NCC HPDE @ Jefferson Circuit, Summit Point

[pseto]

The September 2013 Jefferson HPDE is only $190/day!
New Students - Get a $25 discount for each day you drive in 2013.
Current Students - Bring a friend, get $25 towards your next school.

The National Capital Chapter (NCC) operates three High Performance Driving Events (HPDE) each year at Summit Point Raceway. The methods of instruction and the target audience for these schools share a common goal of giving you the opportunity to develop and improve your skills as a driver and to strengthen your knowledge of your car's abilities so that you will be prepared for any situation you may encounter on the highway.

Our HPDEs are not racing schools. (In 2013 we have a separate race school for interested members.) Our focus is on skills, not speed, and our overriding concern is with your safety and that of your car. We select our school instructors very carefully, not simply for their technical knowledge and accomplishments as drivers, but also for their abilities to impart that knowledge to their students in a clear, concise, and professional manner.

Your BMW is an amazingly capable car. At a National Capital Chapter HPDE, you will be able to realize your car's capabilities, learn the limits of those capabilities under controlled conditions and practice the skills needed to control your car safely within those limits.

High Performance Driving Events
The primary goal of these schools is to develop and hone your car-control skills. It is not to drive fast, although speed will come with improving skills. We seek to produce not necessarily the fastest, but the most proficient drivers possible.

Each HPDE consists of driving sessions on the track and at the skidpad, as well as classroom sessions. During your on-track sessions, you will be driving the full track at progressively higher speeds throughout the school. An in-car instructor will work with you to help you improve your driving mechanics. Braking, cornering and accelerating techniques are refined continuously during your on-track sessions.

Skidpad sessions will allow you to begin to master the skill of controlling your car at the limits of adhesion. You will learn how to control understeer (when your front tires lose adhesion) and oversteer (when your rear tires lose adhesion.) The skills learned here will not only be invaluable on the track, they may well save your car - and your life - on the highway.

Classroom sessions present the underlying mechanics of your car's behavior and how your inputs as a driver affect it. We present basic driving theory, the physics of car behavior (i.e., the "why it works" of driving) and discussions of the techniques of advanced car control.

No single drivers' school will ever convey all there is to learn about driving. In this sense, our HPDEs are part of a continuous learning environment, one that requires several years of attendance at dozens of schools before proficiency is attained. Even at that, there is always something more to learn, something additional on which to work. Acquiring driving skills is a process that is never completed.

About Our Instructors
Our instructors come from two basic driving backgrounds: accomplished HPDE students and successful amateur (e.g., SCCA) racers. Regardless of their backgrounds, our instructors conform to a uniformly high standard of competence, professionalism and enthusiasm for teaching.

Candidates selected from our student roster have a documented record of achievement. Candidates applying from a racing background must have comparable skills and experience. We note that the requirements for a successful racer and those for a successful instructor are not necessarily the same, as the sole ability to drive fast is about the most minor qualification we seek in an instructor. Therefore, as part of the qualification process, we apply a series of student instruction simulations (using our instructors as the "students") to ensure that the candidate understands not only how to drive, but how to teach as well. We also ensure that candidates display impeccable attitude and driving etiquette and are successful in making the transition from "race-mode" to "school-mode."

Our current instructors' driving experience ranges from five years to twenty-five years. Our "average" instructor has been driving on the track for 11.5 years and has been instructing for 6 years. We draw our instructors from twelve BMW CCA chapters, the SCCA, PCA, and other marque clubs. We select our instructors very carefully to ensure that every student receives the best possible instruction from the safest, most professional and most knowledgeable people we can find. We are very proud of our instructor corps and we trust that you will share that pride.


This event offers online registration and payment through MotorsportReg.com.

Register here.

[pseto]

Less than 2 weeks left till registration closes and we have limited seats remaining. Please sign up ASAP!

[rpl77]

Originally Posted by pseto

Less than 2 weeks left till registration closes and we have limited seats remaining. Please sign up ASAP!

I signed up awhile ago--cant wait! The registration info says that exhausts must be "quiet." I've got a gintani sport axle back in my car--would that be ok? Thanks.

[markw9]

I'm interested for a future event. Do you get many first timers? It's no fun having to point cars by all the time.

[pseto]

Originally Posted by rpl77

I signed up awhile ago--cant wait! The registration info says that exhausts must be "quiet." I've got a gintani sport axle back in my car--would that be ok? Thanks.

Yeah, Gintani is pretty loud it'll be up to the instructors since the majority of the time they will be barking instructions to you. It's kinda important you hear them

Originally Posted by markw9

I'm interested for a future event. Do you get many first timers? It's no fun having to point cars by all the time.

Actually, the Jefferson circuit is ideal for first timers. Plus, as a new student, you get a discount. A weekend at Jefferson is a lot of fun and its basically driving 2 different tracks. On Saturday, we drive clockwise and counter-clockwise on Sunday. It's also technical enough to get a good understanding of the basics of car control, especially when combined with the skid pad.

After you get through Jefferson, you'll want to do Shenandoah with us in Nov

[N1COM3]

man, I which we had tracks closer to where I live (hampton roads)

[pseto]

Originally Posted by N1COM3

man, I which we had tracks closer to where I live (hampton roads)

VIR is a world class track and only a few hours away from you.

[Ikendiken]

To register or not... question is can I get the miles and break-in service done before the HPDE in three weeks? Oh and a helmet, I guess I need one of those, too.

[pseto]

Originally Posted by Ikendiken

To register or not... question is can I get the miles and break-in service done before the HPDE in three weeks? Oh and a helmet, I guess I need one of those, too.

Gimme the keys and I'll drive it while you're asleep

[Ikendiken]

Originally Posted by pseto

Gimme the keys and I'll drive it while you're asleep

Is there no limit to your generosity?!?

[pseto]

Originally Posted by Ikendiken

Is there no limit to your generosity?!?

nope, unlimited generosity. In fact, I'd volunteer to drive it on the track, so that you won't have to. Pretty thoughtful, right?

[pseto]

HPDE registration closes this Sunday, 9/15 at 11pm and there are still a few spots left!

We have an outstanding weekend planned at Summit Point with our HPDE on Jefferson circuit, a member BBQ feast, and Karting all set up for Saturday 9/28. Each event has it's own registration, so you can pick/choose whatever fits into your schedule. Or, better yet, do all 3 events!

HPDE registration

Karting registration

BBQ registration

[WarrantyTracker]

Originally Posted by markw9

I'm interested for a future event. Do you get many first timers? It's no fun having to point cars by all the time.

I'm planning on showing up in my '79 323i. Believe me, I seriously doubt you will have to point me by.

[pseto]

Last call to sign up for our end-of-summer HPDE. Registration ends Sunday night and only a few spots remain!

Here's your chance to get your car on the track for some much needed seat time. Learn valuable car control techniques which will make you a better driver and possibly save lives.

And don't forget about new student and referral discounts!