ccr double drivers school

[racer14itc]

Originally posted by JamesB@Dec 29 2005, 06:14 PM
From what I took fromt he WDCR school was that they didnt expect you to memorize the whole GCR...though we know a few here who have. But to make sure you know where to look to find the answer and generally make sure you read it. I just dont see CCR being any different and expecting you to be able to recite all of x.x.x from memory. But i would expect them to make you recite the meaning of every flag from memory.

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As an instructor at the CCR school coming up, it's also a good idea to know if you can or cannot pass under each of the flags as well. I'm amazed/shock/horrified at the number of licensed drivers I've encountered (novices, regional and national license holders) who don't know if they can pass under a white flag, a debris flag, a checkered flag, etc...

Or the ones who think a double yellow flag means immediately slow down to 30 mph and create a huge parade behind you. :119:

See ya there!

MC

[JamesB]

I havnt seen that at the races I been at, I have seen a few brake checks as they go from 10/10th to 5/10th the second the double yellow comes out.

[racer14itc]

Originally posted by JamesB@Dec 29 2005, 06:53 PM
I havnt seen that at the races I been at, I have seen a few brake checks as they go from 10/10th to 5/10th the second the double yellow comes out.

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James,

I've been in a few races in which I've gotten caught behind some yahoo (usually a lapper but not always) who won't catch up to the safety car under double yellows, creating a long line of very unhappy drivers. Even the corner workers were practically on the track waving to the clueless driver to speed up and catch up, to no avail. :angry:

My point is that the students at the CCR school (and other schools of course) should not only be able to identify the flags but also what constraints they put on the track/racing surface. I've surprised more than a couple of drivers over the years with a (safe) pass under a white flag condition when they slowed down (too much). I've also seen near wrecks by people relaxing a little too much after taking the checker and nearly collecting someone who was passing them on the cool down lap (a perfectly legal thing to do). And I have been the beneficiary of a pass on a fast, but uninformed, newbie driver who moved over and let me pass when he was shown the blue passing flag.

See ya there!

MC

[JamesB]

oh yeah the white flag as the worse. But WDCR did great about pounding that into your head to just keep going. We actually had a few incidents that they didnt even have to drill us on certain flags as one of my run groups drivers brought out the red, we had enough hot pulls from drivers that it wasnt all that bad.

[Ron Earp]

Jeff and I are going down to crew for three new drivers we're bringing in. I'll help out if anyone needs help, we've got our stuff covered I think unless something breaks.

Ron

[Jim]

Hey Ron,

I will be down there crewing for a friend of mine who crewed for me last year. I normally run the white IT7 in CCPS. He will have a grey and red IT7. We might have another car (blue and yellow IT7) for a different friend. If you need a hand on the cars let me know, otherwise we can hoist a cold frosty beer after on-track events.

Jim

[Ron Earp]

Originally posted by Jim@Dec 30 2005, 09:01 AM
Hey Ron,

I will be down there crewing for a friend of mine who crewed for me last year. I normally run the white IT7 in CCPS. He will have a grey and red IT7. We might have another car (blue and yellow IT7) for a different friend. If you need a hand on the cars let me know, otherwise we can hoist a cold frosty beer after on-track events.

Jim

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Jim,

Thanks for the offer of help and we'll help out where we can. We'll have three Miatas down there, #43 which is red with black top, Richard Petty style numbers, #39 which is silver and black, and another car which is white with some green trim. As Jeff and the others will tell you, there is a lot to do in the little town of Camden, you just have to find it.

As you know, last year was cold! We'll have a 20ft enclosed trailer with RTP Racing triangles on the side, come in and get warm if you need. We're planning to have a heater in there, but I'm hoping this year will have more sun and temps like we have now - 60F!

ron

[charrbq]

I have a good friend that has ADD. Even though he's had his license for ten years, before each track session, I have to go over the flags with him. He's not dangerous, but just forgetful. He was passing a car once that was given the passing flag. When my buddy saw the flag, he moved over and backed off. I verbally beat him up after the session for doing so. His response was he thought the flag was for him and someone else was passing. To his defense, we were on the track with the Corvette challenge.

