Fun times and not so times at DE

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Chris C Atlanta

The Chief Driving Instructor for the chapter should make that call. Generally a wet track is fine to drive...you learn smoothness and car control, and Porsches with good street tires are amazingly capable in the rain.

Standing water in the corners should mean red flag.

You did well to leave the event early.

Hi,

The CDI may well determine when the Track is closed, but every individual driver needs to assess the track condition against their own abilities. You are the one responsible if you make the decision to take your car out in conditions which are unfavorable, no one else. If the conditions scare you, that's a fair indication that you shouldn't leave Pit Lane until the conditions improve.

I've seen lots of bent sheetmetal at the Track over the years because people didn't have the skill, experience, Brakes, or Tires equal to the conditions at hand. One of the things Track experience should give one is a better developed ability to assess risk and to know when conditions dictate sitting it out, even if others choose not to...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[eslai]

Not really on topic, sorry, but isn't that a 996 in the pictures?

[MikenOH]

Jim I agree with everything in your post but would add the following caveats:

-Novices, either first time out or first time at a new track, really don't have much of a knowledge base to help them make a decision regarding go or no go. You see cars out there, your instructor is ready to go or you've been signed off on. The indications are it is safe to go--no crashes yet-- despite any natural aversion you might have in gettng the car on the track. Combine that with an instructor that may be pushing to you to speed up or take a more agressive line can lead to a newbie doing things that he/she might not ordinarily do. Nobody likes to look like a candy ass at a macho event, especially after they've spent [B]all[/B] that money on the car and the event.
To sum it up, what you're saying makes perfect, logical, sense except that there is an emotional component to this that can tip the balance for the novice to roll the dice rather than step back from the table. I think the more experienced driver will have a better feel for his and the car's capabilities to help him make those critical decisions.

-Mixing skill levels in run groups--especially the novice group--i think is a big no no; even worse when the weather gets bad. The novice ends up looking at his rear mirror more than the track. At this event, there were race prepared cars that were sprinkled in both the C & D groups that looked to be tuning up for the PCA race on the weekend. I had a 944 blow by me--roll cage,guttted interior,race exhaust--on wet track driving and cornering like he was on rails. I'm guessing a true 'C' class driver doesn't circle the track in that kind of rig.

Anyway, my wife and I survived, learned a lot and look forward to another DE at this track; I just hope it won't be raining.

[MNBoxster]

@MikeOH,

There certainly can be a Candy *ss Factor which comes into play at Track, Auto-X or DE events. But, in my experience, this is often self-imposed. I respect anyone's opinion to go out or not. They know their skill level and their Car. This is especially true with marginal, or less than ideal, Track conditions.

Cost can also add pressure. But, think about it, waste $300 for a Track Day, or $25k+ because you pushed too hard. Not too tough to come to the right answer.

As far as the Instructor(s) pushing you, a good Instructor won't do this. People rarely learn anything in a state of panic.

You are the one controlling the WOW Pedal. If it doesn't feel right to you, you need to make the decision to back-off despite what anyone says. An alternative would be to swap seats with the Instructor and watch them as they push the car harder, at least then you'll know the car can handle it and this eases the tension quite a bit.

The risk of being called a Candy *ss pales in comparison to the feeling one gets when they watch their Car being peeled off the wall or towed into Pit Lane.

Certainly, one can feel the pressure you describe, but you need to resist it as best as you can and only do what you feel comfortable doing, particularly as I said, in marginal conditions. Realize that everyone standing at the Track was also at the Bottom of the Learning Curve at one time too, even though many of them may have forgotten this...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[eslai]

I have hardly ever been to the track without seeing some form of Novice Wreck. The problem is that we all overestimate our abilities in the beginning, no matter how many logical arguments we go over in our heads, no matter what advice we are given.

I can tell every guy out there to drive within their limits, to brake way earlier than they think they need to, etc etc etc and they'll still have an off-roading incident at least once during the day.

I blame video games.

[Chris C Atlanta]

MN Boxster - I wasn't in any way implying that individuals are not able to or responsible for exercising their own judgment. That always applies. Still, the PCA group is responsible for determining when it's not safe for anyone to be out on the track, and standing water in the corners is generally when they make that call.

I have never been to a track event where the CDI did not express/exert his responsibility to monitor individuals' decisions for the good of all.

Miken - good instructors will not only not push someone beyond their capabilities (not necessarily the initial comfort point of an individual) or those of the car, but they will also bring them in if the track is too dangerous - sometimes conditions change quickly enough that each driver has to make that call intra-lap.

[BuffaloBoxster]

Pictures like these are why I race karts and not Boxsters...

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Chris C Atlanta

MN Boxster - I wasn't in any way implying that individuals are not able to or responsible for exercising their own judgment. That always applies. Still, the PCA group is responsible for determining when it's not safe for anyone to be out on the track, and standing water in the corners is generally when they make that call.

I have never been to a track event where the CDI did not express/exert his responsibility to monitor individuals' decisions for the good of all.

Miken - good instructors will not only not push someone beyond their capabilities (not necessarily the initial comfort point of an individual) or those of the car, but they will also bring them in if the track is too dangerous - sometimes conditions change quickly enough that each driver has to make that call intra-lap.

Hi,

It's all good - no disagreement here...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99