I think I can answer your questions WRGT Streetschools
vs HPDE, I have been instrumental in setting up both
the HPDE and Streetschool programs.
>What 1/3 of a day do we earn? <g>
The SCCA/Thunderhill program focuses on the students
all day. The instructors do not drive nor are there
simultaneous races going on. The bribe for the
instructors beyond the simple joy of sharing therefore
is track time another day. Three days as an instructor
trades to a day without students to work with. We ran
the program for years with no such pay back needed,
but this is a popular trade off. The schedules/
available dates for those days remains an unresolved
issue unless you actually are a roadracer with a full
on race car however. Usually the trade is for a
prerace practice day and for most instructors that is
just fine. One frequent instructor traded his time for
an admission to the advanced passing school last
December. Several have traded their credits for
Streetschool entries for their teenagers and pit
crewmen, whatever the differences may be. 8-)
>Does that mean we could get a 1/3 of a day on Friday
the 28th prior to the NASA weekend for working the
22nd??
Now this would be up to dear Ryan Flattery if that
Friday is a NASA day and I seriously doubt he is
interested. If that day is a simple open test session
day, yes that is pretty much how it works. Remember
that the Streetschool program really is a Thunderhill
venue and does not belong to nor fall within
"sanctions" of other clubs, SCCA or NASA in particular
here.
>If so, I am interested. (also does it work like
NASAs HPDE, with instructors driving their cars in one
group and riding with students in their groups?)
Again, the day is for the students and the instructors
are there to ride each session. There is no
lead/follow at most street schools. The major
exception is the "passing school" we did last December
and are planning to repeat this November, where the
program is much like NASA Group 3 with rules and
order. 8-)
It all is far more controlled than the NASA program
[duh, it is SCCA after all] and never approaches the
group 3, much less group 4, concepts.
Usually the last session of the day is for instructors
to get out on the track and "unwind". It took us about
5 years to sell even this idea to Vodden. That session
is set for 1/2 hour or until someone goes 4 wheels
off. It seldom makes the full 1/2 hour. 8-)
And for those wondering what all of this is about,
Streeschool is a program where you get to drive your
normal street car around the big racetrack all day
long ! You are quite safe and contrary to popular
rumour you will not have all of your breath sucked out
of your body at speeds over 70 mph, it has been shown
many times to be true! You also are much more at risk
on the freeway to and from the event than at the event
itself, especially from the revenuers in the big
'Merican sedans with shotguns... Yes, it's all cheaper
and more fun than a speeding ticket.
=====
Dennis Hale
Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
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