Lessons from other regions/sponsors?

[Hammerin Hank]

Brian Minkin wrote:

RTR's policy is to place people they do not know in instructed groups. This is for everyones saftey and the fact that many will exagerate their experience just to get in, playing their cards that the upper run groups are not filled. We will only place a person in the upper run groups with certification from their clubs cheif instructor that they are qualified to be there. I think getting such certification is rare.

I can not remember any out of region or other car club event that I attended where I was placed in a particular run group based on the car I was driving. I have always had to have a check out ride with an instructor to verify my driving skills regardless of stated experience. Yep, even this year as a Nationaly Certified Instructor I still needed to be checked out to run solo and get an invitation to instruct with that region.

I agree on the initial screening part. It's a good policy.

And if the car you took to Mid-Ohio was a stock 356?..... I think they would have viewed things differently. I guarentee you your car mattered to be able to run in the faster groups with the Ohio region. Your overall quickness mattered in the "check out ride" with the instructor, which included your car in the equation. They may not have made that a formal issue, but I'm sure the person would have viewed your placement differently if cars were blowing by you left and right. I could be wrong, though.