Do I qualify to run HPDE 3?

[mcmmotorsports]

I am a local short track racer (Nascar) and have been for 12 years. I am new to NASA and see that they have a HPDE at Lowes Motor Speedway on March 5th and 6th. However, it says that HPDE 1 and HPDE 2 are not offered. Does that mean I cannot participate in that event since I have not run any HPDE 1 or 2 events? Or, does my other racing experience qualify me?

[tapaule]

Hello and welcome to NASA!

 

Contact your local NASA chapter, they should be able to tell you.

 

I'll bet that you can run HPDE3 with them.

 

Have fun at the track!!

[1Sicgt]

I don't know, but in my opinion, there is a log book that has to be signed off to move up either way. We had an experience with some moronic driver claiming he raced this and that before. He was allowed into a higher group than he should have been, then in an open passing area of a long straight, this idiot turned down right into our car for no reason, almost pinching us into a wall, but still crumpling in the side of the car. Our car was following close behind him for over 2 laps, started to make a clean pass on the inside and the guy turned way off the line, and into us. NASA, used the sorry to say B.S. blanket rule about over taking car has responsiblity. Well that fine, but when you are going to pass someone on a straight, the guys goes 4 car widths out to the edge of the straight, you start to engauge a pass at over 125mph, and he makes an adbrupt move into your car, saying "I didn't even know you were behind me". And Nasa still shifts blame to you. You get real hesitant when they don't enforce that drivers are signed off to move up groups, not just being ok'd becuase you raced elsewhere.

 

Sorry, I am sure you can drive, but fair is fair. You should have to go through the ranks like everyone else.

[test]

Sorry, I am sure you can drive, but fair is fair. You should have to go through the ranks like everyone else.

 

Is this how NASA HPDE "theoretically" works or "actually" works? The whole HPDE program is very ambiguous from reading the web site and CCR. I've read everything over several times and frankly still have no clue how it works. And when you sign up you can pick any level you want which doesn't help the matter.

[mcmmotorsports]

Well, the director did approve my experience to run HPDE 3 at LMS.

I don't know about the other guy, but I have plenty of proof of my experience. I don't make claims or write checks my butt can't cash.

Not to mention, I will be driving my 2004 Mustang GT at this event. This car is my baby and if anything was to happen to it, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. You can view all of the cars I used to drive as well as my GT at:

http://www.mcmmotorsports.com

[1Sicgt]

I disagree with that descion on NASA's part. The whole point of the log book is useless, if they don't enforce the sign off to move through the ranks. I am sure you can drive, but oval racing is a way different beast than Road Racing. While you are tring to learn the line, you will be getting passed by faster cars who already know what they are doing. If anything, instead of NASA just okaying people into higher groups they need to at minimum enforce that the first session they run in group 2, see if the person is actually ready to be in group 3 or 4. Don't just allow it becuase they have other experience. That experience may having nothing to do with what goes on in NASA. At least approve the person by watching them do a session first, then allow then to move up.

 

 

Like I said, I wasn't saying you have no driving skills. I am just fustrated that NASA doesn't enforce the same rules for everyone. Ya, I like the color of your stang the Sonic Blue, almost as good as the color on mine, Autumn Orange.

[kdiver58]

The logbook is for people whp need to go through the ranks. If someone has proof of real racing experience why would you not honor it? Only NASA experience counts? If you have a pro SCCA , IMSA will pencil wjip you in. NASA did it right !

[white_2kgt]

I disagree with that descion on NASA's part. The whole point of the log book is useless, if they don't enforce the sign off to move through the ranks. I am sure you can drive, but oval racing is a way different beast than Road Racing. While you are tring to learn the line, you will be getting passed by faster cars who already know what they are doing. If anything, instead of NASA just okaying people into higher groups they need to at minimum enforce that the first session they run in group 2, see if the person is actually ready to be in group 3 or 4. Don't just allow it becuase they have other experience. That experience may having nothing to do with what goes on in NASA. At least approve the person by watching them do a session first, then allow then to move up.

 

 

Like I said, I wasn't saying you have no driving skills. I am just fustrated that NASA doesn't enforce the same rules for everyone. Ya, I like the color of your stang the Sonic Blue, almost as good as the color on mine, Autumn Orange.

 

In VA Cobetto will go out on track w/ a new guy that has nothing but his mouth cashing checks in group 1 or 2. Then he will allow him to drive Group 3 or tell him to stay in the kiddie pool. I've seen him do this several times with people who have no 'proof' of their experience.

 

--chad

[1Sicgt]

The logbook is for people whp need to go through the ranks. If someone has proof of real racing experience why would you not honor it? Only NASA experience counts? If you have a pro SCCA , IMSA will pencil wjip you in. NASA did it right !

 

To get an SCCA racing license here all you have to do is go to a 1 day driving school. Hence you can still have no experience, or clue of what you are doing. Yes, they should still do 1 session and be approved. The first session in group 3 isn't supposed to be full open anyway, so its not like they are missing out on anything, just protecting the other drivers if anything. IMO when they do the morning meeting for the groups they should check peoples log books, say ok you can stay and run, or we would like to observe you for a session, then sign you off.

