Last week I took one of my biggest HPDE trips so far to Virginia International Raceway (VIR). It’s about a 5-hour drive from my house, and I knew there was no way I could drive the Miata that far and still keep my sanity. Instead, I rented a Uhaul trailer and towed it with my new truck. This was my first time towing anything, so that’s a whole other experience. Add to that the fact that this was my first time at a VIR HPDE, and this turned out to be quite a big trip for me. Luckily, my wife came with, which made the trip a bit less stressful.
Getting the trailer and loading the car was an event in itself. We underestimated the time it would take to do it all, so we ended up leaving about 2 hours behind schedule. This put us at VIR at 9:30 PM. We unloaded the car and trailer in near complete darkness. Exhausted, we checked into our hotel and went to sleep.
I’m always anxious the first morning of an HPDE, especially at a new track. You generally have to be there around 7:30 for an all-hands meeting, and novice classes will start at 8:00 or so. With my nerves, I usually can’t eat breakfast. To make the anxiety worse, there was about an hour between class and our first session, so I just stood around waiting and thinking.
In my experience with NASA events, you first meet your instructor at the grid. So I headed there when they called for the novice group. One reason I get so anxious before events start is because of my passenger seat. When I bought the Miata, I had to get new racing seats. Some organizations won’t even allow convertibles, but those that do require that your helmet sit below a broom placed across the windshield and rollbar.
No seat I tried gave me the proper clearance, so I spent about $800 to get a custom bracket fabricated to get me as low as possible. Through all of this, I was told you didn’t have to go through the same effort for the passenger seat. I even asked a former chief instructor at a local race equipment store and he said I didn’t have to. I bought the lowest-profile bracket I could to mount the passenger seat.
However, since my first event with the car, every instructor has pointed out that the seat is too high. This makes me anxious because I feel like they are uncomfortable, which makes me uncomfortable, and that’s not a feeling you want while driving around a new track. For the last few events, I’ve been up front with the instructor and told them to let me know if they were uncomfortable with the seat height. Even if they didn’t technically pass the “broomstick test,” they have all been okay with it.
My assigned instructor for this VIR HPDE was not. I met him at the grid, gave him the spiel about the car setup, and then told him about the seat. He got in, tested it out, and said he did not want to ride in it. He apologized, because he was excited to hop into a Miata (he tracked one) and helped me find a new, shorter instructor. So, I met Cameron. Cameron fit a little better. He was still a bit too tall, but he was fine with it and so we set off. The seat is something I intend to take care of in the off-season.
As we made our way to the track, Cameron let me know that I was his first-ever HPDE student. Given that I now had some track experience, that didn’t worry me much. I congratulated him on becoming an instructor and said we would be learning together. Coincidentally, I learned later in the day that Cameron was friends with Kevin, an instructor I had at a Summit Point event a couple of months ago. This sport is a small world.
Instructor swaps aren’t common, but both you and the passenger need to be comfortable in the car. That applies to the teacher feeling physically safe in the car, but also to communication styles. If at any point you feel like you just aren’t gelling, you can request a swap. If it gets to that point, it’s likely the instructor feels the same way. Don’t be afraid to speak up. He or she will help you find a new teacher and you’ll be on your way again.
The VIR HPDE was a blast. We ran the Full Course configuration, which is not exactly suited for a Miata. With several high-speed sections and a couple of long straights, it’s great for high horsepower cars. There were many Camaros in my group, along with a couple of M3’s, a CTS-V, and Corvettes. That all adds up to me keeping a vigilant eye on my mirrors to point them by when needed. And they would come up fast!
My first session was more difficult than I expected. My last few events were on tracks I was familiar with, and I forgot how hard it can be to learn a new one. Cameron was patient, though, and it helped to be in a slow car anyway – more time to take things in. It was clear I had some things to work on, but I had two days to do so. I remained optimistic.
When they announced our group for the second session, I drove over to Cameron’s trailer to pick him up. He wasn’t there, nor was his car. I waited for a few minutes and then saw Kevin walking over. He told me Cameron had had some issues with his car during his previous session, and was working them up. Kevin said I should drive up to grid, and they’ll have some reserve instructors who could hop in.
So, I drove up and gridded. As they sent people onto the track, I held back waiting. Eventually, everyone drove off and there was nobody left standing around. I hopped out to ask someone what to do. After some scrambling, Edgar, who seemed to be managing instructors that day, got in. Luckily, he was short. I had a really good session with Edgar. His teaching style was very different from Cameron’s, but each has their own. Edgar told me I was very smooth and had a good line. In fact, he told me to be more aggressive the next time out. That’s basically a huge thumbs up.
The rest of the VIR HPDE went more smoothly. I found a groove and really began to appreciate the different sections of VIR. Two corners were giving me consistent trouble: Nascar Bend into Left Hook and Oak Tree. Cameron helped me try out different lines until we figured out what worked best for my car and driving style. That’s why instructors are great, even if you have HPDE experience.
At different points during the weekend, I went off at both of those corners. In each case, I quickly recognized that I wasn’t going to make the turn. Rather than stomp on the brakes and try to pull the car back onto the line, I just went straight. I’ve had some offs before, which made me more comfortable with them, so I wasn’t afraid to just let it happen. I also knew enough to understand that trying to over-correct can often cause more and worse problems for you. Instead, I realized what was happening, looked for clear runoff, and just eased off the gas to lessen any impact from rough grass.
These were actually some of the most satisfying parts of the weekend for me. Yes they made for a rough ride, and it’s certainly not something you aim to do, but it wasn’t scary. I handled them in a way that felt natural and, what’s most important, Cameron said it was the right way to do it. Knowing that I can handle myself going off track means I can be comfortable pushing the limits as I become a faster driver, and that is the aim of all this.
In the end, Cameron gave me the coveted Solo sticker for my last few sessions. What’s more, he told me that I was ready to move up to the intermediate group. He was the second instructor to tell me that this season, so I’m confident I can move up now. By my third session on the second day, I could feel the exhaustion wearing on me. Knowing that we had a 5-hour drive ahead of us, I decided to skip my final session of the day, so we could pack up and get home at a reasonable hour.
My wife was gracious enough to drive back – her first time towing something. She did great, and, let me tell you, being chauffeured home in a cushy F-150 after a weekend of tracking is not a bad way to live.
VIR HPDE Point-by Points
- Get an instructor you’re comfortable with – Especially when you’re just starting out, you want to be comfortable with your instructor. It will make the whole experience less stressful. Don’t be afraid to ask for someone else if you’re not meshing, and don’t be offended if one doesn’t feel comfortable riding with you.
- Go with the flow – sometimes non-driving things will go wrong, like a missing instructor. Remember that HPDE’s are learning experiences. You have enough to worry about, so try not to let other things get to you. Stay calm and find an organizer to help you out.
- Commit to an off – You will eventually run off track. It’s going to happen. When it does, try not to fight it. You will often cause more problems for yourself by trying to get out of it. If you blow through a corner, keep the wheel straight and ease off the gas. This will slow the car in a controlled manner and give you time to regroup and find a way back onto the track.
