Reisentoter DE vs. others

[NOGO65]

Hey gang,

Id like to take this oppurtunity to introduce myself as well as share an experience that I had over the last weekend that should remind all of us what a great group of people we have in our club.

First off, Im the guy who's trying to keep pace with all you guys/gals while driving the white Nissan GT-R. (Please hold all your' boos until the end). I spent two years following you guys to the track as a spectator before taking the leap.

My first event was at the Glen, then Pocono followed by Thunderbolt to close out the season. Needless to say, I've been bitten hard by the "bug" and spring 2010 can't get here fast enough. With a long winter ahead, I was pleasantly surprised when my brother-in-law, and one of my instructors, Steve Hoagland called and asked if I would be interested in running DE @ NJMP with him for a two day weekend with another PCA club. Stupid question.

At this point I want to be clear that Im not bashing another club.  Instead, I'm giving heavy props to the RTR gang for doing what I would consider to be a superior job. I'm positive I havn't even met all of you yet who keep this club rolling and please forgive me if I dont get all your' names right.

A couple of times that made me shake my head during the weekend were as follows:
Picture Paul running grid tech and after not being able to open the hood on the GT-R, he justs waives me on through. (The hood latch is nothing special.)

Picture Myles giving his morning driver's meeting and asking how many "green" first time track people were there and about 10-15 people raised their hands but he doesn't bring up the different flags or their meanings. It wasn't brought up in the classroom either, not one time! I was there. (Huh?)

Picture getting about half the point byes that you deserved (in two different  run groups,) or instructors having to give out point byes from the right hand side of the car. I'm as patient as the next guy but it was becoming blatantly obvious that others were just not aware as to what was going on around them.

Picture an Instructor, I repeat, an INSTRUCTOR, coming out of the pits and basically left turning over the blend line infront of Steve and about 5-6 other cars flying down on him after turn one at Lightning at a high rate of speed. I understand accidents or mistakes can and will happen but sheer fear should keep you as low as you can get coming out of the pits. No? Alot of luck and Steve's driving abiltiies were the only thing that kept the GT-R from sliding into the wall at about 100mph while going backwards after he left the surface to avoid killing the guy.

All in all, it was an awesome weekend but I came away with a new found appreciation for the safety and organization that our club has.

To all of you who make it happen, I thank you. To those of you who I havn't met yet, I look forward to meeting you next year. Just don't hold the GT-R thing against me too much.

Jim Zornes

 

 

[JeffConklin]

You only think you appreciate RTR  - until you go to events with some other regions.  Some regions are just as good as RTR, but others, like what you experienced, are very disappointing.  RTR runs a great program, and puts out some great drivers. 

 

[Darren]

NOGO65 wrote:

Just don't hold the GT-R thing against me too much.

We like the GT-R!

There is a lot of variation between clubs -- they all have their own culture. RTR is more welcoming than other PCA regions for non-Porsches. When the economy was better I don't think the other clubs even let you run a non-Porsche.

[fasthonda]

hi!

i've instructed for 'scads' of other clubs; too numerous to mention.  that being said --

my personal opinion is that RTR has the best program (and i am really nonbiased;  i don't own a P car!).

enjoy that GT-R.  an amazing car.  no need to do much to it, other than some safety equipment.  that is a balls out super car!  huge thumbs up for using it like it was meant to be used!!!

todd

ReidSpeed

[Brian Minkin]

Jim,

I had a couple of sessions when I took students out in your run group and you are driving that GT-R very well.  Look forward to seeing it back with RTR next year.

[AMoore]

Brian Minkin wrote:

Jim,

I had a couple of sessions when I took students out in your run group and you are driving that GT-R very well. Look forward to seeing it back with RTR next year.

I hear that car drives itself well! Just kidding.

[NOGO65]

Ok, looking back on my post, maybe it came across more like bashing the other club some but that wasn't my intention.

I'm sure 100% of you guys have more seat time then I and you may have more experience with other regions also. Just like anything else, I'm sure there's the good groups and not so good groups.

Personally as a newbie, Im glad Paul is double checking that everything is buttoned up under the hood before we go out. I know that my stuff is ready to go before I get out there but I dont know if the guy infront of me is.

 Also, Myles going through the flags for the benefit of everyone's safety is a great thing. You never know, especially in the lower run groups that I'm currently in, if the people you are on the track with understand what they mean.

I think a safe attitude during DE events should filter down from the top. Instructors all the way down to newcomers. I'm glad I'm in one of the "good groups."

Darren, Todd and Brian: Thanks for the kind words about the car. About 95% of the compliments I receive about driving, is totally the car. I know this, my ego knows this also. Honestly, point the car where it needs to be, fire and hang on.

I know some people can get somewhat "territorial" when it comes to vehicle brands, clubs, etc. and it's good to know that there are some of you guys who could give a rats tucas about it.

To me, it's more about the people and you could be getting around Thunderbolt in a school bus for all I care, as long as it is safe and fast, it's ok by me.

See you all....not soon enough. Be safe.

JZ

[Phokaioglaukos]

Reminds me of my experience. First year I drove only with RTR. Second year I went with another PCA region to a track I had been to before. The difference in culture, practice and, yes, even safety, was massive. I didn't go back to that region until I was in Black.

We have a fantastic DE program with lots of dedicated volunteers who work hard at running safe and educational events for everyone, from the "never, never" first time student to the experienced instructors. One cannot say enough good things about this crew.

I hope this coming year we can take some of what has made the DE program so successful and spread it to some of our other activities.

[Terry]

I was there as well. I like the people who run that program but concur that there is a general laxity which seems to pervade the event. I hear that some people think that RTR is "too tight-ass" but I think there is a real benefit to a higher level of discipline. While we can have our internal disagreements about protocol, you just won't see vague and ambiguous point-bys, instuctors giving signals, slow cars holding up the entire green group, etc in RTR. I'm not sure that the carnage was directly attributable to the approach (we sure have our own share in our events) but it may have.

[Brian Minkin]

One thing that has always bothered me at this other regions events is that the car gets a sticker as to run group. There is no control to make sure the driver of the car is in that run group.  In fact I believe a blue driver was out in red this past weekend.