 

This past weekend at Thunderhill, there were a few guys who just got into group 3 or just signed up for three with no NASA experience , still scared of the whole passing thing, each of them went off the track. One of them, while going into a corner in the rain stuck his hand out the window, like he was trying to give a point by (the track was NOT full open yet either), there were 5 cars behind him. Well needless to say, taking your hand off the wheel mid corner in the rain was stupid. He lost it right in front of the whole pack of cars. Then as he is spinning, after hereing how to properly correct a spin at least 3 times before, still left his wheels turned, so he slid off the track then back on.

 

That guy had a passanger, so he put that guys life in danger, as well as the 5 cars behind him, by doing something that dumb. This is why they need to review people who just sign up into class.

[mtm68]

Ther eseems to be some mis-speaking going on in this thread... my thoughts:

 

A) The Dart driver didn't lie about his experience, he was in group 1 and in fact had an instructor in the car when the incident happened.

 

B) It's always the overtaking driver's fault. I was two cars back and have video, it was pretty clear what was going to happen.

The gentlemen in the Dart clearly should not have been on track, they should have pulled him after he crashed in the first session.

 

C) If your car was following the guy for two laps, then he should noticed that the car was driving very erratically on course and not attempted to pass him, it was clearly not safe.

 

D) The SCCA School is a three day course with 6 hours of track time and many more hours with an instructor. Assuming you pass that you get a provisional license that requires you complete two regional races without an incident to get your license. Wherever you got the info about a one day school, you are wrong.

 

E) To even compare SCCA Licensing to NASA's licensing program is somewhat of a joke. HPDE instruction teaches one to drive quickly on a race track, not to *race* on a race track. There is a rather large difference.

 

Marcus

NASA/SCCA License holder & NASA HPDE-er

 

PS: Fix the fender!

[Valgar]

This past weekend at Thunderhill, there were a few guys who just got into group 3 or just signed up for three with no NASA experience , still scared of the whole passing thing, each of them went off the track. One of them, while going into a corner in the rain stuck his hand out the window, like he was trying to give a point by (the track was NOT full open yet either), there were 5 cars behind him. Well needless to say, taking your hand off the wheel mid corner in the rain was stupid. He lost it right in front of the whole pack of cars. Then as he is spinning, after hereing how to properly correct a spin at least 3 times before, still left his wheels turned, so he slid off the track then back on.

 

Hey!

 

I was one of those new guys in group 3, I don't recall going off track

 

I was the guy in the black Hyundai Tiburon that you could watch gather more rust after every lap

 

(I assume you are talking about the season opener at THill this past weekend)

 

--edit--

 

And BTW I've done the HPDE 1-2 stint, actually stayed in 2 longer because I wanted to make sure about my driving skills before I moved on.

 

--edit--

Edited February 22, 2005 by Guest

[avu3]

I'll offer another perhaps unpopular opinion.

 

Its one thing to safely run around in 3 or 4 with or without traffic. Several group 1/2 students this past weekend at t-hill probably could have done it.

 

What makes you safe in 3/4 is not that you do well and stay on the line, its how you deal with the car/track/fellow trackmates when things go badly.

 

no one who has never been on track should go out in 3. period. start in 1/2, absorb what the instructors have to say, learn from your fellow trackmate's mistakes. Learn car control, learn why you need to be on the line. If you're as good as you think, you'll move out of 1/2 quickly and be on your way.

 

At the sign of a red flag, or a surface flag, or sign of an emergency vehicle, 5 sec hesitation of someone who's never been on track before could be huge. If you've done 1/2 and listened to the group leader's flag speech a few times, well, you get the point...

 

Scott

[1Sicgt]

This past weekend at Thunderhill, there were a few guys who just got into group 3 or just signed up for three with no NASA experience , still scared of the whole passing thing, each of them went off the track. One of them, while going into a corner in the rain stuck his hand out the window, like he was trying to give a point by (the track was NOT full open yet either), there were 5 cars behind him. Well needless to say, taking your hand off the wheel mid corner in the rain was stupid. He lost it right in front of the whole pack of cars. Then as he is spinning, after hereing how to properly correct a spin at least 3 times before, still left his wheels turned, so he slid off the track then back on.

 

Hey!

 

I was one of those new guys in group 3, I don't recall going off track

 

I was the guy in the black Hyundai Tiburon that you could watch gather more rust after every lap

 

(I assume you are talking about the season opener at THill this past weekend)

 

--edit--

 

And BTW I've done the HPDE 1-2 stint, actually stayed in 2 longer because I wanted to make sure about my driving skills before I moved on.

 

--edit--

 

Ya. I'll be nice. A few did stay on the track. At least it was fun though, even in the 4th round with a very wet track!

[1Sicgt]

PS: Fix the fender!

We will when it gets closer to OTC. We are actually changing front clip at that time too.

[mtm68]

Very cool!

 

Running touring or unlimited? I imagine a week in a mustang will get pretty tiring

I'm hoping to run OTC next year, this year we concentrating on the 25 hour...

 

Good luck!

Marcus

[1Sicgt]

Well if I can get another co-driver, My 97 will be in Touring, the 03 cobra in Unlimited.