I have a track related question, but of a different sort. How do you become an HPDE instructor?
@
CSG Mike and any other track instructors out there, tell me if this sounds at all suspicious to you.
I was at Big Willow last Saturday and towards the end of the day I was approached by the event organizer in regard to a prepaid package deal that they were offering. The package is a solid deal and I explained that I currently already have one, but I wanted to express one major discontentment that would prevent me from purchasing another prepaid package. They don't allow any passengers unless they are one of their instructors.
I explained that having a buddy ride along in my car or being able to ride along in another person's car is part of the fun of a track day. Especially for me since I have a group of friends who are beginners/first-timers, and I along with other more experienced friends are trying to get them into HPDE. He agreed. Ride-alongs are great, but here's the part that seemed suspicious to me.
He immediately asks me how many times I have driven with them. I say 8, to which he replies that 8 just so happens to be the exact number of times that his insurance requires of him before he can appoint that driver to be an instructor. So, problem solved. He'll make me an instructor and I can invite my friends and we'll all be happy.
Really?!?
Only 8 HPDE events and now I'm ready to be an instructor? You can't be serious?
He then asked if I was a good driver, perhaps already expecting me to say yes but I say no, I suck (it's true). This surprised him a bit, but only a little because he continued to say that as far as his insurance is concerned it doesn't matter. I just needed those 8 track days to be good.
What do you guys think? Was this all just a load of bull to try and get me to prepay for more track days (and bring my friends along) or is 8 tracks days really all it takes to become an instructor?