SPEED VENTURES DRIVER ORIENTATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Transcription

1 SPEED VENTURES DRIVER ORIENTATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW Welcome to Speed Ventures and thank you for joining our driver orientation program. To insure the safety of all our participants, Speed Ventures requires that ALL first-time drivers (those who have never driven a car on a road course) complete our 1-day orientation at their first event. This guide will cover most of what you can expect to learn in the program. While repeat attendees are always welcome, the course is primarily designed for beginners. After completing our 1-day program, you will have the option to move up to Level 2 or Level 3 for future events (or you may choose to take the school over again if you wish). You may also attend Day 2 or Day 3 of a multiple day event as a Level 2 or Level 3 driver as long as you complete the orientation program on Day 1. In addition, you may want to request more advanced instruction at future events. Speed Ventures has programs available for drivers at any point in their development. We offer coaching for beginner, intermediate, and advanced drivers through our network of Expert, Semi-Professional, and Professional Drivers. Please indicate what kind of help you would like and what your goals are and we will give you a quote for coaching services and match you with an appropriate instructor.

2 SCHEDULE ALL DRIVERS MEETING The day begins with a MANDATORY All Drivers Meeting (usually held at 7:55am), which includes everyone who will be at the track that day. During this Drivers Meeting you should pay close attention and make a note of any questions you have. We will then release all Advanced Drivers and others who have run with Speed Ventures before. Part 2 of the Drivers Meeting is for everyone who has not run Speed Ventures before and for all Novices (that s you). Stay put for this portion of the drivers meeting as we ll be covering the meanings of the different course flags plus other important information specific to a Speed Ventures track event. Part 3 is exclusively for you and the other participants in our Driver Orientation Program. Be sure to stick around for this meeting as well as you ll be learning the basics of driving line, brake zones, corner entry, apex, and exit, and the other concepts you ll need to maximize your driving performance. ON TRACK After you complete the three drivers meetings, it s time to get out for your first session on track. Often, this opening run group is a lead/follow exercise. In these initial sessions, there will be 2-4 students assigned to each on-track group. The instructor will lead the student s cars around the track at low speed to demonstrate the proper driving line on the course. Be sure to follow exactly where your instructor drives in order to learn the proper line for the track. In some cases, you ll be assigned a personal instructor. The two of you will decide the guidance that will best support you in learning the track. You might follow the instructor s car to learn the line and/or have them ride as a passenger in yours to talk you through the course. Regardless of whether your on-track instruction is individual or a very small group, you ll get plenty of personal time with your instructor to make sure you maximize your achievement and enjoyment of your big day on the track. DOWNLOAD MEETINGS After each run session, you and your fellow classmates will meet with the Chief Driving Instructor, for a detailed download meeting. These important follow-up sessions begin 5 minutes after each on-track session ends and are mandatory for all students. In these meetings the chief instructor will pass on his observations (good and bad) about the previous session. The class will discuss in detail what happened on track. You will have an opportunity to ask specific questions, and then receive further instruction. These meetings are your chance to focus on refining what you ve learned and we encourage you to take full advantage of the information and experience our skilled instructors can provide. 2

3 WHAT IS COVERED IN CLASSROOM SESSIONS & DRIVERS MEETINGS SAFETY Most of what we cover in our Drivers Meeting and Classroom sessions relates in some way to safety, but here are a few of the other topics we ll cover: PROTOCOL/ETIQUETTE FLAGS RACING TERMINOLOGY UNDERSTEER/ OVERSTEER PERSONALIZED TIPS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE DRIVING TIPS DRIVING LINE TURN ENTRY, APEX, EXIT PASSING SAFELY (POINT BYS) LISTENING TO YOUR CAR BRAKING SHIFTING TIRE PRESSURES/TEMPERATURES DANGER ZONES USING YOUR MIRRORS 3

