Development of mentor program?

[Flyinglizard]

NASA is a lot more noob friendly. Just by their race license program alone. We ran NASA for the first time last summer and I was very impressed. Lots of new blood,lots of cash in the cars. SCCA has missed some things, that NASA has picked up. The spec classes seem towork,etc.

[alberto_mg]

Don't forget about other race organizations - BMW, Porsche, Rally, Motorcycle stuff etc.

[nlevine]

The Boston Chapter of the BMW CCA has a really good mentor program for their driver's school program. If you volunteer to be a mentor (typically the Group 1 and Group 2 advanced students), you get assigned a novice participant. You're supposed to contact the novice some weeks prior to the event, chat about what to expect, their goals for the school, give them the lay of the land, etc. It then helps to arrange to meet at the event - paddock next to them, etc. and keep checking in during the day. Even just knowing where to park and who to talk to for what, can be intimidating for some on top everything else going on at a first event.

I was gratified to see students I mentored initially get completely hooked into the sport, eventually becoming club racers..

[raffaelli]

This site is full of mentors. Everyone on this site has given me help, advice and/or encouragement.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Dave,

As you may know, at least ion NER, autox has a novice program. You get walk arounds, you get classed with other beginners and race based on an index etc. It works well.

Whomever has volunteered to be the drivers reps should attend the last few classroom sessions at each school. Introductions, etc. They would be the go-to people for any questions and issues. I think it may already be built into the system, we just have to expand it a little.

[gran racing]

My orginal thought and personal experiences were that much of the challenge isn't necessarily finding help once a person actually gets to the track be it autocross, HPDEs or Club Racing. Having someone they can physically speak with before to add that one more piece of comfort level is where I was thinking it would be useful.

Do you think something like this wouldn't be of much value then? Quite truthfully, in many respects I'd rather not attempt to coordinate putting something like this together (realization of how big a project it would be). I'd be curious to hear more of your thoughts.

[JLawton]

Dave,


Whomever has volunteered to be the drivers reps should attend the last few classroom sessions at each school. Introductions, etc. They would be the go-to people for any questions and issues. I think it may already be built into the system, we just have to expand it a little.

My opinion is that is the responsibilty of the instructor. I don't feel that our responsibility ends after the school. I've always made sure that they have my contact information and encourage them to contact me with ANY questions. I take a great deal of pride in the fact I keep in contact with most of my students and have become friends with many of them.

I think Dave hit the nail on the head. It's getting those people who want to get on the track but don't know how or don't realize how easy (relatively speaking) it is.

Since last summer I've been listed as the "New Driver Ambassador" for NER and even wrote an article for Pit Talk but have had only around 10 people contact me. And I think all of them had already been on track in one form or another.

Maybe you/we could get the different organizations to post a link on their websites saying something like: "So, you think you want to get on the track, click here" and have it feed into the site you're thinking about. Would they all do it?? I don't know. PDA, NASA, SCCA, SCCA regions, EMRA, COM, etc. Too bad the magazines wouldn't allow us to put an ad in for free...........

[Flyinglizard]

A form E mail to other sites as a public service A, might be well recieved.
Keep in mind that POC, BMW, clubs really dont think a lot of the SCCA racers, for some reason.. Maybe the spec Miata videos??
Just a email for region questions( iwould use the word" iquiries" if I could spell it) , make up a list of contacts to send out, etc. IMHO. MM

[EP3CivicSi]

As someone who is currently building an IT car and plans to go to a drivers school in the next year or so, this would be a neat program. I plan on attending some club racing events at NJMP this year and it would be nice to chat up some guys (who arent too busy during the event) who don't mind letting total noobs like me in on the process and intricacies . I'd be interested to see everyone's best ideas. I know from reading "take the wheel" and autocrossing with the Philly SCCA the last 3 years that the veterans are usually pretty accepting and knowledgable, but having a set program would make the transition from aspiring racer to racer that much easier.

[gran racing]

Yes, I'd be interested in getting those questions. In addition to the mentor program, I'm in the process of making the contents of my book as well as additional information into an online resource. That would be helpful. Send them to [email protected] . Thanks!!

[darkside]

A mentor program is a great idea. I'm not sure how formal it has to be. I think the hardest part is getting ready for a rookie season before you get to the track for the first time. This is when rookies need the most help. I was fortunate enough to make a few contacts from message boards and driver's school to get all the info I needed.


At the track should be easy. If a rookie needs help they need to approach somebody and ask questions. The drivers that have been at this a while can spot a new driver and should lend a hand or a few pointers.

[DavidTuaty]

I think it's a fantastic idea and I volunteer myself down here in South Florida.
Any questions and or work on your track or race cars. count me in

David Tuaty
www.TuatyLeiraMotorsports.com
305-216-5390

[steve b]

I'm new enough at racing to remember all the worrying for nothing and stress that I felt as I took the steps to get into racing. So let me throw in my two cents.

I don't know if all noobs go through this or if it is just my personality type, but I worried about every step of becoming a racer starting from downloading the medical form on.

It would be ideal if there were a link somewhere on the SCCA site, preferably near the medical form and novice application form download site that would say "If you would like to be assigned a mentor to guide you through the steps click here".

Ideally, a racer from your region would contact you well ahead of your first school and guide you through such matters as the physical, novice permit application, school registration, car tech, and it would be great if they could be present during the first school.

Email exchanges prior to the school can go over things like safety gear, tow rigs, parking at the paddock, camping at the track, etc.

I'm sure this sounds like basic things to veteran racers, but these were the things that I worried about. I had a load of track days under my belt when I finally took the leap, the driving on the track was the least of my worries.