Audi Club Northwest 2018 HPDE Event Information for Drivers

Transcription

1 Audi Club Northwest 2018 HPDE Event Information for Drivers This packet contains important information that you will need to participate in the Audi Club Northwest High Performance Driving Education events. Please read it carefully and thoroughly. If you have any questions, bring them up with the event master, at the driver s meetings or with your instructor. Note that another packet with event-specific information will also be provided. PLEASE PRINT THIS PACKET AND READ IT

2 Prior to the Event We are excited you are joining us at an Audi Club Northwest (ACNW) event! Our club s goal is to provide a fun and safe High Performance Driving Education (HPDE) experience where you will learn about the performance and safety features of your Audi (or other car) and develop new skills as a driver. We realize you may have many questions so we have provided this overview to alleviate some of your concerns, give you useful information, and set proper expectations for the event. This general information applies to most of our HPDE events. See the information provided when your registered online for the details which apply to the specific event you are attending, as well as the eventspecific packet you ll receive shortly before the event you ve registered for. An Audi Club Northwest HPDE event is NOT a racing school. It is not the intention of the club to teach or demonstrate racing techniques. These are NOT timed/speed events. Bear in mind that you need to be able to drive your car home at the end of the event! Prepare your car: To ensure your safety and the safety of others, all cars are required to pass a safety inspection to participate in the event. We refer to this safety check as tech and strongly recommend that this inspection be completed by your Audi Dealer or another trained mechanic or qualified person. There is a Safety Inspection Checklist at the end of this packet for you to fill out. The form may also be downloaded from our website. You must have your car inspected within one month of the event date. You must bring the signed Safety Inspection Checklist with you to the event. Your signature on the form certifies that your car and you are fit for high performance driving. For the full tech inspection policy and procedure, click here. Audi Club North America (ACNA) mandates that all participating cars provide equal restraints for the driver and passenger (seats, seat belts, air bags, etc.) For example, this means that if you have a 6-point harness for the driver you must also provide the same restraint for the passenger. There are also ACNA-mandated limitations on participation by some vehicle types, including convertibles and SUVs, so we recommend that PRIOR to arriving you contact the event master for your event if you have one of these vehicles. You must remove all loose items from your car before you go through the tech inspection line. This includes everything in the glove box, door pockets, center console, lying on the floor, on the dashboard, clipped to the visors, and inside the trunk. To minimize the work that you need to do at the track, we suggest that you remove non-essential items before arriving. Items which are typically removed from your car because they are not firmly and permanently attached include: Floor Mats Tool Kits Toll road transponder Lug nut covers (plastic tweezer in tool kit) Garage Door openers Pencils and Pens Wheel cap centers (metal hook in tool kit) ipods or CD holders Radar detectors Umbrellas Cell phones Spare Tire (unless securely fastened) Portable GPS Coins Children s toys Handheld cameras and smartphones are considered a loose object so are not allowed inside your car. We suggest that you bring a plastic tote, a small tarp, or something else suitable to store all the stuff you take out of your car and keep it organized (and dry in case of rain) during the event. (Hint: Leave what you

