I started a new thread so that EVERYONE would get a chance to see this.

NASA gives out logbooks to HPDE drivers so that you have a track record of your events and your progress. That way, when you go off and do an event with another group, you can show them what you have done, what you have been working on and what you want to work on at the current event.

I am upset that so many people did not get books. Because of the above. Because the next time you come out and play with us, I won't know what you have done. As registrar it helps me to place you in the correct group. Obviously, it also helps you.

Not that it means that if you go to 3 FATTs at SP, 2 Speetrials, 5 autoxs, and 1 BMW club, it will automatically "qualify" you for advanced. No, it means that with NASA, you have obviously graduated to minimally the Novice-Intermediate or maybe Intermediate-Novice.

Depending on the mix of people who sign up for the event you may be in Novice with the possibility of moving up that weekend (we don't normally do that) or starting out fresh in intermediate. Depending on you and your instructor, you may actually get soloed - I am beginning to hate that word.

BUT I don't have the final say. OUr chief instructor who was busy with the comp school (none of us are good at being in two different places at the same) has the final say.

Soloed - going out on track by yourself with the intention of praticing a skill without the teach breathing down your neck. You time to tell yourself " damn didn't take that corner right" all by yourself and then trying to correct it - all by yourself. Maybe that is for one session or maybe for the rest of the day. Or weekend. Or....., See?

Signed Off - Again, I am beginning to hate that term. Usually, means that your instructor thinks you have done well enough, have multiple tracks under your belt, and he/she feels confident that you can find your way around this track and most others without getting yourself or someone else in trouble. That you understand and obey track rules - REGARDLESS OF THE CLUB PUTTING ON THE EVENT. This means a bit more track maturity than you had when you first started. Your attitude toward being the fastest in your group is basically gone and you have learned that smoothness brings speed and that you have enough confidence that when you start to loose your car, you can get it back WITHOUT GOING OFF THE TRACK.

It means that when a train starts, you pull out of it to give yourself room without the teach telling you to do so. It is also called self responsibility. To ask for help because you understand that you don't know it all. AND it is okay not to know it all.

So once again, if you did not get a logbook, or if you had a logbook form last year, and forgot it, or your instructor did not write anything in the one you have, let me know.

I will try to track down all that for you and get it straight so that you have it for next event - regardless of club. And try to wokr on self and smooth and line. THe rest, I guarantee will fall into place.

Elyse

 

Are these some type of "official" logbook, or just a spiral notebook that you enter dates/times, etc. into?
Forgive my lack of knowledge on this - so far I've only attended one event (SpeedtrialUSA VIR in December) and have not seen anybody's logbook.
Thx.

 

Thanks Elyse & Grumpy

 

We have logbooks that have the person's name, and places for instructors to "rate" a person's progress. Although these come from our NAtional office, we are actually redesigning them to suit our local purposes better.

Again, they are supposed to be your guide as to what you are doing right as well as pointing out what you need to be working on in the future.

Something to also keep in mind as you go through this process. - Each instructor may see you in a different light. And you may be more "on" today than you were last time or some time in the future.

So it is important to take in the feedback - and use it as it applies. Each person has a slightly different style and although the basics are the same, every time you go out, track conditions are different, your head is different --- it is up to you to put the whole package together for that day/event.

Every racer goes through this every time he/she goes out.

But to me, since I am very interested in how I did against my original goals, and to help me set future goals, feedback from my instructor is key. I forget so having it written down is REALLY important to me.

E

 

I think the problem was a simple lack of communication/awareness about the logbooks. Most novices just did not know the books existed.
Possible solutions: have logbooks handed-out at tech and/or have classroom instructor mention the existence and purpose of the books.

 

Thanks,
Victor Perri II

 

That will definitely happen at the next and subsequent events!!!

 

I got mine in the first classroom session at the last NASA event at Summit Point. Seems like a good way to do it. It really needs to be emphasized that it's up to the student to make sure the instructor fills it out. Probably the first thing the student should say, after the checker, is "Give me feedback."

I wish that all the organizations that run HPDEs would start using log books. It would help me to remember what I need to work on next time. I may just get a small spiral binder and harrass my instructors for comments before I let them out of the car. You know, I could probably make notes in it too, about setup, tire pressues, reminders of things to bring next time, etc. What a concept!





[Modified by Geezer, 12:22 PM 2/20/2002]