4 Car Preparation: To get your car ready for the track, you ll need to do a few things. There are a few more items you ll want to consider. MANDATORY: Car Numbers: It is mandatory for all cars on track to have a number on both sides and on the back. This is how the corner and safety workers identify cars, so it s very important to have numbers visible. If you haven t already selected a number in our database, just pick a temporary three digit number once you arrive at the track. If you don t have painter s or racer s tape to use, we have several colors available at the registration desk. Loose objects: You may not have any loose objects of any kind in your car while on track. Anything not bolted down can become a projectile in an accident and is extremely dangerous. This includes cameras not attached to proper mount (or being handheld by a passenger) as well as fire extinguishers or other equipment attached with Velcro. Tow hooks: Tow hooks are mandatory for all vehicles on track. If a car becomes disabled, all the other participants have to wait while it is towed off track. The tow drivers need to be able to hook up to your car quickly and a tow hook is the safest way to insure a quick hook-up that won t damage your vehicle. Most modern cars come with a tow hook along with the jack and other emergency tools. If your car does not have a tow hook, make sure you find a secure place that the tow drivers can hook up to easily. Tech form: Either you or your mechanic must insure that your car is safe and sound enough to drive on track. Speed Ventures does not provide tech inspection services. A tech form is provided at the Speed Ventures website and you ll need to have this completed before the event and bring it with you to registration. If you feel technically proficient enough to perform the inspection yourself, you may. Otherwise, please bring it to your mechanic to complete. A breakdown on the track is a major headache and takes track time away from your fellow drivers. In addition to the tech form, please do all you can to insure your car is up to the rigors of a day on the track. Windows: Both front windows must be down on track. Make sure to keep your arms inside the car at all times. (No elbows on the window sill, or passenger arms hanging out) Unless you are shifting gears, both hands should be on the wheel at all times! Sunroofs: Sunroofs should be kept closed while on track. Convertibles: If you re in a convertible, you need to have eye protection. The visor on a helmet is fine, but if your helmet is open faced, you ll need to wear glasses or sunglasses as well. Additionally, all convertibles either need a roll bar/cage, or factory rollover protection. Examples of cars with factory roll protection would be Honda S2000s, BMW Z4s and late model convertibles with pop-ups. (Porsche, BMW, etc.) 4

5 Cameras: As mentioned earlier, cameras must be securely mounted to the vehicle. Velcro and other less secure mounts are not allowed, nor are handheld cameras of any kind. Helmets: Helmets are mandatory for driver\and all passengers at al times on track. Helmets should have a minimum rating of SA2000. (although we will allow a motorcycle helmet if this is your first event) Your passengers must have a helmet too. Rental helmets are available on a first come first served basis. If you think you ll need a rental helmet, it s a good idea to reserve one in advance. OPTIONAL: Taping headlights/fenders: There is some debate as to where the practice of taping headlights began. Most say it was to prevent the loose glass from falling to the track in the event of one breaking. We do not require that you tape your headlights at a Speed Ventures event. That said, you may want to use tape to protect your headlamps and other exposed areas of your car from rock chips and debris. If you choose to do this, we recommend 2 3M painter s tape. It s available in most hardware stores, and comes off easily without damaging the finish of your car. Brake info: If this is your first event, you probably don t have to worry too much about brakes just yet. Factory brake pads are meant to provide optimal stopping power at a wide range of temperatures. As a result, they are not ideally suited to extended heavy braking which can overheat them. Even if this is your first time on a race track, you may find that as your sessions are coming to the mid and later stages that your brakes are fading more and more. Keep this in mind and consider braking a bit earlier in tricky corners as the session winds down. As you become more proficient at driving on a track, you ll want to consider switching to a race compound brake pad for track days. This is something you may want to discuss with your instructor at the event if you choose to come back for more. Tires: As with brakes, street tires are made to provide good traction over a wide range of surfaces and weather conditions. They are not made for the heat and rigors of extended time on a race track. Like street brakes, street tires will lose their effectiveness as the session goes on and you ll need to compensate for the reduced grip when they get greasy. As you become more adept at tracking, you ll probably want to consider a set of R- compound tires to help you maximize grip and performance. For your first event, a quality set of street tires should be more than adequate. 5

6 Rules: All the rules of safe driving apply on the racetrack as well, but there are a few more that are unique to a tracking situation. We ll cover some of them here: Passing: To insure maximum driver and car safety, the beginner group has some very strict rules about passing. Passing in turns is expressly forbidden. Passing is only allowed in the straightaways and then only with a point-by. Point bys: A point-by simply means that the driver in front sees that a driver behind him/her wants to pass and is allowing them to do so. By extending their arm out the window, they can point to the driver behind them which side they want that person to pass them on. The following driver should then either proceed to pass them safely on the indicated side, or they can choose to remain behind and simply wave-off the point by. Driver courtesy is of paramount importance for everyone to have a good time, and it is important to frequently check your mirrors to make sure you aren t holding up traffic. If you feel there s a car behind you that wants to pass, wait for the next safe passing zone, then point them by you. When on track, a faster driver takes precedence over a faster car, and it s not uncommon to see 100HP Miatas turning in faster lap times than 500HP Vipers. (A word to drivers of high HP cars. If you want to allow a low HP car like a Miata or Civic to pass, make sure you lift off the gas or even tap your brakes to give them a chance to get by you. Your car can idle faster than they can go at full acceleration! Rest assured, as soon as you get back to the turns, they ll quickly pull away.) If you find that you are much faster than the drivers in your group and are feeling held up let us know and we can advance you to the next group if you re ready. As you progress in to our more advanced run groups, the passing rules become more liberal. In our red or full race group, the passing is open and anywhere on track! Breakdowns: With a properly prepared car, breakdowns are rare on the track. If one does occur, or if you are involved in a spin or some other accident, there are several safety tips to remember. Don t get out of the car!!! Unless your car is on fire, stay in the vehicle with your helmet on! Even if you think you re way off track and in a safe place, you re not. You are safest inside your vehicle. Don t panic. There are safety workers all over the track and they ll tell you what to do. If you are able to get the car started, (or if it never stopped running) look to the nearest safety worker to let you know when it is safe to merge back onto the track. If you have gone off track, please merge back on slowly so as not to bring a lot of debris on the track with you. If the car won t restart or is leaking fluid, remain in the car with your helmet on. If you are safely off track, the session will probably be allowed to continue and you ll be towed in at the end of the run group. If you are not in a safe location, the track will temporarily shut down so that you can be towed in. Remain in your car until the tow truck arrives, then be ready to direct the driver to your tow hook for a quick and easy hookup. 6

