is time for an upgrade to my track vehicle.  What does that mean?  That means a new toy.  What new toy?  A 1995 BMW E36 325i 5 speed sedan.  SEDAN?  Yeah....there aren't many coupes on the market that are in anything resembling good condition.  Now for my shameless plug for promotion/support.

Obviously a 19 year old car that didn't belong to someone who tracked the car is going to need some work to get it track ready (and MD Inspection ready...currently on temp tags), but I have plans for what I want to do.  I am hoping to find a sponsor to help me get this car buttoned all up and ready for the track this season (rather than waiting till next year).  I really want to get some track days under my belt in this car this year so I could possibly do some time trials next year (Current inclination is to participate with SCCA).  This is also an important thing for any company that might want to help me with the car because you can get involved early...who knows..maybe I will end up being good at time trial.

Right now I am looking for parts credits or at least discounts to help me get this car together and in exchange I am offering to carry your company name on my car (in a size reasonable for the discounts/credits I am receiving), photos of the car on track, videos from my events of laps around the track and product reviews.  I won't be able to get the car squared away before this weekends SCCA event nor next week's Friday at the Track, but since I am an instructor, I end up at a lot of track events.  I still have several events left this year including Hooked on Driving at Pocono, NASA at Daytona, Track Daze at VIR, one more SCCA at Summit Point, and several more Friday at the Track events, so the car will have lots of exposure. (Considering a couple other events as well).

So, what do I need to do to the car?  First round is suspension, brakes, brake flush, alignment, and tires.  I did the cup kit install and full brake upgrade on my rabbit, so I can tackle the labor on those just hoping to find some help in the parts department (and maybe tire department).  Want to help out and throw your name on my car but don't sell car parts?  Well, make me an offer, I don't mind straight up cash infusions either (besides parts, I also have gas on track and to/from truck in the beast in the background so that gives me a bit more flexibility).  I have reached out to two companies and am waiting to hear back.  One of them I have ordered a lot of parts from in the past and will probably making a significant percentage of my new parts purchases from them unless I develop a partnership with a different company.

Current upgrades I am considering.

• Either EBC Yellow or Hawk race pads (I use EBC Yellow on the Rabbit and have loved them)
• H&R Sport Cup Kit (cheaper than a decent coilover and again, proven very solid from my Rabbit)
• Will start stripping out the interior and eventually put in some real seats and at least a roll bar
• Currently plan on leaving the engine stock to leave future Spec E36 competition open as an option.

You can email me at mike at mikecrutchfield dot com if you are interested in helping out with the car.

Getting on Track - Your guide to Starting HPDE Part 2

If you haven't done so, please read Part 1 of this post first.

You will usually have to take your car through a quick tech-inspection before you sign-in  (or sometimes after, varies by group) where they do a final simple check and verify your tech form is filled out.  You will then start the day with some time in the classroom talking about the rules of the track, flags, passing and the line.  Your first time out on the track (and usually your first five or more events) you will have an instructor in the car with you.  Different groups run instructor assignments differently.  Some pre-assign them before the event and may even get you in touch before the event.  Others just have introduction at the beginning of the day, and even others just have instructors hop in the car with you on grid.  Some of the groups also tend to have the instructors drive two laps in your car to show you the line (but don't worry, they won't be going that fast).  Then you are off on the track.

Rule 1 on the track - LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Rule 2 on the track - LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Rule 3 on the track - Stay safe

Rule 4 on the track - Have fun

Rule 5 on the track - Learn as much as you can

Why do I emphasize the listen to the instructor?  They know what they are doing and they are there to make sure you can adhere to rules 3-5 above.  When you first start going, your instructor will be mostly instructing you about the line on the track.  Don't get frustrated if he tells you to drive a bit slower, as the day progresses you will have plenty of time to drive faster.  You may also find your instructor actually pushing you to drive a bit faster or brake later than you are doing.  It all really depends on the student.  Most people, their first time on the track, will drive the same way they do on a back windy road.  (Although some will drive like total maniacs and that makes the instructors job much harder/scarier).

Once you have finished your first session, your instructor will have a little debrief with you, talk about what you did well, and what you will work on during the next session.  Then you should go, take a break, go to the classroom if you need to, and make sure to hydrate.  This cycle will repeat all day long.

Make sure to be mindful of your car through the day.  If you brakes start to feel funny, say something to your instructor.  Don't be afraid to give up some track time if your car isn't up to the task.  It is better to miss a session then to wreck a car.  You may still be able to go on track but just not drive as hard.

The Danger

I want to touch on the danger aspect before I give you the links to the different organizations to take a look at.  One week ago today I lost a colleague and friend when a student lost control of their car and crashed.  We may never know exactly what happened in the accident, but it goes to show that bad things can happen.  Remember that the instructors are getting in the passenger seat with someone they have never met and have no idea how they drive.   If it weren't for us, you wouldn't be able to get on the track, so please help keep us safe as we work to keep you safe.

Lastly, where can you register to get on track?

