Intermediate School

[Andres3165]

Thanks Pat for a great day! Well designed , interesting , and fun. Instructors were very good:rockon. We couldn't ask for more. The weather also helped. We learned very good concepts that will improve the way we all drive in an Autocross.

Again thank you guys very much.

Andres

[Rex Jr]

I have about 50 photos that I'll get up on Flickr tonight.

Hey Sheen, PM me.

[marks_lude]

I really took in a lot during the school. Since it was my first school, I really did not know what to expect, and it was as much as I could have hoped for. I walked away with a handful of things to work on, and a lot of great input from the instructors. My slaloms finally started to come together by the end of the day.

Oh, and for the first time I got to drive on good street tires rather than hoosiers... and man they are impressive. Charles and I were saying that we couldnt believe how well our cars felt on them. I'll probably end up in STR next year and stop this tire trailering madness.

[Andrew]

I have a lot of positive thoughts on the class. I think a lot of the things we learned I could have recited, but now I understand those driving ideas and can put them to use. I also think that this class was the next step I needed to move forward when making a plan on course walks and it gives me more "tools" to use when I'm stuck. A special thanks to all of the instructors and the students were all great fun too as usual. :)

[JKarsten]

I had a great time. HUGE thanks to Pat, Neal, Ivan and Keith!!!! It was a great Class, I had a lot of fun and learned a bunch, Hopefully it sticks!

[SUV-ETR]

Since it was my first school, I really did not know what to expect, and it was as much as I could have hoped for.

I think you're on the right track there: If you keep your expectations sufficiently low, we're that much more likely to meet them! Ha! :p

Had a good time as well. Couldn't have asked for better weather or a better group of students. Thanks guys.

Neal

[KrazyKarl]

Sounds like things went well, hopefully I remember to sign up for it next year. Not that it would have matter if I had this year, as my car is missing a few pieces at the moment =)

[JCN]

Thanks so much to Pat, Ivan, Neal, and Keith for generously giving their time to help us.

This class was perfect for the student with basic understanding of vehicle dynamics and enough seat time already logged to know their own driving habits.

I agree with Andrew, I've heard the talk a dozen times. But to have the learning tools and exercises to really drum it into my thick skull... extremely helpful. I thought the format of the class design worked very well.

I would have loved to have someone with a tripod and a camcorder set up recording everyone's runs through a section like the slalom.

I watched Matt and Josh dance around the cones beautifully. I don't think my good runs looked nearly that good and would have liked to have seen my runs from the same vantage point. Might be a good learning tool to post the external run videos and give feedback about who did what well.

And I'm with Matt on the street tire thing. It's just as much fun and much less of a PITA. Jocelin and I are going to street tire in Milwaukee events and selected MOWOGs.

Thanks again for an excellent school!

Thanks also to Jake for showing me the "hillclimb" and the Hudson, WI road trip crew. It's okay that we got passed by a Prius... we looked way cooler. :lol:

[MAYcar]

Many thanks to Pat, Neil, Keith and Ivan, you guys are the best! I'd guess there were about 400-500 runs total on the day, probably 2/3rds with instructors. You guys really earned your money! I had the pleasure of riding with all the instructors duing the day, the message was consistent from instructor to instructor. Each instructor would present the same information in a different way which helped me to finally understand what the message was.

This school was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The class answered a bunch of random questions I had and then tied it all together into an understandable answer. Providing the theory and logic of how to plan your run will be invaluable for me in the future. Not having timing was also a benifit, I wasn't worried about increasing my speed to try to reduce my times, I just concentrated on excuting the lessons being taught. Of course there is still the problem of executing what I was taught, but at least I now have an understanding of what it is I'm supose to be doing.

Two recomendations that I spoke with Pat about after the event that I would like to throw out for discussion with the people that attended the school.

1) Break the class course walk into smaller groups. During the walk with the whole class it was difficult to see what Pat was explaining. Suggest that you divide the students with the instructor to do the course walk.

2) Prior to the students taking a run in their vehicles have them ride along with an instructor to demonstrate the lesson. When we were wraping things up at the end of the day I rode with Neil and Pat watching their braking and acceleration points. I should have asked earlier to ride along with one of the instructors, I would have liked to apply what I learned.

I would rate this as the Number 1 autocross class that I have attended. Much better then Evo, this class answered a bunch of theoretical questions with common sense, logical answers. It would be a bargin at twice the price.

Again, I would like to thank our instructors for their dedication and commitment to bettering fellow autocrossers. MAC is truly blessed by having such a talented and gratuitous group of volunteers willing to share their knowledge and time.

