Driver's Guide to the GCR

[Dave Gomberg]

John Nesbitt, FF/FC driver and recent recruit to the stewards ranks, has authored what should be a very useful document titled "The Portable Driver's Advisor". This guide to the GCR is available at http://offtotheraces.net/portabledrivers.pdf

Dave

[Knestis]

If there's some recognition that the GCR needs a guide, maybe we need to fix the GCR...?

K

[planet6racing]

Actually, the GCR doesn't need to be fixed. Based on what I read in the first few pages, it is the drivers/participants that need to be fixed. READ THE GCR. It's not that long. Keep it in the bathroom and read it 5 pages at a time and you'll get through it pretty easily.

When I went to my driver's school, I thought the GCR test was really a test. I read it (3) times before the school. Now, as an instructor, I cannot believe some of the questions that are missed, even with the open book test...

[Knestis]

Well - truth be told, I was kind of going there eventually, Bill...

K

[GKR_17]

When I went to my driver's school, I thought the GCR test was really a test. I read it (3) times before the school. Now, as an instructor, I cannot believe some of the questions that are missed, even with the open book test...

I presume you're talking about students. Unfortunately I've met a few SOM's who didn't comprehend the book any better, those same folks are passing judgment on fellow racers (and won't be overturned without new evidence). Talk about a sore spot... I better stop now.

A few years ago, a chief steward commented that every time he saw me I had a GCR in my hand. I took that as a compliment.

[gran racing]

It's not that long.

587 pages isn't that long? I'm sorry, but that's crap. Then again, Moby Dick is only about another 130 pages and that's not that long. If the two books used the same font size, the GCR would be even longer than that other short story.

To 95% plus of newbies, the GCR is confusing and intimidating. It sure was for me! Now that I've been racing for quite a while, I know which sections I need to look at and which ones I don't. Maybe you guys have been in the game too long to be objective with this topic. Then again, I've gone to tech inspections and there's been plenty of confusion...no, your car needs to comply with Touring rules. But, but, I'm in IMPROVED Touring. My car doesn't need that, or does it? Now I'm confused. LOL

And oh, wait, there are these monthly publications that come out which you also need to be aware of and comprehend how they don't or do impact things.

This is a nice attempt at simplifying what[B]IS[/BS] often perceived as a complicated book full of rules and information. Thanks John and Dave for posting it.

[ShelbyRacer]

587 pages isn't that long?

No, but 105 pages isn't that long. Technically that's all it is, and it's like 175 if you include the Appendices. The rest are Spec books. Back in 97 when I started into this (yeah, I'm a newbie), you had to buy the GCR and Spec books separately, which really was truly indicative of the true nature of the document.

At 5 pages a visit, (taking planet6racing's suggestion, which I like), it's only 3 weeks worth of bathroom visits...

[gran racing]

Matt, I've only been racing since '03. I don't think that's a bad thing since it has been long enough to know how things are done, but still fresh enough to remember what it was truly like as a newbie. Technically, the GCR is a ton of pages long. You and I now know the sections that are important to us, but I'm still not convinced newbies do.

The issue with a Cliff Notes version of the GCR is that one really needs to refer to the GCR when learning the rules. I do think there are opportunities for it to be distributed in a manner more user friendly.

See you at Summit for the Labor Day event, right?

[ShelbyRacer]

Absolutely, if not before...

And don't get me wrong Dave, I do feel the GCR is cumbersome, but I just wanted to pick on you a little.

I gotta get you back for writing a different good book that probably took up more of my time reading... but I did get more out of that one.

[seckerich]

No, but 105 pages isn't that long. Technically that's all it is, and it's like 175 if you include the Appendices. The rest are Spec books. Back in 97 when I started into this (yeah, I'm a newbie), you had to buy the GCR and Spec books separately, which really was truly indicative of the true nature of the document.

At 5 pages a visit, (taking planet6racing's suggestion, which I like), it's only 3 weeks worth of bathroom visits...

10 page visits are way better!! Even have time for fastrack. My wife swears men can not read anywhere else.