3 can at home or at the hotel.) While we have not experienced theft at our events, we advise that you do not leave items of value unattended. Prepare yourself: You will be surprised at how intensive the driving experience will be. It is important to take care of yourself. Plan sufficient hours of evening sleep before the event and during the weekend. Eat regular healthy meals, stay hydrated, and avoid stimulants such as coffee and sweetened drinks. The club typically provides water and lunch at the track, and depending on the venue there may be a snack bar serving breakfast and other snacks throughout the day. Alcoholic beverages as well as prescription or other drugs that may affect your ability to drive safely are prohibited for participants and their guests. You will be tired after the event. If you will be facing a late and long drive home, you may want to consider an extra night at your hotel as a prudent alternative. Minors: If you are bringing minors under the age of 18 to the event, make sure you fill out and bring the Minor Release and Waiver of Liability form for each minor. Helmets: Participants must bring an approved helmet rated Snell SA2010/M2010 or SA2015 (no M2015) or rent one from the club on a first-come first-served basis. Clothing: It is highly recommended that you wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants any time you are driving on track, or while you are riding as a passenger in an instructor s car. Clothing should be cotton, wool, or made of other substantial and fire-resistant materials no polyester leisure suits, please! While driving on-track, appropriate footwear is required. Lightweight, well-fitting shoes, with thin, narrow soles are best. Lug-soled shoes and boots are not appropriate; open-toe shoes and sandals are not allowed. We suggest you check the weather for the event venue prior to arriving. Temperatures at the track often fluctuate during the day, so it is a good idea to dress in layers. You should select clothing that is comfortable and doesn t restrict your movements while inside the car. Sun screen, a hat, and a folding chair will make the day more enjoyable. A jacket, or rain-proof windbreaker and sweater is a good idea in the event of inclement weather, as the school continues whether there is rain or sunshine. A tire pressure gauge, windshield cleaner, and an extra liter of engine oil can be useful. What to expect at the Track: Your day at the track will be a combination of track time and download meetings (run group discussions with your group leader). If you have not been signed-off to the Intermediate (solo) level in your logbook, you will be assigned a club-trained instructor who will ride with you while you are on the track. If you are solo-qualified with another club but haven t driven at an ACNW HPDE event, we will have an instructor ride with you at least for your first session to ensure that you re qualified to run solo. You will be provided a detailed schedule when you check in at the event. The driver and front passenger side windows must be completely up or down while on track. Sunroofs must be closed. Passengers: No passengers (other than your instructor) are allowed in your car. If you have a guest attending the event, they may be able to get a ride on the track with one of our instructors. Check with your run group leader or the event master to get a ride arranged for your guest. Remember, this is a general overview. Please see the event info provided when you first registered online for the actual requirements for the event you are attending, as well as the provided event-specific packet.

4 Day of the Event: Arrival and Tech Inspection Step 1: Enter the track facility As you enter track facility you will be asked to sign the Release and Waiver of Liability form. Each member of your party will need to sign this form. You ll receive a wrist band to indicate that you ve signed the waiver. Step 2: Proceed to the paddock and find a spot to park your car The paddock is where the cars will be parking for the event. Find a suitable parking location for the day. Please be respectful of spaces already taken by others, typically indicated by a plastic box or tarp or spare tire on the ground. Step 3: Registration Find the registration table; its location will be provided in the event-specific packet. Bring your driver s license with you. Check in with the volunteers at the registration table, and you will receive your event registration packet including run group color, car numbers, name tag, schedule and lunch ticket(s). Be sure to look at the Lapping Assignments sheet to confirm your run group and instructor if you have one. If you have minors at the event, turn in your signed Minor Release and Waiver of Liability form. If you reserved a rental helmet with registration, now is a good time to pick that up as well. Step 3: Prepare your car for Tech You should have already filled out your Safety Inspection Checklist (see the last page in this handout) and had it signed by yourself and a qualified 2 nd party. Remove items from your car, including floor mats, spare tire (if it is not securely fastened), jack, tools and garage door openers. Remove hubcaps, wheel trim rings, lug nut/bolt caps and clean out the glove box as well. If it s not bolted down, take it out. It is allowed and encouraged for you to keep your logbook in your glove box so your instructor can sign it any time during the day. Put your two car number stickers, provided in your registration packet, on your car usually the rear side windows work best. Step 4: Add your car number to your Safety Inspection Checklist Verify that your tech sheet is completed, with signatures and date of signature. Step 5: Get in line for Tech Proceed to the Tech line with your car, your Safety Inspection Checklist and your helmet. Please stay with your car. The Tech staff will go over your form, double check your car and helmet, and place a Tech sticker on the windshield. Note that the new Tech sticker has your car s number on it and will be placed at the center top of the windshield. You will not be allowed on the track without this sticker which indicates completion of Tech. Step 6: Return your car to your parking location Finish preparing for the day in time for the driver s meeting. If you have some extra time, find your instructor (if applicable); the lapping assignments sheet will indicate the instructor s car model and color plus car number and can be found at or near Registration.