7 Stopping on track: Unless you see a red flag or have a serious mechanical failure, please do not stop on track at any time. If you notice a minor problem, just finish your lap and bring it into the pits before stopping to inspect. There is one very big exception to this rule: If you are leaking fluids on track, pull off track as quickly and safely as you can and come to a stop. On track, an oil leak can quickly leave a mile long slick on the racing surface which can take a very long time to clean up. Your fellow drivers would greatly appreciate it if this didn t happen, so please be aware of your fluids. Lead follow sessions: In your lead follow sessions, it is important to stay close to the car ahead of you and do EXACTLY what they do. It may feel strange at first weaving back and forth across the track, but as you increase your speed, the effectiveness of this driving line will become self-evident. Be sure to ask you instructor any questions you might have about the line/brake zones. Water: Even on cooler days, you can sweat off a lot of water at the track and dehydration is a possibility. Speed ventures provides free bottled water to all our drivers and we encourage you to drink plenty of it. Drugs and alcohol: For years now, Aaron has tried to hold a Speed Ventures Drunken Rent-A-Car Challenge to fully test just how impaired one s track driving becomes after successive beers. Unfortunately, we have thus far been unable to secure a sponsorship from Hertz, Avis or any of the other major retailers. Until such a time as we are able to gather further empirical data, we must yield to current theory. As a result drugs and alcohol are not permitted during Speed Ventures track events. (On barbeque nights, we don t tap that keg until the track shuts down for the day.) Again it s all about safety. Speed Limits: On the track, the speed limit is whatever you think is safe. (Tip: When you see God, BREAK!!!) In the pits and paddock area, it s a different story. Please limit your speed to 15MPH when in these areas. There are many pedestrians walking in multiple directions and cars going every which way; be careful. On the grid and pre-grid area, try to keep it to a slow crawl. Track entrance/exit: Watch flag person and for other vehicles. When exiting, make sure to extend your right arm out the window with your fist pointed upward to let the driver behind you know you re exiting. Before you go on track: Check your tires for air pressure and tread. Make sure your lug nuts are tight. Check your brake pads and rotors for wear. Check fluid levels. This includes gas! 7

8 APEX Racing Glossary: The point in a corner where a car is closest to the inside edge of the track. Drivers try to "hit" the apex to take the straightest line and maintain maximum speed. On many turns, there is a berm here to allow cars the best possible line. EARLY APEX A driver turns into a corner early. An early apex forces you to scrub off more speed to exit safely. LATE APEX Turning into a corner late and missing the optimum apex point. A late apex is almost always the safest option. BERM These are the slightly raised paved areas often at the entry, apex, and exit of a turn. They are often marked with red, black, or yellow stripes or paint. BOOST The amount of pressure generated by a turbocharger or supercharger as it forces the air/fuel mixture into a forced induction engine. CAMBER The angle that wheels are tilted inward or outward from vertical. If the top of the wheel is tilted inward, the camber is negative. CHICANE An "S" like track configuration generally designed on a fast portion of a track to slow cars. Also referred to as "esses" or a "switchback." CORNER WORKER The flag wavers who staff corners to notify drivers of dangerous situations and to direct them in off track excursions, mechanical breakdowns, and other emergencies. They are there to protect your safety, so treat them with courtesy and respect. DRIVING LINE This is the line to follow around a racetrack that allows you to carry the most speed. Remember, the shortest distance around the track usually isn t the fastest. The fastest way around a track is the straightest. Any time you turn the wheel, however slightly, you scrub off speed. ENTRY POINT This is the place you want to be when coming into a turn. This location allows you the best line through the turn. 8

