this is kinda off topic but it's a funny story.
I Instructed at Thunderhill this Sunday for the scca street school. And during the 3rd session I hopped int to a new mini cooper s and was suprised to see a little asian girl sitting in the drivers seat. (and no I'm not sexest, but I don't see manu girl drivers at thunderhill). I asked about her experience and she said it was her first time ever at the track.

So we got pointed at to enter the hot pits and as soon as she pulled on to it she gunned it and peeled out. We made it through turn one with no incedent and she proceeded to enter turn 2 at over 70 mph.

For those who haven't been on Thill, that is pretty decent. Even better for a first timer.

Anyway she proceeded to go through the session passing everyone in the session, including a vette, m3, many porsches and an STI. she was able to get that mini to do any thing she wanted it to. Even understood not to brake while turning and all the other things it takes many track sessions to master.

I was so amazed. She had the most natural ability of any one I have ever ridden with. I told her to keep with it. She was by far the fastest of all my students that day. And had the least amount of track time.

Just Thought I'd share

 

Yep. One should never underestimate the talent of the ladies at the track.
-Adam

 

Pfft, if God intended for women to drive cars, they'd come attached with sinks.

 

One of the best students I ever taught at a school was a college girl who had come to a school with her boyfriend's family (boyfriend and his dad in a Viper, his sister in a BMW 318ti). They talked her into sharing the 318ti with the sister in the school although she knew little more than the basics of driving a manual transmission and was pretty nervous.

At first there was a lot of trepidation and some getting used to really using the transmission more than the basic speeds of a kitchen blender (Mix, Blend, Whip, Puree!) but she started making headway by mid-day. She was getting a little confidence by the end of Day 1 and Day 2 made some real headway. By the end of Day 2, she had the BMW wrung out nicely, tires singing (not squalling) and I let her solo the last session and she drove as well as any student there and certainly smoother than the boyfreind and faster than the sister.

I think her key was that she had no preconceived notions about being a great driver so she was a completely open and willing student, like starting with a clean sheet of paper. Maybe not the fastest student ever but probably one of the most rewarding students I've had.

 

yeah there was a guy in a totally hopped up wrx that looked exactly like the wrc subaru. He was by far the worst of the day b/c in his mind he was already a wrc driver and tried driving the wheels off the wrx. He almost hit everything out there and managed to hit a few of the cones.
he was fast but wasn't on line 95% of the time. actually the car was fast, he wasn't.

 

Another cool girl student story:

NSX guy and his girlfriend come to a school at gateway. I draw his girlfriend as one of my students, while he has another instructor.

Girlfriend's car: 03 Mustang V6 automatic convertible. I have a suspicion it might have been a rental...

We go out for a few sessions. She's a natural, very well organized behind the wheel without too much timidity. I messed with her tire pressures a little to keep it off the sidewalls, and since my time was split with another student I had to do lead/follow a few times. It didn't take long for her to keep up easily with my other student (an autocrosser and an over-aggressive driver who managed not to put a wheel off thanks to much loudness from the side seat and a few knocks on the head) in a 1.8 NA modded miata relatively easily, and by the last few sessions she was going out and passing her boyfriend. I thought he might have been toying with her until I saw him have a moment of slidiness or two. I told her she should tell her boyfriend that she's better at this and that she should get the NSX next time. She left with an enormous smile on her face, and I hope she left driving the NSX too.

 

I've instructed alot- and the last woman that I instructed HAD to be naturally gifted. Second time out ever, and hitting the line and all her apexs wth decent speed. I was impressed. I was starting to wonder if it was HER that was good, or was it the Lotus Elise?

 

hmm if i get a sex change, i wonder if my driving will improve...

 

If this post was in GDD, you'd get a TTIWWOP response.

 

Hmm. Little + fast? Sign her to a management contract and get her into a kart...

K

 

there are only three things that make a driver/car combo fast
1 natural ability
2 desire
3 lots and lots of MONEY

none of these things are gender, race or age specific
anyone who thinks differently needs to get over it
but I do agree that fast chicks are HOT

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by joeysol &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">there are only three things that make a driver/car combo fast
1 natural ability
2 desire
3 lots and lots of MONEY

none of these things are gender, race or age specific
anyone who thinks differently needs to get over it
but I do agree that fast chicks are HOT</TD></TR></TABLE>

hence why i'm getting my girlfriend to autocross this year. heheheheee.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by niterida &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Just Thought I'd share</TD></TR></TABLE>

but was she hot??

