Yeah I think the instructor has a thing about people who apex'ed the first corner from the pits. From there it went downhill. The driver missed a couple of lines and pushed the car through a couple of corners and he was screaming to get out.

 

As someone that would like to do a HPDE someday, that would really bother me. If I caught it correctly, this was the driver's first time at the track? I would expect a noob to make a lot of mistakes. Isn't that what "instruction" is for?

Dave

 

No, no. I'm an occasional instructor with Speedventures, NASA, and SCCA. That guy in the video (Dan) is a jerk and I heard that the group running the event (HOD) has taken care of the problem. I don't know of any HPDE group that would tolerate that kind of instructor behavior.

As a student you should never have to put up with belittling comments from an instructor. Pull into the pits and ask for someone else. Put the issue out of your mind for the rest of the day and then come back to it with the event management after the driving is over. Don't spend time on your dime working with the event management on the instructor issue. I know some will disagree with me on this, but the customer's (student) time comes first.

 

BTW... here's what happens when the HPDE event organizers are idiots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1RohRau9Hg

 

Damnnnnnnn....The whole time I was looking at this and saying... that spot is way too exposed for a staging point.

 

I counted 3 lucky SOB's who were walking around that spot.

 

I laughed when the first truck pulled up and Gabby Hayes slid out and started hobbling around.

 

WOW @ that first video

I seriously would have pulled my car onto the grass and he could have walked his *** back to the pits

The driver was upfront and said it was his first time out....and didn't even have horrendous lines all things considered. If the instructor wanted him to take it nice and slow on the first lap, or the first couple, so he can show him where to do what, that's cool - then say so up front!

 

Unbelievable. That group gives HPDE events a bad name..... Very lucky the guy in the driver suit wasn't killed.

 

I wonder if the Brembos from the G35 are for sale somewhere.

Just kidding! I saw exactly where this was going when they were in that "staging" lane as well. I know I wouldn't stand or stage there!

 

+1

My jaw was half open the entire time I watched that first video.....unbelievably rude of the instructor.

As I watched the second video, my jaw slowly lowered all the way to the floor.......Complete insanity to be staged that close to open track.

 

I wonder if there were any lawsuits filed. That was pretty bad judgement on the organizers. I hope the driver on the EVO didn't get a ton of liability for spining his car in a braking zone.

Reminds me of an event not too long ago on California speedway's Roval where at the bottom of the infield straight there were two people sitting indian style 20 feet off the edge of the track. I'm all for great track accessibility but sitting in a braking zone where the cars are bringing it down from 120-150 is just stupid. Not to mention I noticed this while an Intermediate HPDE group was running, missing apexs and locking up the brakes all over. I guess it goes to show...

 

WTF were those cars doing staging there? And, where was the hot pit wall located?

 

I've never seen cars staged that close to a track before. Absolutely insane!!!

 

That student did make quite a few serious mistakes before he was at 1/2 track:

1) Accelerating out of the hot pits without stopping/slowing at start/finish
2) Apexing turn 1
3) Passing w/o point-by
4) Passing in a no-passing zone for intro students

He was offline, but he was a noobie. I never let noobs run their first lap with me without some instruction.

 

Re: the crash vid

I have always thought the dangers of HPDE would involve driving. Two expensive cars got crushed while they were....parked!

I'm glad everyone seemed to be ok, but I can't imagine what a mess the financial aftermath of this must be.

 

holy fack...that crash was bad. Good thing nobody got hurt.

 

wow....wow...to both vids.

 

The HPDE student handled it pretty well ...

IMO a "get the f#ck outta my car" woulda been an appropriate response upon entering the hot pit.

Some of the students "mistakes", like apexing T1, could possibly be attributed to the mental distraction of having to defend himself from a dooshbag instructor.

 

Th instructor is supposed to explain the pit out procedures to the student. I didn't hear that, just some whining about a full face helmet.