Summit Point Friday at the Track - Only runs on the tracks at Summit Point Motorsports Park in WV.  An added bonus of their program is the time you get on the skidpad learning how to handle front and rear skids (over- and under-steer).  A great program to start with especially if that track is close and where you plan on going.  I instruct with FATT and have been doing events with them for a couple of years.
Track Daze - Track Daze runs at VIR, Summit Point and New Jersey Motorsports Park.  Many of their events are on weekends and are almost exclusively two day events (where you have the option of registering for only one of the days).  I instruct with Track Daze and have participated in their events at all three venues.  I am instructing next weekend at NJMP.
Hooked On Driving - They have chapters across the country that run in different regions on a lot of tracks.  If you sign up with them, make sure you let them know I sent you.  I instruct with Hooked on Driving but have only done a single event with them thus far at VIR (with one coming up at NJMP next Friday)
NASA (National Auto Sport Association) - They also have chapters across the country.  A NASA membership is required to participate in one of their events.  You are looking for the HPDE events.  Currently I don't instruct with NASA, but have done events at Summit Point, and Pocono Raceway.
SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) - Another group with chapters across the country.  An SCCA membership is required to participate in their events.  The events you are looking for are called PDX (Performance Driving Experience).  The Washington DC Region runs 3 PDX events a year at Summit Point.   I have done exactly one event at Summit Point with SCCA as an instructor.

Check with whatever track is closest to you to see if they have their own on-track experiences.  NJMP and Pittsburgh International Raceway both have their own programs for example.  Some tracks, to participate in the events they run, you have to be a member of their automotive country clubs, which gets pricey, which is why you check for other groups that run there.  BMW Car Club of America, Audi Club, Porche Club, many of those organizations run their own programs and are usually welcoming of other makes/models of cars.

You may run into the same instructor at events run by different organizations.  As I said above, I have worked with FATT, Track Daze, Hooked on Driving and SCCA, and all of those just this year!  Get out there, stay safe, have fun, and get addicted!

Getting on Track - Your Guide to Starting HPDE Part 1

More and more frequently, people are asking me how they get on track, where should they start, what should they do?  Well, I have decided to compile my advice into a simple to reference blog post that I can also update in the future if I need to.  First a few warnings.  

1. Driving on track is expensive.
2. Driving on track is addictive.
3. Driving on track is not without danger - I will get back to this at the end of the post.

You don't need to have a high-horsepower car to have fun on the track.  My track car is a 2007 VW Rabbit that MAY be pushing close to 170hp at the crank.  I get passed by a lot of other people, but there are times when I actually keep up with and pass much faster cars due to my skill and or stupidity...err...comfort throwing my car into a corner at high speed.  There are a few things you will need to do to car and plan for these before you register so you aren't caught off guard by the tech inspection requirements.  Other items will need to be checked besides these, but these are the most common problem areas.

1. Fresh Brake Fluid - Preferably high-temperature DOT-4 or DOT-5.1 fluid (BUT NOT DOT-5).  I used Motul DOT-4 RBF-600 at first and now use Motul DOT-5.1.
   Why fresh brake fluid?  Over time, brake fluid absorbs moister and this lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid.  Also, any time you boil you brake fluid, you again lower the boiling point.  If this happens on the track, you might find yourself going into a sharp turn at the end of the straight without the ability to brake.  
2. ALMOST fresh brake pads
   You don't want your brake pads to be BRAND new...they need a bit of time for break-in.  It is best that you put on fresh pads and follow a proper brake bedding procedure, but installing them at least 1-2 weeks before the event and just using them as normal will help mate them to the surface of the rotors better.
3. Sufficient tread on your tires
   There is always the chance of rain, so you need good tires.  Most groups will check your tread depth and not allow you on track with insufficient tread.
4. Check your other fluids
   Oil, transmission, coolant.  Change whatever fluids are necessary.
5. Check your suspension, wheel bearings, and all other critical linkages

If you can't take care of the above, find a shop you trust to do it, but in that case you will need to register first so you can have them fill out the tech form (rather than you filling it out yourself).  

Next, figure out WHERE you want to go to the track?  Is VIR in your back yard? If so, I hate you!  Try not to pick a track that is too insane for your first track event (If you are near Summit Point, Shenandoah is not the track to start with, start with Main for example).  Most people are a bit overwhelmed their first time on the track.  Once you have figured out where, then start looking for groups that run there that also fit your schedule.  If you are going to make a regular habit of this, plan to run at least your first few events with the same group.  This will give you some consistency and help you in your attempts to advance. (I will list some groups down below)  Based on what group you are going to run with, you may have to show up with your own helmet, whereas others can provide rentals.

Once you are registered, your car is ready and the track day approaches keep the following things in mind.  When you get to the track you will need to empty all of your stuff out of the car, so plan to have a tarp or containers or have a bunch of stuff lying on the ground.  I have never known there to be a theft problem at a normal HPDE style event.  In fact, most people would give you the shirt off their back if it meant you could get your car back on track for your next section.  You will want to have plenty of sleep the night before.  Show up with a willingness to learn and plenty of energy...you will be exhausted by the end of the day.  Remember the only "trophy" you can "win" is your car leaving in the same shape it arrived in at the beginning of the event.

So, that is part 1 and this blog post is getting long, so I am going to break this up, and post part 2 tomorrow.  Stay tuned!