 

Times that I have instructed at autocross, I have always found that women are better beginner drivers (did I say that?). They always listen and execute exactly what you tell them to do.

 

Standard GDD reply: "This thread is worthless without pIxXoRz".

- Markus

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think her key was that she had no preconceived notions about being a great driver so she was a completely open and willing student, like starting with a clean sheet of paper.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That is the main thing that makes a student great. It is my view that females are (10 times out of 10) like this. Males on the other hand...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by niterida &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">this is kinda off topic but it's a funny story.
I Instructed at Thunderhill this Sunday for the scca street school. And during the 3rd session I hopped int to a new mini cooper s and was suprised to see a little asian girl sitting in the drivers seat. (and no I'm not sexest, but I don't see manu girl drivers at thunderhill). I asked about her experience and she said it was her first time ever at the track.

So we got pointed at to enter the hot pits and as soon as she pulled on to it she gunned it and peeled out. We made it through turn one with no incedent and she proceeded to enter turn 2 at over 70 mph.

For those who haven't been on Thill, that is pretty decent. Even better for a first timer.

Anyway she proceeded to go through the session passing everyone in the session, including a vette, m3, many porsches and an STI. she was able to get that mini to do any thing she wanted it to. Even understood not to brake while turning and all the other things it takes many track sessions to master.

I was so amazed. She had the most natural ability of any one I have ever ridden with. I told her to keep with it. She was by far the fastest of all my students that day. And had the least amount of track time.

Just Thought I'd share</TD></TR></TABLE>

so did you get her number

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by trigun7469 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so did you get her number </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, lets discourage girls from coming back

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by E-AT_me &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

hence why i'm getting my girlfriend to autocross this year. heheheheee. </TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah, i tried to get my last gf to a/x after teaching her how to drive a manual. it would have completed the trifecta: sports lovin+fast driving+hot/tall/smart.

but then she had to go and break up with me. oh well, i was close.

 

No I didn't get her number.
Yes she was hot, but some asian dude in an sti was pimpin on her.

 

I met my fiancée at an autocross I was instructing. She has always been good at applying instructions on track. It is funny, I think she is more aggressive on track than at an autocross sometimes. She is totally addicted to track events.

edit: damn, she busted me on spelling. Serves me right for typing it so fast.




Modified by Crosser at 11:29 AM 2/9/2005

 

Slightly OT, but I took my wife for a ride at an autocross last year, and the first ten seconds consisted of repeated 'oh my god oh my god oh my god', and when it was over she flat out said 'I am NEVER doing that again!'

I guess being a passenger when you have NO idea where the course is going can be pretty freaky....

 

My wife is the same way about riding with me - she did it once at autox and never again. She can't understand why I would want to hang out in a parking lot all day and won't even come around an autox. But she actually likes going to the track for a day and usually will ride with me for a session.

I've tried to get her to do HPDE1 but so far she hasn't been interested. But hey, she hangs out at least so I'm fine with that.

TIP: For guys who want their gal to go to the track, I try to make it as pleasant for her as I can. That means taking her to a real restaurant for lunch sometime, even if it means I miss part of a session. Spending some time with her during the day vs. just talking to all guys. A nice dinner on the ride home. If I have to get a hotel and she's going, I get a nicer one than I normally would so she can sleep in and use the pool in the morning. I think that's why she actually enjoys going.

- Mark

 

A friend of mine started dating this girl from school a little over a year ago. Between him (as an occasional co-drive), me, and one of her friends from school (whoe GSR she drives when she autocrosses), it seemed natural that she would end up autocrossing with us.

The first time she autocrossed she got last in class, but the car was on all season tires. Next time out on Azenis, she was 6th out of 20 in STS or something like that, just ahead of a friend of mine in an SE-R who also did his second event.

I thought she started off kinda slow, but it was probably just a different way of learning things. I tend to learn how to drive (and teach, when I have a n00b for a co-driver) by intentionally going over the limits and spinning all over the place, and then reeling myself in. Still, she has turned out to be a pretty good driver.

 

I agree that it has alot to do with how men typically have a preconcieved notion that they are good at driving, and they attach a certain amount of self-esteem to how well they do it.

You could say that most often men are more emotional about driving...while women are just having fun without any hangups in the way.