pmgoodwin

I was having a discussion with someone about the run groups in PCA DEs. Actually it was a bit one sided since this person was complaining about a lack of objectivity and criteria in getting promoted.

Can anyone explain the process of how one gets promoted?

VERBOTN

IMO demonstrating proficiency on the track and a keen understanding of rules/protocol. Some regions have a H-T requirement to be solo others do not. Three items that are essential for me: FLAGS, Pit-In, and Pit-Out, once that is handled car control, blah blah blah

Geoffrey

It will depend on which PCA Region you run with how formal the process is. The larger Regions here in the North East have a detailed checklist for each run group with the requirement of one or two different instructors agreeing the criteria has been met.

onefastviking

Thats easy, atleast for the LSR PCA group, read this.......
http://www.lsrpca.com/DE/Articles/Mu...20Handbook.pdf

page 14 and page 27 of the handbook describe the run groups and how to move up specifically.
This was written and edited years ago by the group when I was DE chair. Specifically so everyone could be aware of how it works, it has been edited over the years as needed.

Hope that helps,
Viking

onefastviking

And of course we do have the check ride also happening to move someone up a group.

Veloce Raptor

Damn. Viking beat me to it.

onefastviking

You mean you still haven't gotten use to me being ahead of you ?

DarkSideDE

A funny question. Everyone here is correct, of course - and it really does go by who is running the DE. I know one Chief Driving Instructor that insists on 3 in Green then 3 in Blue then 3 in White. Then you can sit in white till your face turns blue - or he needs someone to instruct and promotes you to Black.

I know in our DEs (which are not PCA) we send in what we call the police. We listen to the instructors to see how their students are doing. Years ago, too many instructors thought their Blues are ready to solo on Sunday afternoons - but truth was, they weren't - just instructors trying to get home in time for dinner. So, how do we do it? Easy, we really do listen to the instructors we trust. If they feel a green is ready for blue - we put them with an instructor in blue. If an instructor thinks their blue is ready, we put another instructor in for a test drive. If they are ready, they stay in blue as a solo. To go from blue solo to white, our "police" go out in blue and see what is doing. If a blue solo is staying ahead, passing everyone, driving their line proficiently and looks and acts confident, we move them up to white. Ah, but how does one get out of white. Most of our whites have been there 7-10 times. Our police see how they are doing and if they are consistent, polite, aware, etc. and make the recommendation to our CDI to move them up. (Most of the time the whites are just left to rot in white.) If another club, that we respect, has moved a person from white to black - we honor it. To become an instructor and get to red, we need to know your driving ability, witness the respect you have for the track -- most of the time, it is easy if you make yourself known to the CDI and the organizers. Then you are one of the true track junkies and ready for payback - to instruct.

Now here is where we differ from PCA. Our red group can pass anywhere with a point. Not all DE instructors are up to this point. But for those that are, we welcome them into that group. Otherwise, we have instructors in white and black, wherever they are happy, and that makes us happy.

Whew.

So the moral to the story - attend lots of DEs - be a real track junkie, learn the line - become a good driver, aware of your surroundings, consistent in your line, etc. etc. and get to know the folks in the club that put the event on, and life will be wonderful.

Enjoy.

Veloce Raptor

First time for everything.

Chris Alvarado

+1 Everything that they said. If all that fails ask for a check ride. Extra quarts of oil don't hurt either.

Bull

I have found that the answers are as different as there are number of Regions or other sanctioning groups. One of the local regions holds events on 9 different tracks and wants to see proficiency at most of them before you will ever solo. Others are completely different. Add to that the fact that every student progresses at a different pace and there is no specific answer to your question, unless you identify the region.

RonCT

Here are the guidelines from our CVR chapter:
http://www.cvrpca.org/de/forms/08-de-guide.pdf
http://www.cvrpca.org/de/forms/08-de-advancement.pdf

TedA

All it took for me to advance all the way to instructor in my region was a small amount of cash, bribery with cheap booze, ability to make a large group of people laugh by saying stupidi shike at the driver's meeting without being a total a$$ and masking a severe lack of talent by driving a "momentum" car Ohh....and driving over and over and over on the same track didn't hurt. I may be the reason our region is re-evaluating criteria for advancement. It's time to go racing!!!

Actually the advancement criteria varies widely by region based on size, experience and organization of those running the program. To the OP... investgate the published criteria of the region or group you are looking to run with. Talk to several people who have run with that group. DE is about learning, not only going solo. My learning curve slowed when I was signed off terminal solo. Continue to find people smarter than you to ride with you.

Wherever you are you probably have the ability to run with various groups at the same facility. Find one you like. Don't worry about advancement. Look for a good group of knowledgable people that are serious about what they do, that have a good time doing it and enjoy being around each other. Then find a way to learn everything they know.

ervtx

In terms of moving up to the final run group below instructor, I once heard the following "elevator speech" explanation that tried to capture the spirit of the handbook used with Mav and LSR PCA, and it seemed to make a lot of sense:

"We want to see you safely and consistently driving to the limit of your individual car's capabilities. If you're only driving 9/10 of what your car can do, you're not ready, and if you're driving 10/10 but are inconsistent or unsafe, you're not ready."

I liked that explanation because it put the focus on the relationship between driver and car instead of driver vs. driver. When I started to think of it that way, I stopped over-driving my car, got smoother, drove my own line, and got more value out each minute of instruction.

Veloce Raptor

When I see students--or anybody--driving 10/10ths in a DE, I get worried....and I get off the track.