[Rex Jr]

I would rate this as the Number 1 autocross class that I have attended. Much better then Evo, this class answered a bunch of theoretical questions with common sense, logical answers. It would be a bargin at twice the price.


I watched and took pics for about 2+ hours and was feeling sorry for myself that I wasn't able to be an attendee. Mark's comment above clinches it; I'll be signing up for this school if offered again!

[MustGoFaster]

A big thanks to Pat, Neil, Keith and Ivan. Your time and effort is much apprciated.

I've always tried to do some of the things specifically taught in the school, but during the school I learned just how far off I was from doing what I actually though I was.

Suggestion: Add one course change in the afternoon. The course did it's job well, but a little more practice on the initial part of the lesson (planning your run) would have added a little more to the class I think.

Overall, :rockon .

[JCN]

1) Break the class course walk into smaller groups. During the walk with the whole class it was difficult to see what Pat was explaining. Suggest that you divide the students with the instructor to do the course walk.

2) Prior to the students taking a run in their vehicles have them ride along with an instructor to demonstrate the lesson. When we were wraping things up at the end of the day I rode with Neil and Pat watching their braking and acceleration points. I should have asked earlier to ride along with one of the instructors, I would have liked to apply what I learned.

I feel that trying to noodle it out first helped me get to the point where I felt I could demonstrate my best technical effort to the instructors. Then when I had that part down, Pat showed me where I was reading the course and executing wrong (the element right before the slalom and after the long straight and hard braking... I was treating it as a decreasing radius turn in rather than connecting three straights). Just a thought for a potential benefit of trying to "get it" on our own first.



If they had just showed me in the beginning, I don't think it would have had the same impact on me.

[SUV-ETR]

Many thanks to Pat, Neil, Keith and Ivan, you guys are the best! I'd guess there were about 400-500 runs total on the day, probably 2/3rds with instructors. We really got our money's worth!

Fixed that for ya. ;)

Just for clarity/transparency: The instructors were 100% volunteers. MAC came up with pricing based on covering site/equipment expenses, and probably came out even, give or take a few.

Pat deserves super-extra-special credit. We helped him a little bit with review/feedback of the curriculum before the event, but the event as a whole was his show.

Steve G also helped out a ton by organizing the administrative aspects of the class, particularly the cost/pricing model and the site coordination.

But I also want to give props to you, Mark. Brought the cones, showed up early, helped setup, helped tear-down, etc. Thanks!!

Neal

[RedlineToy]

I really want to thank Pat, Neal, Ivan and Keith for a fantastice day. Like others have said here I now have a understanding of things I have heard over the last four years. The instructors all gave me very good feedback that I could put to use right there.

The course setups did a very good job of reinforcing what we were trying to learn.

I truly feel much better perpared mentally to walk a course and think through it to come up with a plan. Going slow to go fast is still hard to do sometimes.

I cannot wait for the Milwaukee this coming weekend. Are any of the instructors going, I would love to do a course walk with one of you.

Thanks again.

[JCN]

Favorite exchange of the day:

Neal: Nice run.
Me: That sucked.
Neal: Yeah, I know. We're just supposed to say that.
Me: :lol:

[washburn]

whew...that actually turned out to be almost what I thought it could be. I've done a modified version of this class for years in LaCrosse with only a half dozen or so students, so having 24 was logistically challenging. From reading the great comments, I hope we instilled the philosophy and the thought process that you can take with you into your autocrossing future. Thank you students for bringing an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Huge thanks go to Neal, Ivan, Keith...these guys volunteered their Sunday with the hopes of helping our our fellow get faster and getting more enjoyment out of the sport. Mark...special thanks to you as well...getting all the stuff from the truck, bringing it all out, setting up, tearing down, all your support....we really could not have done this event without your generous help! Thank you!!!

The great comments and suggestions will be considered for next year for sure. Thanks again everyone for coming out and remember to ask us if you need some reinforcement or reminders at any event.

[mac.man25]

Thanks so much everybody! The class was great fun, I learned more than I thought I would.

I do like the suggestion for a course change half way through the day so we can walk a slightly different course and practice setting up our acceleration points.

Thanks to all the instructors for all their advice and pointing out what was good and bad. Thanks to Neal for letting me drive his car! I want a BMW so badly. :D

And thanks to Pat for telling me everything I was doing wrong. I need to hear that every once in a while to keep my feet planted. :)

And thanks for everybody asking if I had everything when my car broke, it made the difference between having a break down far away from home, and a slight inconvenience.

