licensing question

[Frank Varano]

Do I need one or two scca driver schools before I can participate in my first regional?

[Keith Carter]

According to the rules, you need two drivers schools before you get a novice license. In some cases if the driver does well, the second class may be waived so that you may race the same weekend you take the school on.

[JHandley]

[SIZE=1]GCR 4.4.3.B

Holders of Novice Permits shall meet the following minimum Driver School requirements before they may participate in a Regional race:
1. Obtain the signature of the Chief Steward attesting to participation at each SCCA Drivers School attended.
2. Complete a total of at least six (6) hours of in-car, on course time at Drivers School events.
3. Complete at least two (2) Driver School events with a "Satisfactory" rating.
[/SIZE][FONT=Univers,Univers][SIZE=1]
The EVENTS I take it are actually track sessions?
I've seen where some tracks have offered an entire licensing weekend.
Friday and Saturday Drivers school and a regional on sunday.
This was at Gingerman last year.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=1]
[/SIZE]

[Purple Frog]

There are double drivers schools available, such as the one in early February at Roebling Road. Participate nicely from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon... and you are cleared to go on to your first regional.

Double schools are intense. You can be in your car all day for three days with maybe a 20 minute break between each session. The car you use must be capable of lasting, and doing so without a lot of effort. You need at least one good crew person.

but they do save a lot of time and money.

[LAJ]

There will be a double school at Nelson ledges in April too.I plan on attending for one to get track time in my S2000 and get some rust off.
Lee
ps. this track would be a lot closer to you!!

[Frank Varano]

I was thinking of doing the NL double school, but I'm not sure if I could make it if its all day friday. I hear there's one at summit point that may get me a license in one weekend. I know its a 2 day school, but i'm not sure its a double.

[Ian Lenhart]

Figure out what strings F500 driver David Cox pulled to only run one drivers school and start running nationals (Read about him in this months Sportscar). It clearly mentions that this was his first year racing SCCA and that he only had limited experience before racing the Runoffs with 1 drivers school and only 4 races.

I can't find where this is possible according to the GCR.

Ian

[Ted Idlof]

The San Fran Region puts on a good doubles school every spring. It is 3 full days of track time, with no rest for the wicked. It's a lot of fun if all you have to do is fuel, oil, check pressures etc. and make the debriefs. If you have car or other issues, then it can be a stressful, frustrating experience. It's important to be fully prepared, ideally with a crew to take care of even the normal stuff, nevermind the problems and repairs that could result from a lot of track time. It would make sense for some people to spend the money to rent the car and the trackside support.

The good news is that you don't need to win, you just need to demonstrate good judgement, safety awareness and some reasonable level of skill. If you're racing material, you'll pass easily. Have fun.

[John Nesbitt]

I hear there's one at summit point that may get me a license in one weekend. I know its a 2 day school, but i'm not sure its a double.

The WDCR puts on a very highly-regarded drivers school in March (and October). Be aware that it is a single.

One can get passed for a probationary license with one school, but that is the exception. Normally, the instructors will want you to do two schools (or a double).

[Westroc #19]

It is possible to recieve a Regional or a National licence if you convince a licensing steward, with proof, that you are capable to run these events with the experience you've gained in karts or elsewhere. There are several instances noted in the GCR where license requirements will be waived.

[thunderracing91]

I only had to do 1 school. I also had my 2 novice permit races waived. I went straight to my regional license. I showed proof of past experience and thats all I needed.............

Andrew

[Frank Varano]

The only previous experience I have is autoX. Hopefully if I make a good showing they will waive the second school.

[captaineddie1975]

A lot will depend on who the Steward is and your performance at the school. After being out of racing from 88 until 2004 when I did my school I was able to have the second school waived due to my experience from 83-88 and my performance at the school. I did have to do the two novice permit observed races but did them in March of 2005 down at Moroso in one of Jim Elders F500 Invaders. BTW is that your Red Devil for sale on the F500 site?
Capt. E

[EYERACE]

eye have seen people with racing experience [read....not autoX], but no current SCCA license, take one driver's school and be signed off. these people would be faster than virtually everyone else in their grid and also be proper when it comes to acknowledging flags and worker stations and also follow all flagging directions properly [example - a white flag is displayed at a station and then another, the driver realizes that a "flat tow" truck with lights flashing is out on course, the driver catches the truck AND THEN passes the truck at a careful speed....the dumb driver instead that stays behind the slow truck is thinking it's a pace car....don't pass the pace car.... but do pass the white flag vehicle.......the pace car would merit a double yellow flag not a white flag]. if i'm the steward, i would want to see autoX experience noted in a novice permit.

one very important thing that gets the driver signed off following a single school is a reliable car......if you miss a sesson 'cuz the car's not right, how does the steward see enough of you to think you're any good?

