So easy, even a caveman can do it!

RedMisted

RedMisted

New member
Hey all.

If you know of anyone who wants to get their SCCA racing license but is afraid they lack the skills to make the grade, tell them about the GL Division driver's school. It doesn't matter if you spin your car across the track, into the pit lane, across the pit lane entrance, and into a false grid area and nearly kill two grid workers. Nor does it matter if you keep spinning off the same corner all weekend long. Nor does it matter if you're a foreigner with a compromised grasp of the English language, and therefore cannot pass the written exam given several tries. You'll get your provisionsal.

That's exactly what happened this past weekend. Is your division's driver's school that rigorous in its testing and evaluation of potential racers?
 
Last edited:
RedMisted said:
To put it in a nutshell, in SCCA, it i$ all about $$$$. Many regions want higher driver numbers to satisfy agenda$, so the term "driver's school" becomes a misnomer.
Click to expand...

Not up here in the Northeast. Money is not even part of the equation. It's only if all the instructors feel you are safe and ready to be on your own.
 
Jeremy Billiel said:
Not up here in the Northeast. Money is not even part of the equation. It's only if all the instructors feel you are safe and ready to be on your own.
Click to expand...

Hats off to all of you in the Northeast, then, if you're doing it right.

Joe, you need to come down here and take an account of the situation before telling an insider to "chill." The problems with our school are not new, and are a reason we have so many incompetent drivers in this area of the division...
 
Last edited:
RedMisted said:
Hats off to all of you in the Northeast, then, if you're doing it right.

Joe, you need to come down here and take an account of the situation before telling an insider to "chill." The problems with our school are not new, and are a reason we have so many incompetent drivers in this area of the division...
Click to expand...

Chris - were you at the drivers school?
 
ITA_honda said:
Chris - were you at the drivers school?
Click to expand...

No. (It was Mother's Day weekend, wasn't it?) I had heard enough from those who were there. Besides, the prevailing issues go way beyond the school. Remember the IT Fest last year? The whole fiasco that was Race Group Two mirrors the lax permissiveness that was on display last weekend.

Greg, you're part of the apparatus, and I'm glad you saw this.

I know this is gonna piss off a lot of people. That's just too bad.
 
Last edited:
Maybe shedding some details and suggestions on what to do would help versus just pointing fingers and complaining....
just a thought. :)
 
I was at this school weekend for one day last year. I understand the OP's point completely, even being in IT Fest Race Group 2 as well.

And in NeDIV, I know NER and NNJR run pretty tight schools. Haven't necessarily heard as good a things about a certain Double School at the south end of the Division.

A while back here there was lots of rah rah on how good Double Schools are, given that they can provide a sign-off in a weekend and get someone racing in one shot. All I'll say is that in not necessarily a good thing.
 
The double school format isn't the issue, it's the willingness to tell someone you're not ready yet or in a worst case, other sports beckon.
 
preparedcivic said:
I disagree Dave. A Double creates the expectation a sign-off is going to happen at the end of the weekend.
Click to expand...

Going to any School creates an expectation of success. No one ever expects to fail. A Double just makes it easier on the wallet. If the driver isn't safe for himself or others he/she should be shown how to efficiently load the car on the trailer.
 
Last edited:
preparedcivic said:
I disagree Dave. A Double creates the expectation a sign-off is going to happen at the end of the weekend.
Click to expand...

Who sets that expectation?
The student.. NO. They get that expectation from others but they themselves didn't create it.
The club... possibly. By past observations from others passing in 1 double school. But honestly most deserve to.
How about the mentor or friend that got them to the point to take the school? I beleive that WE... me and you are the ones setting these expectations.

It's all about some PERSONAL accountability to those that we are mentoring and guiding along. Along with some Honest feedback which doesn't come often in our society other than in forums behind computers.

Back to the OP... I would recomend sending a kind letter to your cheif instructor asking if you (Or the others that are frustrated) can get involved. Explain your concerns and let him or her know that you and the other members are concerned and that you want to HELP. Take some personal accountability and the outcomes may change. Go back and ask those that complained to you why the students passed? If they don't know why they passed then ask them if they were so concerned did they actually do anything or did they just watch the situation unfold? Honestly I think to many people never ask questions and just let it go and complain later.

I would also like to know what track this is. If someone can spin into grid we (SCCA) should not be racing at that track. Possibly an exaggeration on these details since its hearsay but if it did happen then something needs to be looked at for safety at that track.

Stephen
 
At the double school I went to last July (in SW Div), it was very clear that if you were not safe to race with, you didn't pass. the main statement from the instructors was "If I pass you, the next time I see you will be on grid next to my car. if I'm not comfortable with you in a car then, I won't pass you now."

I know for a fact the guys that were spinning and doing stupid crap on Sat drastically changed their behavior on Sunday so they were allowed to pass.
one driver was still a roadblock and was asked to go to a few more DEs, then come back to the next school (which is a year later) so they had plenty of time to think about it.
 
StephenB said:
I would also like to know what track this is. If someone can spin into grid we (SCCA) should not be racing at that track. Possibly an exaggeration on these details since its hearsay but if it did happen then something needs to be looked at for safety at that track.
Stephen
Click to expand...

Nelson Ledges. But please don't blame the track. As drivers, crew and workers, we take ultimate responsibility for our own individual safety. You must survey a situation and refuse to participate if the risk is deemed excessive.
 
RedMisted said:
Nelson Ledges. But please don't blame the track. As drivers, crew and workers, we take ultimate responsibility for our own individual safety. You must survey a situation and refuse to participate if the risk is deemed excessive.
Click to expand...

Agreed. but you can't remove responsibility from the workers and stewards if they continued to let an unsafe driver endanger everyone at the track that day.
If someone really IS consistently spinning off track and into the pits, then they need to have their keys taken away and the car put on the trailer for them.
 
Having just renewed my regional license on a double dip weekend, where my motor blew its head gasket after the first day. I researched participation requirements to see if I needed a waiver and came across this:

2.2. Credit Toward License​
A. To qualify for renewing or upgrading a license, a competitor must
participate in the minimum number of SCCA races specified in​
Table 1​
​
​
​
​
​
​
. However, no license credit shall be given for the following:
1. Drivers Schools
2. Races held as part of a Drivers School
3. Events not sanctioned by the SCCA
4. Events resulting in a DNS or DNF
B. A licensed competitor may enter multiple cars in an event, but will
earn license credit for only one entry for each race group per sanction
number. A Novice Permit holder will earn license credit for only​

one race for each sanction number.

So, then how can a racer go from nothing to novice to regional license in one weekend? And with no prior racing experience? Well, it is a long weekend, with the school starting on Thursday, and on Sunday they race in the regional. But specifically for Novice permit holders, one sanction number, one credit.

The economice stiuation in many regions has caused them to turn a blind eye to get new racers in.
 
Matt93SE said:
Agreed. but you can't remove responsibility from the workers and stewards if they continued to let an unsafe driver endanger everyone at the track that day.
If someone really IS consistently spinning off track and into the pits, then they need to have their keys taken away and the car put on the trailer for them.
Click to expand...

That was the only off track excursion he had. Went too wide coming out of turn 13 on the last lap of the Saturday race. Cought the lip between the pavement and grass and it snapped the car to the inside of the track. The driver actually did a very good job of slowing it down (he was probably doing 65-70mph exiting) The exit of 13, pit in, and the grid are all in one general area. When he slid in to the pit/grid area he was doing maybe 15mph?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top