Spring '13 Driver's Education Weekend

Lone Star Chapter BMWCCA

Spring 2013 Driver's Education Weekend
April 27-28th, 2013

Come join the Lone Star Chapter BMW Car Club of America for a weekend of fun at the Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, TX.  We will be running the 1.7 mile track in the COUNTER-CLOCKWISE direction.

Overview

This High Performance Driving School will give you the opportunity to drive your car at speed and to experience the potential of the unique combination of car and driver.  It is safe, demanding and most importantly FUN!  All students will alternate between classroom sessions and time on the track with an instructor.  The individualized instruction is a key to this program that has been developed over decades, and compares very favorably with commercial schools costing many times more.  Our experienced instructors have come from racing, autocrossing and BMW CCA driving schools.
 

NOTE:

For this, and all future Lone Star Chapter BMWCCA Driver's Education events, ALL Driver and Instructor registrants MUST be active BMWCCA members, and your member number will be verified by the National Office before your registration is complete.  If your membership has lapsed, or if you have yet to become a BMWCCA member, please visit www.bmwcca.org to renew or enroll BEFORE completing this event registration.

Run Groups

Instructors and student classing / run groups:  Students are assigned to one of three run groups (Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced) commensurate with their experience.  Please select the run group that you feel most comfortable in, and be sure to update your driving history in the motorsportreg.com history file.  The event CDI reserves the right to review your driving history and reassign run group based on his review of your history.  Instructor supervision is required at all times while you are on the track. Helmet intercoms are used between the student and instructor to facilitate communication.
         

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU REGISTER.
It contains valuable information about the school, registration, and the rules of the day.  Forms mentioned in this text are immediately available via the links.

• Students must be 18 years of age or older with a valid driver's license - no exceptions.
• Convertibles (both soft and folding hardtop models), cars with removable tops, trucks, pickups, vans and SUVs other than the BMW X5, X3, X6 are not permitted at this Driving School.  
• Lotus Elise and Corvettes with a targa roof are allowed, but Corvette convertibles are not.

This is NOT a Racing School:  Our Driving School mission is to improve your driving skills while having fun. Our goal is to teach you safe driving skills and habits in a controlled situation. We hope what you learn will benefit you in your normal day-to-day driving, especially when confronted with emergency situations. We will emphasize the relationship of the driver and vehicle, how to make them function in unison, and give you the opportunity to learn your limitations and expand your capabilities. Our Instructors have a lot of driving experience to mentor students.

Driving School Requirements: To maximize your track time and insure you get adequate instruction, the event is run on a tight schedule.  Adherence to the schedule requires your cooperation and will allow us to get through the preliminaries quickly. Gates to the track will open at 6:15 AM, and registration begins at 6:30 AM.  You must arrive in sufficient time to be unloaded, prepped and ready for the driver's meeting at 7:15 AM.  You must stop at the gate to sign the waivers and check-in. All individuals entering the track property must sign the Release and Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement. You must read it carefully and understand what you are signing. We also recommend that you show and discuss the waiver with your spouse.  Minors are allowed in the facility, but both parents or guardians must sign a Minor's Waiver Form on their behalf at the track.  After signing the waivers, proceed immediately to the paddock area and unload everything from your car, glove compartment, storage bins and trunk. Please remove floor mats, loose change, radar detectors and everything that is not firmly attached. A properly secured spare tire may remain in the car if you choose.  Be sure to arrive with a full tank of fuel.  Bring plenty of water (1 gallon per person) or other hydrating drinks. Water is best!  Also bring a folding chair, hat, sunscreen, appropriate clothes (including long cotton pants for when driving) and protection from the wind and weather. Be ready to attend the mandatory Driver's Meeting at 7:15 AM. This is the most important meeting of the day!