9 GRID The area in the hot pit where the cars line up to go out on track. GRID PERSON The person who stands in the grid to check safety equipment and wristbands then direct the cars out onto the track. This is usually the person you will go to see if you receive a black flag. HOT PITS The area where cars enter and exit the track. Only crew members and drivers are allowed into the hot pits for safety reasons. LIFT To raise or lift your foot of the gas pedal. MARBLES Rocks, tire bits, and other small debris that collect off the racing line. If you go off line and into the marbles, you will have significantly less grip. OFF LINE Driving off the best racing line. Drivers will go off line to attempt a pass a slower car or to move out of the way to allow faster cars to pass them. OVERSTEER A condition when the front of a car has more grip than the rear. This is the same as a car being "loose." PADDOCK/PIT AREA This is the area where drivers park between sessions. The speed limit is 15MPH in the paddock/pit area. PARADE LAP/WARM-UP LAP There are no parade laps at Speed Ventures events, but sometimes people will refer to the warm-up lap that way. This is simply the first lap of a session. Drivers use this lap to warm up their engines and tires. SWEEPER A large sweeping corner. STARTER The person standing at the Start/Finish Line (or in a tower above) who controls the track with a series of flags. As you session nears completion, make sure to watch the starter for the checkered flag. 9

10 TECH Short for tech (or technical) inspection. Each car must pass tech inspection so Speed Ventures can confirm they are safe to proceed on track. A "teched" car has passed inspections. UNDERSTEER When a car has more traction (or grip) in the rear than in the front. The Flags: The flags are how the corner workers keep you informed about track conditions and possible hazards. Learn them well, so you ll know what they re trying to tell you. Green Flag: Yellow Flag: CAUTION This means the track is open and hot with no restrictions beyond that of the current run group. If the flag is displayed motionless during the warm-up lap, it simply means no-passing. If the flag is displayed motionless during the run, it means there is danger somewhere on the track. No passing. If the flag is waving, it means that the danger is just ahead. Use highest caution. Black Flag: If the flag is displayed to you furled, it means that you are driving in an unsafe manner or that you did something else wrong. If you re not sure why you got this, come in to the black flag station at grid and they will explain. Try to let the corner worker know you saw their black flag. If the black flag is waved at you, it means to come in at the end of this lap and proceed directly to the black flag station. They ll explain there. 10

11 Checkered flag: If the black flag is being waved at all stations, it means that the track is being shut down for safety reasons. Please proceed as if under a yellow flag, (use caution and no passing) and exit the track once you reach the end. If there is enough time left, your session will resume as soon as the hazard is cleared. You can proceed to the grid person for further instructions. Black flags are serious and failure to acknowledge a black flag can cause your subsequent sessions to be delayed or even cancelled. Red flag: EMERGENCY The checkered flag means your session is over. It is important to keep your eyes open for this as once you receive the checkered flag it is your last lap. You can keep your speed up if you want to, but make sure to pit at the end of this lap. If you miss the checker, you cause the next group of drivers to have to wait for you to go around and complete another full lap. Because this costs other drivers precious track time, you may be held back at the start of your next session while the grid person gives you a refresher on the importance of watching the flags. Passing flag: You probably won t see this flag, but if you do, come to an immediate controlled stop. Check your mirrors first, to insure you won t cause the driver behind you to collide, then gradually slow, pull to the edge of the track and stop to allow emergency vehicles to pass. Stay in your car, with your helmet on until a corner worker instructs you to proceed to track exit. If you get this flag it means that the corner worker thinks a car is either attempting to pass or rapidly approaching. Depending on the rules of your run session, point them by accordingly. 11

12 White flag: Meatball flag: This flag means that there is an emergency or other slow moving vehicle on track. Pass with extreme caution. Sometimes, the starter will use the white flag (accompanied by their index finger) to indicate one lap to go. Debris flag: If you receive this flag, it means that there appears to be a mechanical problem with your car. Check to see if you are leaking fluid(s). If you are, pull to the side of the track as soon as it s safe and stop. Stay in you car with your helmet on. If you don t appear to be leaking fluids, proceed with caution to track exit and come to the black flag station. There they can explain what appears to be wrong. If you already know what the problem is, you may proceed directly to your pit to correct it. This flag means that there is fluid, gravel, or some other debris on the track. If it is waving, the hazard is immediately ahead. This flag will only be displayed for a lap or two. After that, the hazard may still be present, so use caution when approaching. POST-EVENT EVALUATIONS A few days after the event you will receive an from us indicating that your lap times have been posted (for those of you who rented timing transponders) and also requesting your feedback regarding the event. We hope you will reply to this with any feedback you have as we are constantly striving to improve the Speed Ventures experience. HAVE FUN!!! Tracking is serious stuff, and safety is our primary concern. That said, we re here to enjoy ourselves. Be safe and responsible, and everyone will have a great time. It s OK to push yourself, but speeds should be increased gradually. You ll have plenty of track time today, so pace yourself and have a great time! 12