Instructor Candidate Manual Richmond Shreve [email protected] Performance Driving Institute, LLC Box 250 Cape May Point, NJ 08212-0250 ISBN 0-9729493-0-5 Copyright Notice. ©2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 Performance Driving Institute, LLC (New Jersey, USA) This work is the intellectual property of Performance Driving Institute, LLC. All rights are reserved, and no portion of this document may be reproduced in any form whatever including but not limited to print, electronic or digital media without the express written permission of the copyright owner. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Li- cense. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. Version 4.12 BMWCCA Edition 1 Instructor Candidate Manual Abstract This manual provides practical ideas to help experienced high performance drivers communicate what they know to students. It is designed to be an aid in bringing back to consciousness some of the skills and techniques that are automatic and unconscious for experienced racers and high performance driv- ers. It also suggests a structured approach to instruction particularly useful to new instructors. Tables and illustrations compare and contrast the perform- ance of novice, intermediate, and advanced students to help the instructor candidate observe and diagnose problems when coaching students. A glossary of track terms is included to aid instructors to recognize jargon and to help ex- plain terms commonly used at the track. IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER OPERATING OR RIDING IN ANY MOTOR VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED IS INHERENTLY AND UNAVOIDABLY DAN- GEROUS. When you engage in motor sport activities like those described in this document you are constantly at risk of death, serious injuries, burns and harmful stress. In seeking to mitigate the risks, there is no substitute for your own good judgment and prudence. This document may be helpful in anticipating some, but not all, of the situations that can lead to accidents, injury and possibly death. The descriptions of driving and/or instructional techniques in this document are not sufficient in themselves to prepare the reader to execute them. Do not rely solely on this document. Take from this text what is useful, always and at all times tempering it with your per- sonal experience and prudence. THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS COMPREHENSIVE, FREE OF ERROR, OR THAT IT WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY PARTICULAR APPLICATION. THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABIL- ITY AND OF FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR OR PUB- LISHER HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND EVEN IF A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT. THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER ALSO DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM ANY USE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS BOOK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO EXAMPLES, ILLUSTRATIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION. Although others may contribute to your safety, you must rely solely on your own best judgment and skills. Maintain presence of mind and a high state of vigilance while participating in high per- formance driving activities. Stay alert. Be prepared to break-off participating if you are not fully satisfied that your exposure to risk is acceptable. You alone assume responsibility for your safety anytime you participate in a high performance driving activity. Your choice to participate repre- sents a conscious acceptance of the inherent risk. No one can ensure your safety. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We stand on the shoulders of many teachers. The material in this work is taken mostly from classroom notes and the experiences colleagues have shared in conversations about instructing. With great generosity those wonderful instructors demonstrate their love of motor sports by devoting hundreds of hours of personal time to teaching others. The information also derives from the patient coaching of dozens of instructors who were willing to risk life and limb by riding in the passenger seat while I learned to drive faster. My thanks go to all of them. I hope they are affirmed and pleased with what they see here. Credit for the best ideas in this text goes to Tony Funicello, the chief instructor for Trackmasters and the creator of the Instructor Candidate School I attended and at which I later instructed. Many of the chapters are unabashed restatements (with his consent) of material that he presented in his classes and seminars. Thanks Tony! Early drafts were reviewed by a number of instructors, racers, and students who were kind enough to offer suggestions to improve the content. Special thanks go to driving en- thusiast and English professor Dr. Michael J. Kiskis of Elmira College for reviewing the manuscript and providing editorial help to improve the clarity and style of this edition. My principal reference for technical information is the book Going Faster by Carl Lopez (see bibliography.) Most enthusiasts would agree that this is the best and most readable discussion of high performance driving and racing technique available. If there is lasting value in this work it is largely thanks to the generosity of others. If there are errors or omissions, they are my own. Richmond Shreve February, 2003 [\ Cover and illustrations are by the author. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..........................................................................................................2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................11 THE ROLE OF AN INSTRUCTOR .....................................................................13 HOW STUDENTS LEARN .................................................................................15 A Beginner Once Again .................................................................................................. 15 Learning proceeds in cycles............................................................................................ 16 A Flood of Information ................................................................................................. 16 Concept, Action, Observation, Correction.................................................................... 16 Becoming Conscious Again.......................................................................................... 17 STUDENT PROFILING ......................................................................................19 PRIORITIES FOR INSTRUCTION .....................................................................21 Safety............................................................................................................................. 21 Awareness of Conditions ..............................................................................................21 Etiquette ........................................................................................................................ 21 Instructor – Student Relationship..................................................................................22 High Performance Technique........................................................................................ 22 5 Instructor Candidate Manual PRE-TRACK ORIENTATION............................................................................. 23 Getting Acquainted (Bonding)...................................................................................... 23 Instructor Checklist ....................................................................................................... 23 ON TRACK INSTRUCTION ............................................................................... 27 Novice Orientation Laps.................................................................................................27 Observation Laps ............................................................................................................27 Establishing a Plan..........................................................................................................27 Coaching at Speed ........................................................................................................... 28 Pacing of Input .............................................................................................................. 28 Managing Fatigue.......................................................................................................... 29 Student Self-observation ...............................................................................................29 Silence ........................................................................................................................... 29 Encouragement.............................................................................................................. 30 Sample Dialog............................................................................................................... 30 Good Coaching Can Mask Inexperience....................................................................... 32 Keep Ahead of the Student............................................................................................ 33 Incidents .......................................................................................................................