5 Event Ground Rules Consumption of drugs or alcohol is not permitted at the track No one under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be permitted to participate Attendance at all Driver s Meetings is MANDATORY Be mindful of speed limits around the track facility; the local roads are usually well scrutinized by the local law enforcement. No one under 16 will be permitted to drive on the track. Passengers must be at least 14 years of age. Passengers are prohibited in cars while on-track except when there is an instructor in the vehicle Convertibles must be equipped with a roll bar with the driver/passenger helmets underneath the plane extending from the top of the windshield to the top of the roll bar (also known as the broomstick test ) Windows must be completely up or completely down while on track Competitive driving of any sort is prohibited If you have a video camera, phone camera, or other recording device, including data recording, please consult the ACNW guidelines for online posting of media and data recording devices later in this document Event Guidelines and Reminders The purpose of an ACNW HPDE event is to teach vehicle dynamics and driving safety. We want you to have a great time, but if you drive in a hazardous way, you ll be black flagged and may be invited to leave the event. This event is not a racing school or a competitive event of any sort. Your Instructor: Our club-trained volunteer Instructors work hard to ensure you enjoy your day while also improving your driving. Look for them to find you in the morning, but don t be afraid to reach out to them first! Weather: Weather in the Pacific Northwest can be quite variable. The event will run rain or shine, barring any truly unsafe conditions where we will error on the side of safety. Be prepared for rain and ensure you have good windshield wipers and proper clothing for yourself. Tents and Chairs: It is suggested that you bring pop-up tents and chairs to ensure you have a dry/shady place to sit in paddock area. Pop-up tents MUST be secured so that in the event of strong winds, they do not fly away and damage cars. Schedule: The schedule is tight, and subject to disruptions. To be fair to all participants we will do our best to avoid track shut downs during run sessions. Stay up to date about schedule changes by listening carefully to announcements. Mechanical Problems: Fix any problems with your car immediately. If you break down or run out of gas on the track, your car will be pushed to a safe location until it can be towed back and you will miss track time (and you may impact the track time of others). Medical Information: Audi Club Northwest has a system in place where you can make available any medical or confidential information to aid workers should the need arise. Bring with you any information you think helpful to aid workers in a sealed envelope with your name and contact info on the outside. This will be held by our event safety steward where it can be retrieved by aid workers if needed or you can claim it back unopened at the end of the event. This is optional.

6 Vehicle Preparation Requirement and Use in Events: Your vehicle's components will undergo accelerated wear when operated on a track. Remaining brake pads, tires, oils, fluids, and other maintenance thresholds (consumables) deemed acceptable by the manufacturer for normal highway and street use may not be adequate for a high-performance driving event. It is your responsibility as a participant to ensure that your vehicle has adequate remaining consumables and that it is prepared and safe for the registered event. It is also expected that the participant will adhere to any warnings and data provided by their vehicle s onboard computer during the event. On-Track Physical Damage Insurance: Participants are hereby informed that standard auto insurance policies may not cover damages incurred at a track. Participants are encouraged to review their policies for applicability. On-Track Physical Damage Insurance may be purchased separately if a participant's policy does not cover such items. Contact Information If you have questions or cannot show for some reason, please contact the event master for your event (name provided in the event-specific packet). Passing (Let-By) Procedures Note: ACNW does not use the point-by passing procedure. The below procedure is subject to change depending on specific track layouts. Confirm the procedure for your event with your run group leader. Procedure for letting a car by: Be alert to cars approaching from behind watch your mirrors! When it s apparent that someone wants to pass you, wait for the next designated let-by zone, signal your intention by turning on your right turn signal, reduce throttle (but do not lift all the way!) and remain on the driving line. Procedure for passing: After receiving the correct signal from the car you wish to pass, signal your intention to pass by turning on your left turn signal, move off the driving line and make the pass. Leave plenty of room to complete the pass prior to the end of the passing zone(s). Pass only in the designated zone(s) and never at the end of the straight(s). Track Safety Track Safety is everyone's responsibility. Pull into the pits and report any problems to the person at point. Examples: If there is a driver that repeatedly does not let you pass. If the driver being overtaken fails to reduce throttle, preventing you from completing the pass. If you find a driver that is clearly driving over their head. If you notice an unsafe condition anywhere on the driving surface.

7 On-Track Communications Flags Used on the Track Various flags are used to signal different information to drivers on the track. Memorize the meaning of each flag so that when one of them is displayed, you understand what is required. GREEN Start Indicates the start of the session or a restart after a full track-yellow caution period. BLUE Check your mirrors A reminder that a faster car is behind you. Be courteous; lift and let them pass at the next passing zone. YELLOW Caution, slow and hold position Indicates an unsafe condition on the track. Drivers are required to slow down and maintain their position. Cars may not pass under the yellow flag. YELLOW and RED VERTICAL STRIPES Hazard on track Indicates an unsafe surface condition. BLACK/ORANGE BALL Pull into pits for consultation Indicates a driver has a mechanical issue with their car. BLACK Pull into pits for consultation Indicates a driver is being called off the track. RED Stop safely at the nearest corner station Indicates the complete stoppage of the session due to some unsafe condition. WHITE Entering last lap Usually a 5-minute warning to end of session. CHECKERED The session is finished Indicates the completion of the session. Cool down the car and exit the track.

