4 day VIR school in June

[dbonner]

A word of warning about the joint school: if anything like last year's event, because of the number of different organizations involved, there tends to be a more relaxed standard than at BMW Schools in evaluating skill and experience levels when admitting students to the intermediate and advanced run groups. Defensive driving should be emphasized.

[Rafgar]

Jason,

This is the main reason I won't let my daughter drive the Miata - I can't let *her* go around topless.

[magnetic1]

A word of warning about the joint school: if anything like last year's event, because of the number of different organizations involved, there tends to be a more relaxed standard than at BMW Schools in evaluating skill and experience levels when admitting students to the intermediate and advanced run groups. Defensive driving should be emphasized.

Well.. there were also issues last year with too many instructors dropping out without telling Miriam... hopefully this wont be the case this year. Though she still hasnt called me yet on instructing for this....

Note: the Mazda event is on Grand East

4 days is nice, but MAN does it get expensive. Not including track fees, you have lodging, gas per day, tires and most likely a set of brake pads for the 4 days.

[1996 328ti]

Well.. there were also issues last year with too many instructors dropping out without telling Miriam... hopefully this wont be the case this year. Though she still hasnt called me yet on instructing for this.

I believe Paul Winter is the CI for this event. Rafael will be able to confirm this.

[fpol]

I was victimized by the Instructor thing last year. I never got on track until the middle of the 3rd heat – just sitting there waiting for an instructor for 2 heats – then got a different instructor late each heat
…but I’d still do it again. I was looking at that weekend for the Mazda School, but I really like the Thursday/Friday event so I’m definitely signing up for this.

Skills assessment was a little strange. I ran in D group in this event but Intermediate in the BMW NCC at Summit 2 weeks later! Go figure.

[1996 328ti]

I was victimized by the Instructor thing last year. I never got on track until the middle of the 3rd heat – just sitting there waiting for an instructor for 2 heats – then got a different instructor late each heat
…but I’d still do it again. I was looking at that weekend for the Mazda School, but I really like the Thursday/Friday event so I’m definitely signing up for this.

Skills assessment was a little strange. I ran in D group in this event but Intermediate in the BMW NCC at Summit 2 weeks later! Go figure.

It was difficult assigning run groups. We tried to put little to no experience in D. Some experience but none at VIR in C. Experienced at VIR in B and advanced in A. Mixing in that we tried to have it so instructors alternated between a A/C or B/D so some people where moved around.

All our plans went out the window Thursday morning.

[magnetic1]

I was victimized by the Instructor thing last year. I never got on track until the middle of the 3rd heat – just sitting there waiting for an instructor for 2 heats – then got a different instructor late each heat
…but I’d still do it again. I was looking at that weekend for the Mazda School, but I really like the Thursday/Friday event so I’m definitely signing up for this.

Skills assessment was a little strange. I ran in D group in this event but Intermediate in the BMW NCC at Summit 2 weeks later! Go figure.

fpol, kudos for not letting that get to you. While it did suck, it is a VERY RARE occurance. Us instructors had to make the best of the situation as well.. some of us having 3 students in back to back sessions, then running our own.. so we were on track at times for 4 straight sessions! :/

[mlytle]

Greg's wonderful picture of VIR reminds me that it's a whole month until the Tarheel event.

two months until the bmwcca club race at vir....sigh..

[jkuper]

It was difficult assigning run groups. We tried to put little to no experience in D. Some experience but none at VIR in C. Experienced at VIR in B and advanced in A. Mixing in that we tried to have it so instructors alternated between a A/C or B/D so some people where moved around.

All our plans went out the window Thursday morning.

Haha, yeah, you guys stuffed me in D with 2 days at VIR, 2 at Mid-Ohio, 3 at the Jeff. Didn't matter much since the car broke down after 3rd session on Day 1

[1996 328ti]

Haha, yeah, you guys stuffed me in D with 2 days at VIR, 2 at Mid-Ohio, 3 at the Jeff. Didn't matter much since the car broke down after 3rd session on Day 1

Part of the problem was that the assignments where made before Rafael and I got a hold of it and time simply ran out before we could tune it further. Hence why we are not handling this again.

[Real M3]

Ah yes, I seem to remember that event all too well! Actually the nightmares and cold sweats have ceased and I don't get nervous when I see a Viper! Ready to do it again, sans attacking Vipers!

[fpol]

Hope I didn't sound angry - just wanted to mention that I got caught up in the whole instructor thing and still wanted to go back. The organizers did all they could and the rest of the instructors looked pretty heavily tasked.

[fpol]

Haha, yeah, you guys stuffed me in D with 2 days at VIR, 2 at Mid-Ohio, 3 at the Jeff. Didn't matter much since the car broke down after 3rd session on Day 1

Funny - my first session (also a Dakar yellow) was 4th session day 1 - I got 2 laps including the out lap before the exhaust separated sending me looking for an exhaust shop. 2 laps on day 1 .

I only had days at WG and Lime Rock before that last year (last track days being back in '99!) but i realised D group was a bit slow when (on my out lap - it was about 1/3 way through the session) we got two point bys, and another 1 or 2 on the 2nd lap just before the exhaust went kaboom and we had to pull in. That on a new to me track!