Mandatory Vehicle Inspection: A technical inspection is required of all cars, and must be completed prior to the school.  This is to check the condition of your vehicle, especially the parts that will be critical for an event like this. Tech inspection forms must be downloaded from the forms page.  Most safety equipment will be checked: tires, brakes, brake fluid, battery hold-downs, seat belts and more. If there is any doubt about the condition of your equipment, have it replaced. New tires are not required or necessarily recommended. The inspection can be completed by your mechanic (expect a charge).  DO NOT PUT THIS OFF! Be sure to give yourself time in case something is found that must be fixed.  It is also strongly recommended that your vehicle have a set of brake pads and rotors that are in good condition. 

Helmets and Safety: Note: Snell 2005 and 2010 helmets only! Snell 2000 is no longer valid. Safety is our first priority. Students and instructors are required to wear a Snell 2005 (or newer) certified helmet while on the track. Both Snell motorcycle (M) and auto racing (SA) certifications are acceptable. Bring a helmet even if you have to borrow one.  Cars, drivers and instructors judged to be operating in an unsafe manner will be removed from the track and no refunds will be given.  No glass beverage containers are permitted at any time. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the premises while cars are on the track.  Students are not allowed to take passengers on the track at any time -- absolutely no exceptions. Only registered students and instructors are allowed to drive on the track.

Medical Information: Please complete the medical information form that will be kept on file for the on-site medical personnel in case of an emergency. Please fold the form in half, tape/staple and write your name on the outside for quick access. These forms are for emergency use only, and are shredded after the event. Separately from this form, you are required to inform us of any condition that might impair your ability to perform the tasks expected of a student in this school, impede your ability to communicate with your instructor, or that would impair your ability to exit the vehicle in case of an incident. If you are pregnant, we require the approval of your physician and that your spouse also sign a waiver.

Cancellation Details: Cancellations must be done by emailing the registrar. Cancellations received on or before the cancellation date (APRIL 12th at 23:59) will be charged $50.00 per driver.  Our event policy is that there will only be a 50% refund for cancellations requested after APRIL 12th and before the start of the event on April 27th.  If you do not notify us that you will miss the event by 11:59 PM on Friday, April 26th, there will be no refunds.  We will no longer hold "credits" for future events in the event you must cancel or miss one or both days.

Event Fees (full 2-day weekend only)

Driving School EARLY BIRD Registration (Before April 1st, 2013):  Advanced Students $275, Novice and approved Intermediate students $295

Driving School Regular/LATE Registration (April 1st - April 23rd):  Advanced Students $305, Novice and approved Intermediate students $325

NOTE:  Charges will not be processed until March 30-31st

Waitlist: If you are one of the first on the waitlist, please have your car ready and teched ready to go.  Assume there will be cancellations and that you might get in!

Liability & Insurance: STUDENTS ASSUME ALL RISK OF DAMAGE TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY DURING THE EVENT. This includes times when instructors are driving your car. Your auto insurance policy most likely does not provide any coverage for this event. While we have had a nearly flawless record of safety, this is a high speed event with inherent risks. Since you are assuming the risk, you should be satisfied with the manner in which your instructor drives your car.  If, after discussing any apprehensions you may have with the instructor, you are still not satisfied, you are encouraged to contact the Chief Instructor or any event staff member to address the issue.
 

BMW CCA announces ON-TRACK INSURANCE COVERAGE!

Are you insured on track? Now you can be! Good news for track rats:  The BMW Car Club of America has announced a partnership with Lockton Risk Services to provide a high-performance driving event insurance program, delivering affordable insurance to the many BMW CCA enthusiasts involved in performance driving events. Click Here for more info...

Remember that it is your responsibility to:

• Have a technical inspection performed on your car
• Bring your completed TECH INSPECTION FORM and turn it it at the registration desk
• Bring your completed MEDICAL INFORMATION FORM and turn it in at the registration desk
• Bring your helmet, lots of water, sunscreen, hat, full tank of gas, money for lunch.  Your helmut must meet the requirements and must be checked at the registration desk  
• Read the Schedule and be sure you arrive on time to prepare your car and attend the MANDATORY DRIVERS MEETING

More information on what to expect at an HPDE (shamelessly borrowed from the Rocky Mountain BMWCCA Chapter)

• Read Mark Winey's article about his first driving school experience
• View David Jobush's 2007 driving school introduction video