From 7:30 to 3:30 we were at Kruse Auction Park for the Fort Wayne SCCA Tire Rack Street Survival course. Absolutely the best way to burn a day and $60 on a new teenage driver. A record 30 kids/parents showed up from Zionsville, Michigan, Ohio, even Fort Wayne. I got a little restless watching powerpoint about contact patches changing under acceleration, braking and turning, so I wandered out to get some air. I was immediately recruited to catch cones on the two skid pads, where I spent most of the day.
Two slolam courses, lane change and skid pads were used to get kids used to vehicle control then in the afternoon push to out of control and recovery (yes, the coach will yank the emergency brake at any time). Fire truck shooting water on the track and windshields slowed the speed and widened the line on the second skidpad. All shapes and sizes of kids and cars, SUV's squealing tires, junker sedan leaking fuel, rich kid in an Audi TT drifting full lock at scary fast speeds. Ian ended up with a sweatshirt, car blanket, safety kit, digital tire gauge, gas card and SCCA membership. Any teenage driver you know should be strongly encouraged to take this course.
E.
PS- parents allowed to do a lap at the end, slolam is much harder than it looks and sliding sideways in a WRX on a wet skidpad for two laps is even more fun than the gokarts.