[Scuba_Steve]

I too had a greeat time and really appreciate the effort the instructors and other volunteers put into this event.

I definately learned a lot, I just seem to have trouble applying it. It seems like the moment I let the clutch out, I'm filled with a dose of "stupid" and it doesn't wear off until I've completed the run. :rolleyes:



Favorite exchange of the day:
Neal: Nice run.
Me: That sucked.
Neal: Yeah, I know. We're just supposed to say that.
Me: :lol:

Having taught SCUBA for the last 10 years, I know exactly what is meant when the instructor says "good Job, keeep working on ...." We too are only allowed to provide positive reinforcement, no matter how bad the student sucked. :D

[Justin (Vision Speedworks)]

First off, my car is now back in Minnesota. I hired my dad to drive out and pick it up with his recently purchased tow-truck. Thanks Andres for the ride back yesterday and for helping me work on the car. Also, thanks to Matt and Cullen for stopping and helping too. A couple others also checked to make sure everything was alright.

My fan blade disintegrated about halfway through the afternoon. Checked the damage and thought maybe I could drive it home, but only made it a couple miles before the temp guage started rising. Found what we thought was a problem (aside from the broken fan) and repaired it, but after attempting to drive again, it started getting hot. It was starting to get late, and traffic was getting bad. The State Trooper said I really needed to get the car off the interstate. So we babied it along to a Park and Ride at the next exit. Left the car there, and my dad picked it up today.

I wasn't as bummed about the problems, as I was about the fact that I couldn't take any more runs. I was really starting to improve on a few of the techniques we were learning and was hoping to get a few more runs in. The instructors were great. They were obviously very attentive because they made specific critiques about was being done right, and what wasn't.

Neal, you should consider writing a book on Autocross theory. I'd pay $50 for it. Maybe more. Don't get a big head, but I'm amazed at the amount of knowledge you have on all aspects of the sport. You do a great job of explaining it in ways that we can all understand.

Pat, Ivan, Keith, and whoever else put all the work into this school, Thanks!

[Rex Jr]

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schultrichs/sets/72157619798952916/

Excuses:
My camera blows. Creative cropping rarely fixes bad photagraphy.

Anybody want to trade a working DSLR setup for a pair of Konig Heliums? Yeah, I thought not.

[shane86]

Neal, you should consider writing a book on Autocross theory. I'd pay $50 for it. Maybe more. Don't get a big head, but I'm amazed at the amount of knowledge you have on all aspects of the sport. You do a great job of explaining it in ways that we can all understand.
Absolutely.
i'd pony up $50 on a preorder right now :rockon
seems like everytime i have a chat with neal, i learn something new, or come away with a better understanding of something i already knew.

[JCN]

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schultrichs/sets/72157619798952916/

Excuses:
My camera blows. Creative cropping rarely fixes bad photagraphy.

Anybody want to trade a working DSLR setup for a pair of Konig Heliums? Yeah, I thought not.

Thanks for the pictures, Rex! :)

[ychanus]

Finally got time to post. Like everybody has said, it was an awesome day. Special thanks to all the instructors (Pat, Ivan, Neal and Keith) for being patient about my driving skill. I'll definitely continue to work on the "plan" and techiques that were taught. BTW, it was nice to get a chance to meet some of you guys.

Highly recommended course for anyone that are interested.

Phil, thanks for selling your spot to me for this class ;)

Rex, thanks for the pictures!

[ChillyW]

For the most part I just want to say "ditto" to what everyone else has already posted. Thank you a thousand times over to the instructors.

After the first 5 minute exercise driving through the left/right element, I got out of my car and thought to myself "I've already gotten my money's worth out of today". And it just kept getting better.

I know that Pat did say at the beginning that we could ask the instructor to drive our car for a run any time - I really wish I had taken them up on that offer. I definitely will next time.

It would be nice to have do a change to the autocross course at some point during the afternoon. But I'm not sure what that would do to the timing - there's already a lot going on to pack it all into one day. Maybe just set up the course so that halfway through you can reverse it and run backwards.

[njbed]

I have been trying to explain to Nic everything I learned on Sunday, wow it was a lot of stuff. Now if I can just apply it all.:rolleyes:

Thanks again to all of the instructors, I learned more than I ever thought you could in one day.:rockon

[phile]

Phil, thanks for selling your spot to me for this class ;)

Yeah, I kinda forgot that I was going to be in Ashland with the TR4 that weekend...

Pix at my Flickr site.