[charrbq]

Nothing is worse than getting behind someone, under a full course yellow, that drops their speed to a crawl as the field drives away. That is, unless you are the cause for the yellow flag...that would be worse.

[Team SSR]

Anyone know why the school was cancelled?

I guess I'll be going to Savannah...

[CaptainWho]

Originally posted by Team SSR@Jan 5 2006, 10:31 PM
Anyone know why the school was cancelled?

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The CCR Web site says it's due to low entries. Now I wish I'd pursued that "get another double school under my belt" idea. Supps or not, if entries were that low I bet they'd have let me.

[erlrich]

Well s*#t! I was worried this might happen, as of yesterday they only had 18 entries.

I wonder when they were going to tell us about it? I wouldn't know anything if I hadn't seen it here. Thanks guys. See you at Roebling I guess.

[Toni]

Here is the text of the email I received.

Due to very low entries (about 20), we have decided to cancel the school at Kershaw in January. If you know anyone who was planning to attend, please let them know. Thanks.

Betsy Speed
CCR Registrar

[erlrich]

Originally posted by erlrich@Jan 6 2006, 07:37 AM
I wonder when they were going to tell us about it?

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Question answered - just got the phone call. I take back all those terrible things I was thinking

[pistonwheels]

Hi,

The decision to cancel was made yesterday Jan 05 (as I just came back yesterday from a vacation in England). At that time we only had 17 definite entries and another 4 possible. I had received a few further inquiries.

We needed about 30 entrants to even come close to break even. (Last year we lost a signifcant amount). It was extremely unlikely that we would reach that number.

It costs somewhere around $16,000 to $20,000 to put on an SCCA double drivers school at CMP (which is not an overly expensive track). Price variation is due to such things as number of instructors required, insurance fees, track car charges, etc.

I've posted this so there's accurate explanation of the reason to cancel. All involved in organizing it sincerely wish we could have allowed it to continue, but it would have been financial jeopardy for CCR to do so.

By the way, regarding GCR's. Topeka should now send one out with every completed Novice permit application. We would not have taken any action if they were not available and you didn't have one, due to the event being so early in the year.

Regards,
Martin Bartlett.
CCR Regional Executive.

[flaboy]

Savanaha here we come!!

[RussMcB]

Hmm. I wonder if the Roebling school is going to be crowded? I guess as long as they have enough instructors it will be okay.

As an old SCCA driver and based on various experiences over the years, I hope the following things are stressed in all drivers schools:

1. When being passed, do not alter your normal racing line. I know this is sometimes controversial, but the chances are much greater that an accident will happen if a passee doesn't take a normal line through a corner. The experienced passer, if he's lucky with the timing, has planned the corner to come out at maximum speed, which means timing the pass to happen coming out of the corner on the INSIDE, possibly within inches and on the edge of adhesion. If a passee does not take the normal corner exit, it could be a bad surprise for the passer.

I hope I don't ruffle any feathers with that opinion, but I will probably go to my grave believing it is the best advice.

2. Starts are when many crashes occur, especially when people at the front are playing games. If you're fortunate to be at the front of the pack, try very hard not to find yourself needing to get off the gas before the green is thrown. You may get away with it, but somebody behind you will likely suffer. You know - that accordian effect.

3. When a yellow, red or black flag comes out, do not abruptly slow or stop. There is a good chance that you've noticed a flag before someone else. It happens a lot, probably because people are involved in a battle and focusing on the front bumper ahead. When you need to come to a stop or slow for an incident, DO NOT suddenly slow up. Simply ease off and make sure you are in total control of the car. In a red flag situation (or black flag), the GCR does not say to come to a complete stop in the shortest possible distance, for obvious reasons.

4. In a full course yellow, don't dilly dally. If you hold up cars behind you they are going to be pretty upset.

Those are the biggies that come to mind. There's plenty more I'd like to share with young whipper snappers, but I'm sure they're saying, "Yeah, right, Grandpa. Next tell us about your riding mechanic and your old Morman Wasp race car. :-).

Those of you going to the school, enjoy the experience. You'll look back on it for many years, hopefully with good memories and advice from good instructors.