gangstafoot
08-10-2007, 07:55 PM
I had a bad experience at the Summit Point Redline event last year. I left feeling lucky to have survived the "HPDE" on a Saturday. I have not seen anything from Redline to have convinced me things have changed but I open this thread as an opportunity.
From the drivers meeting onward, my skepticism grew. There were not enough instructors on hand for the paying students; several absolute first timers. The classroom instructor could not fathom turning his printed track map (same one the drivers were given) upside down to match the track map drawn on the classroom whiteboard. He persevered explaining the passing zones using the printed sheet. Flags were covered... though the workers in the corners hardly used them or used them in error.
I took to the course solo after a session as a passenger in a friend of a friend's car. Again, there was no instructor for me so I took to the course chanting my track rules, looking for the corner stations, verbalizing to myself where I was and whether passing was allowed. If I didn't make myself safe near traffic, I could become a hazard...
Others were not so discliplined. Trying to respect the awareness of the driver ahead, I found myself waiting for pointbys in some passing zones. Other drivers were not as polite and put both their AND MY car at risk taking uninvited passes ON LINE. I hot pitted to cite these cars and saw no discipline from the course marshalls. I was shown a blue flag with no one behind. I was shown a black flag and came in only to be asked what I was stopping in the pit for.
At the noon break, I found the classroom instructor already engaged with other drivers equally frustrated with the growing chaos on track. Diplomatically, he agreed to call all drivers back in for a second classroom meeting. During that chat we agreed, democratically, that no passing would be allowed without invitation by any car ahead wearing 'rookie stripes' on the rear window. Any driver feeling he/she was held up would be welcome to stop their car and complain... not the other way around.
If I recall correctly, I nearly ran out of tape in my paddock box as so many drivers chose the rookies stripes for the next session.
I used my own experience to let slower traffic run far away from me rather than press in for pointbys. I made clear track for myself and continued to watch the warm bodies numbly flagging the track for me.
I approached a blind hairpin turn over the crest of a hill at the top of a quick sequence of esses... and found an S2000 and and Impala SS stopped sideways, ON TRACK, and the flagger watching to see if I'd hit them. No yellow flag. No nothing.
My brakes and quick hands kept me from hitting them, but I had time enough to scream through my open passenger window at the flagger to, "wave a fucking yellow, asshole!"
Of course, I should have expected as much from an event that did not require ANY of us to prove that our cars were track worthy. No tech inspection was required before nor at the event. For all I know, one of those cars pissed itself and took out the other.
But the pictures were pretty. I think there were magazine photographers and plenty of $7 plaques handed out the next day.
If things at Redline haven't changed, I'm sorry to see it and I feel obliged to let the Trackpedia community in on the truth. If otherwise, I'd like some real examples to convince me (or others) I should drive with you again.
From the drivers meeting onward, my skepticism grew. There were not enough instructors on hand for the paying students; several absolute first timers. The classroom instructor could not fathom turning his printed track map (same one the drivers were given) upside down to match the track map drawn on the classroom whiteboard. He persevered explaining the passing zones using the printed sheet. Flags were covered... though the workers in the corners hardly used them or used them in error.
I took to the course solo after a session as a passenger in a friend of a friend's car. Again, there was no instructor for me so I took to the course chanting my track rules, looking for the corner stations, verbalizing to myself where I was and whether passing was allowed. If I didn't make myself safe near traffic, I could become a hazard...
Others were not so discliplined. Trying to respect the awareness of the driver ahead, I found myself waiting for pointbys in some passing zones. Other drivers were not as polite and put both their AND MY car at risk taking uninvited passes ON LINE. I hot pitted to cite these cars and saw no discipline from the course marshalls. I was shown a blue flag with no one behind. I was shown a black flag and came in only to be asked what I was stopping in the pit for.
At the noon break, I found the classroom instructor already engaged with other drivers equally frustrated with the growing chaos on track. Diplomatically, he agreed to call all drivers back in for a second classroom meeting. During that chat we agreed, democratically, that no passing would be allowed without invitation by any car ahead wearing 'rookie stripes' on the rear window. Any driver feeling he/she was held up would be welcome to stop their car and complain... not the other way around.
If I recall correctly, I nearly ran out of tape in my paddock box as so many drivers chose the rookies stripes for the next session.
I used my own experience to let slower traffic run far away from me rather than press in for pointbys. I made clear track for myself and continued to watch the warm bodies numbly flagging the track for me.
I approached a blind hairpin turn over the crest of a hill at the top of a quick sequence of esses... and found an S2000 and and Impala SS stopped sideways, ON TRACK, and the flagger watching to see if I'd hit them. No yellow flag. No nothing.
My brakes and quick hands kept me from hitting them, but I had time enough to scream through my open passenger window at the flagger to, "wave a fucking yellow, asshole!"
Of course, I should have expected as much from an event that did not require ANY of us to prove that our cars were track worthy. No tech inspection was required before nor at the event. For all I know, one of those cars pissed itself and took out the other.
But the pictures were pretty. I think there were magazine photographers and plenty of $7 plaques handed out the next day.
If things at Redline haven't changed, I'm sorry to see it and I feel obliged to let the Trackpedia community in on the truth. If otherwise, I'd like some real examples to convince me (or others) I should drive with you again.