Resolute

iTrader: (2)

Maybe David will pipe in if I'm wrong, but I don't ever remember either club having an ambulance on site, just local volunteer fire in a pick-up. At the SCCA events, their was always an ambulance ready to roll onto the track, I find it hard to believe I'd miss seeing one at the club HPDE's, but I could be mistaken. The only exception would have been the HPDE I went to at PPIR with the BMWCCC. But at Second Creek, I have been to five HPDE's there with various clubs, and don't ever remember an ambulance on site.
Will

tomzz

It would seem from all of the good perspectives offered here, that the Demand for HPDE events is going up, and the Supply is increasing with an creasing number of HPDE producers. It also seems that from your good input and experience that the Buyer should beware and should not assume that every HPDE is being operated in the most safe and instructional manner.

I guess I have been spoiled in my HPDE initiation as a member of two great car clubs. My cuz signed me up for my first DE at Lime Rock with the North Country Region (New Hampshire) PCA (just named PCA Region of the Year AGAIN!). Now that is a group that knows how to run a DE. A very tight ship. And as also a member of the KY BMW Club who does a great job with DE's and Teen Street Survival Schools (they had 2 of the 20 schools done in the US last year), it has been my good fortune to see howgood HPDEs are run.

So HPDE's are to be yet another "Be an informed consumer " challenge? Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water.

This discussion certainly has been educational and enlightening. Thank you all for such good feed back.

Merry Christmas and see you at the safe tracks in 2006. Now to decide which HPDEs to sign up for?? So many to choose from for the Z and my ZToo trailer. Hmmm?

Stack

Very well put... I could have saved myself a lot of typing... cause thats the point I've been trying to make for some time now LOL. And yes, demand is there... we've got over 90 students signed up for our Feb event as it is... and people are already starting to trickle in for our April event too.

Some people will go for the un-structured, as long as you've signed the waiver, you can do what you want type events, others will go for the laid-back, informative, safe events, others still will go for the more competitive oriented events... and there are plenty - just know what type of organization you're going to be running with and respect their rules.

I think for the seasoned track vet, who's done lots of events, and knows what to expect both from a learning standpoint and a safety standpoint, they can run with just about anyone and get out of the event whatever they put into it... Its the first-timers that I worry about being 'let-loose' on a track after only watching NASCAR and drifting stuff on TV... its a completely different world, and for good reason IMHO.

scubasteve

iTrader: (6)

Tim,
I could understand your concern with this, but you also have to remember who you are dealing with....a group of racers. This is how THEY see BBK's, not as you initially see them. Do keep in mind that most students that show up with their vehicles for their first track days as beginners won't have BBK's or even appreciate them if they do have them. The average student wouldn't be able to fully appreciate the capability of their brakes, but the organizers of the event, the racers, do.

Just a bit of perspective on their behalf. I would certainly welcome an err on the side of caution than that of negligent stupidity. Also remember that you are not the only one on the track, so you want everyone else's vehicles to be as safe as yours.

-Steve