[GeoffRain]

Make sure you tell your instructor about your auto-x experience BEFORE your first track session, and politely let him know that you'd like an early signoff if your performance merits it.

[Frank Varano]

Eddie,

That was my red devil for sale. A gentleman from newyork picked-up the car last week. I bought the car because it was a good investment, but I wanted to shift gears, and I wasn't crazy about driving an open wheel car with a massive roll cage.

I'm going sometime next week to pickup and finalize a deal on a Vee I'm buying. I guess I should change my name to FVFrank now.

[racer27]

I got my SCCA Novice Permit and permission to run in the next day regionial after one School Day (LRP). I submitted the prior experiance info, both with my application and had it on hand at the track. I think you also need to advise your instuctor of this intent, so they can keep an extra eye on you.

[racer27]

The Double School @ Nelson Ledges sounds intresting, but a bit to far. I see there is a school that same weekend at NH -- Anyone know if that is considered a double school and anyfeed back as to the quility of the program/track?

[RobLav]

I doubt the NHIS school is a double, since it normally isn't. That was my first school back in 2000. I was very satisfied and learned a lot.

[Frank Varano]

The only school listed as a double in the NE is nelson ledges.

[Roux]

I would not get too hung up on getting signed off on the first school. Schools are great because you get lots of track time and feedback from the instructors. You learn more of the craft when you get to go back out in 1/2 hour again as opposed to towing home and waiting for the next race weekend to try to improve. If you put too much pressure on yourself to get signed off it may work against you in the sense that the school is a pretty stressful deal. I autoXed my CF for a few years and then went to school and still got sweaty palms once the action started. Especially if you have never seen the track before.

There are not that many schools to pick from and that might be why you are anxious to license right away. Plan on towing to the second one just in case. The other opportunity to fill in some track time between schools might be to do test days (midweek unfortunately). I think some tracks let you run if you have a novice permit and a school under your belt. Check with the tracks once they get going. LImerock has their test day rules posted on their website

[Charles Warner]

The only previous experience I have is autoX. Hopefully if I make a good showing they will waive the second school.

Autocross experience is not normally accepted as "previous racing experience." Nor should it be. Very little carry-over from one to the other. You'll need the two schools or 6 hours of track time. Don't short yourself or the others on the track with you. As Chief Instructor at the Memphis school for many years I was always faced with the "experienced" student. Autocross, Posche Club, Track Days, BMW Club, karts, even motocross. Our stewards are not liable to be lax in this are - nor should they be. Too many students are led to believe they can easily get the second school waived. Don't believe it. It is getting harder and harder to have this done due to the complexities of the activity and the penchant for this society to be litigeous. IMO only serious, organized and comparable racing experience should be considered. I.e. several seasons in HSR/SVRA or international series. Certainly experience that required some sort of license other than an operator's permit.

[John Nesbitt]

Also, a DS is likely to be the most cost-effective track time you ever get in SCCA. Not only do you get 3 hours of track time, but also you get immediate feedback after every session from experienced instructors, and an opportunity to apply those lessons while they are still fresh.

[EYERACE]

eye agree 100% with charles warner...........very little carry over - maybe 5-10% carry over. i autoX'd for about 6 years about twice a month virtually monthly...then...after eye'd gone club racing for a few years a fellow asked me if i thought the autoXing had helped and before i knew what i was saying the word "no" popped out of my mouth....and the more i thought about it, the more i understood i'd been right as far as out on the track was concerned. to immerse myself in autoX and then a little time in solo1 and then to skippy/schools/regionals was a big help in just what it takes to mechanically be prepped to get a car ready, packed, and go through the overall process. but autoX [slaloms, abrupt cuts, short sweepers] did not get me ready for turn 17 at sebring [150mph] where one turns in flat out and stays on it about another half second after that. autoX is defined [last i looked it up] as a driving skill event. as an instructor [and i've been one multiple times] i think, would i want this person out there with me?......or are they a "shiny new driver suit." if one was doing club racing with an arrive and drive [with say an FC] and had only autoX'd...i would not want them out there with me until experience had come.


example
a racing incident happened yesterday coming out of the watertower turn at sebring and the car behind me got taken out, my car suffered almost no damage......a buddy said something about how it may have occurred and i was dumbfounded.....because i never even dreamed before that's how such might have come to pass.....i know it wasn't in this case because i was in the lead but i sure hope the other driver doesn't think the same. while i realize a brake check by the lead car could sure discourage the drafting car, the same dumb move could take out the lead car. that would never come up in autoX. i respect john too much and he's had a bad run with engines, i'd rather see him "out there" in front or in my mirrors than back in the paddock in pieces