8 Audi Club Northwest Guidelines for Posting Event Footage, Images, or Comments The ACNW Board and Event Masters require that all participants read and follow certain guidelines before posting videos, photos and comments on the internet using websites (Vimeo, YouTube, etc), social media (Facebook, etc.), or other resources such as car forums or blogs. Audi Club Northwest is dedicated to driver skill improvement through a program of structured training in carefully organized events that put safety and sharing experience as the first priorities. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in exclusion from future Audi Club Northwest events: 1. All videos must be positive in nature. It is not acceptable to post videos or any content that denigrates, defames, or criticizes the club, event organizers, instructors or other members. Such actions directly conflict with the spirit of all Audi Club Northwest events. 2. If you capture a serious incident using your onboard camera, it is unacceptable to post video footage or still photos of that incident ANYWHERE. 3. If you capture a minor spin or off, it should only be posted with the permission of all drivers involved. 4. You are welcome to share your personal learning experiences with others using these media, but keep in mind that anyone can watch you and all the other drivers that appear in your video. 5. It is not acceptable to post video footage that identifies your ACNW instructor without their expressed permission. 6. Event participants must comply when their instructor does not want in-car video, audio recording, or other devices (vehicle dynamics, GPS traces, etc.), to be in operation. Beyond these guidelines, ACNW reminds all participants who do not want their license plates numbers captured in videos to remove or cover them for the duration of the event. Audi Club Northwest is not responsible in any way for videos that are posted by members or non-members online. Audi Club Northwest Guidelines for Onboard Timing Equipment The ACNW Board and Event Masters require that all participants read and follow certain guidelines before participating in our events because we are dedicated to driver skill improvement through a program of structured training not racing or time trials. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in exclusion from future Audi Club Northwest events: 1. Audi Club North America and ACNW allow the use of timing and data acquisition devices during ontrack lapping for the purposes of self-improvement. 2. Lap times must not be disclosed to other participants during the event or through online forums (including our Facebook page and website) after the event. 3. Event participants must comply when their instructor requests certain vehicle features be activated or disabled. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! ACNW Board Members and Event Masters

9 Safety Inspection Checklist Driver Name (Print): Car #: Driver License # State: Event Date(s): Vehicle Make & Model: Year: Color: ENGINE Coolant hoses in good condition; no visible leaks Drive belts tight, not frayed, and not slipping (no squeal) Wiring secure, not frayed or exposed, connections tight Steering and Brake fluid reservoirs clean and full Battery secure, cables tight Pre-event Inspection Event Review BRAKES & TIRES Brake calipers and hydraulic lines dry Brake Pads and rotors above wear limits Wheels not cracked, bent or out-of-round Lug bolts checked and torqued to specification Wheel bearings not loose Pre-event Inspection Event Review Throttle travel free, throttle return action strong No leaks - fuel, oil, coolant Tires tread 2/32 min, with acceptable wear pattern Brake pedal firm BODY & LIGHTS Brake lights and turn signals all operational (L, R, F, R) Headlights (high/low) and tail lights all operational Windshield and mirrors not cracked, clear and secure Doors, hood and trunk lids, sun/moon roof; all secure Wipers operational, wiper blades in good condition SUSPENSION Suspension tight, Mounts rust-free Minimal steering wheel play Shocks dry, bushings and tie rod ends tight CV joints & hubs not binding. Dust boots intact Exhaust system secure INTERIOR Remove all loose items/floor mats, check under seats Glove box and trunk empty, Spare tire secure or removed 4-pt roll bar or cage, passes broom-stick rule (convertibles) Seat belts functional; equal driver/passenger restraints MISC ITEMS Helmet: Snell SA/M2010 or SA2015 Tow hook installed if available Cameras and other devices securely mounted List modifications: Inspected By (Organization Name or Individual) Inspector Signature (or Stamp) Date Driver Certification: I certify that a qualified shop (strongly preferred) or competent individual has thoroughly inspected this vehicle using the above list and any other items necessary to ensure safety. I accept sole responsibility for the vehicle s safe operating condition. I agree to promptly cease operating the vehicle on track if I believe it becomes unsafe for any reason. Driver Signature: Event Review Initials: