04/21/2012 - 04/22/2012 - HPDE @ Shenandoah Circuit

[1996 328ti]

Damn there is this, autocross, and ///M Club Day all on the same weekend. I want to do all 3!

There is another ///M Club Day in in Fall.

[Merlosso]

There is another ///M Club Day in in Fall.

Thanks! The fall would be better for me to take the trip anyway. I'll plan to do this event.

[s1gins]

How long before the Driver's school does registration normally open?

Thanks!

[DougV]

The 2012 NCC Shenandoah Drivers' School is only $205/day

The National Capital Chapter (NCC) operates two types of driving schools: Drivers' Schools and Car Control Clinics. While the methods of instruction and the target audience for these schools differ, they share a common goal of giving you the opportunity to develop and improve your skills as a driver and to strengthen your knowledge of your car's abilities so that you will be prepared for any situation you may encounter on the highway.

Our schools are not racing schools. Our focus is on skills, not speed, and our overriding concern is with your safety and that of your car. We select our school instructors very carefully, not simply for their technical knowledge and accomplishments as drivers, but also for their abilities to impart that knowledge to their students in a clear, concise, and professional manner.

Your BMW is an amazingly capable car. At a National Capital Chapter driving school, you will be able to realize your car's capabilities, learn the limits of those capabilities under controlled conditions and practice the skills needed to control your car safely within those limits.

Drivers' Schools
The primary goal of these schools is to develop and hone your car-control skills. It is not to drive fast, although speed will come with improving skills. We seek to produce not necessarily the fastest, but the most proficient drivers possible.
Each drivers' school consists of driving sessions on the track and at the skidpad, as well as classroom sessions. During your on-track sessions, you will be driving the full track at progressively higher speeds throughout the school. An in-car instructor will work with you to help you improve your driving mechanics. Braking, cornering and accelerating techniques are refined continuously during your on-track sessions.
Skidpad sessions will allow you to begin to master the skill of controlling your car at the limits of adhesion. You will learn how to control understeer (when your front tires lose adhesion) and oversteer (when your rear tires lose adhesion). The skills learned here will not only be invaluable on the track, they may well save your car - and your life - on the highway.

Classroom sessions present the underlying mechanics of your car's behavior and how your inputs as a driver affect it. We present basic driving theory, the physics of car behavior (i.e., the "why it works" of driving) and discussions of the techniques of advanced car control.
No single drivers' school will ever convey all there is to learn about driving. In this sense, our drivers' schools are part of a continuous learning environment, one that requires several years of attendance at dozens of schools before proficiency is attained. Even at that, there is always something more to learn, something additional on which to work. Acquiring driving skills is a process that is never completed.

About Our Instructors
Our instructors come from two basic driving backgrounds: accomplished drivers' school students and successful amateur (e.g., SCCA) racers. Regardless of their backgrounds, our instructors conform to a uniformly high standard of competence, professionalism and enthusiasm for teaching.
Candidates selected from our student roster have a documented record of achievement. Candidates applying from a racing background must have comparable skills and experience. We note that the requirements for a successful racer and those for a successful instructor are not necessarily the same, as the sole ability to drive fast is about the most minor qualification we seek in an instructor. Therefore, as part of the qualification process, we apply a series of student instruction simulations (using our instructors as the "students") to ensure that the candidate understands not only how to drive, but how to teach as well. We also ensure that candidates display impeccable attitude and driving etiquette and are successful in making the transition from "race-mode" to "school-mode."
Our current instructors' driving experience ranges from five years to twenty-five years. Our "average" instructor has been driving on the track for 11.5 years and has been instructing for 6 years. We draw our instructors from twelve BMW CCA chapters, the SCCA, PCA, and other marque clubs. We select our instructors very carefully to ensure that every student receives the best possible instruction from the safest, most professional and most knowledgeable people we can find. We are very proud of our instructor corps and we trust that you will share that pride.

This event offers online registration and payment through MotorsportReg.com.

Registration will be through Motorsportreg.com

[Alan]

How long before the Driver's school does registration normally open?

Thanks!

Registration Opens: Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:00P (Eastern time)

[roykobs]

Alan,

Are you going to be at this event? I think I am ready to take the car out to one of these events. We did talk last year at the BGP and I think I decided then that I need to get off the Autocross circuit and onto a real one. I LOVE the newcomer discount. Do you, or anyone else on this forum, have any suggestions for planning ahead to this event, something a "newbie" wouldn't know? I was planning on doing both days, are you going to do both days?

///RJH

[Alan]

Alan,

Are you going to be at this event? I think I am ready to take the car out to one of these events. We did talk last year at the BGP and I think I decided then that I need to get off the Autocross circuit and onto a real one. I LOVE the newcomer discount. Do you, or anyone else on this forum, have any suggestions for planning ahead to this event, something a "newbie" wouldn't know? I was planning on doing both days, are you going to do both days?

///RJH

Rob: Great to hear that you are considering coming! Yes - I'll be there - both days. Give me a call and I can talk to you about car prep, what to bring and how the event runs. I have prep lists that you can use later... but prep for your first few events is fairly simple. You can park next to me - and most of the "what if" items you might need... I have. Heck - I may even buy you lunch!

Come on out!


Alan

[roykobs]

Having somebody that I know there helps seal the deal for me. I am down! I will be registering on the 19th fo' sho'. These are some really great pictures! Every bone in my body says that this is going to be more fun than should be legal... I was going to try and hit the DIY at At Speed Motorsports to change out my Oil, Gearbox and Brake / Clutch fluids the weekend prior to the event. Is there anything else I should do? I should probably do the diff while I am at it. Should I invest in track pads? When we spoke and in other conversations I have had about driving schools they recommend suspension work and also good brake pads. This is very exciting. I will give you a call and we can talk a little bit about logistics. Thanks much! ///RJH

[mcoupemindy]

Having somebody that I know there helps seal the deal for me. I am down! I will be registering on the 19th fo' sho'. These are some really great pictures! Every bone in my body says that this is going to be more fun than should be legal... I was going to try and hit the DIY at At Speed Motorsports to change out my Oil, Gearbox and Brake / Clutch fluids the weekend prior to the event. Is there anything else I should do? I should probably do the diff while I am at it. Should I invest in track pads? When we spoke and in other conversations I have had about driving schools they recommend suspension work and also good brake pads. This is very exciting. I will give you a call and we can talk a little bit about logistics. Thanks much! ///RJH

If you've never been to the track (by the sounds of things), I'll warn you it is like crack. You will have a blast. For your first time out, just take your car in current form and have fun. I'm pretty you'll need to get a pre-track inspection at a shop.

[dbonner]

Registration Opens: Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:00P (Eastern time)

Correction! Registration is open NOW for the NCC April 21-22, 2012 High Performance Driving Event at Shenandoah Circuit. I just registered this morning. Why wait for a guaranteed spot? And new this year: you get a $25 per day discount for every friend you refer who registers for the event. Go to www.motorsportreg.com Bonbahn

[s1gins]

Is it possible to add a second driver to a car to share the time?

Thanks

[1996 328ti]

Is it possible to add a second driver to a car to share the time?

Thanks

You can share cars, although I would not recommend it.
You can not split your time.

[s1gins]

You can share cars, although I would not recommend it.
You can not split your time.

So you can run a car in two run groups with different drivers but two drivers cant run in the same group...

It that is right, thanks for the education

[1996 328ti]

So you can run a car in two run groups with different drivers but two drivers cant run in the same group...

It that is right, thanks for the education

Correct.
It's been a long time since I did a NCC school, but I'm assuming your time is still divided between track, skid pad, class and rest.
Often when people share a car it means they may miss skid pad or a run session. Staff can adjust the skid pad schedule sometimes.
Plus if you have 2 people with similar driving experience, one is going to be in a more advanced or lesser group.
Not to mention your car is getting a double workout.

But if you think you can split the costs of the school, it just doesn't work that way.

[TimR]

I'm registered!
How many entrants are they allowing?

Thanks,
Tim