Kumho Course Design/Safety School

[kjchristopher]

Cal Club Solo has arranged for Roger Johnson to come to our area the weekend of November 5th and 6th for a Course Design School that will also serve as Safety Steward Training or Recertification.

In case you’re not familiar with Roger, he’s the guy from Houston who presents the course design handbook many of us have downloaded and – hopefully – put to great use.

The program will include three to four hours of classroom presentation along with answers to any of your questions, then we’ll move to large back lot at California Speedway to set up a course, demonstrating the principals discussed earlier… and setting up for the fun of running the course on Sunday.

$45 gets you both days, the entertaining ramblings of The Real Roger Johnson, and a killer practice course. Join us! Registration is now open at http://tinyurl.com/kumho-course-design-school

[oinojo]

I would highly recommend any of those who are interested in course designing or becoming a safety steward to come out. This is a good seminar of proper course design (addressing visuals/useful elements) and also self awareness of safety while designing those courses. Proper training should lead to faster course setups (especially when we need to do morning setups) and having more fun and safe courses to run.

[HY.]

I'm interested in learning about course design. As I understand I haven't been around long enough to be a safety steward, but this seems relevant to my interests. That being said, how many runs/how long will we get to actually drive the course come Sunday? (85 entries sounds like a lot of people!)

I'm interested in going, but considering the drive, overnight stay, and entry fee, I'd like to know how much seat time I'd get too. Also, how many spots are left?

[kjchristopher]

I'd guess at ten runs. We can usually squeeze in twelve with 75 people, but we are losing daylight saving time.

That said, the Sunday activity is pure profit for the participant. Having the opportunity to learn from Roger Johnson live is quitw a treat. If the number of runs on Sunday will impact your decision, you're likely not coming for the right reasons.

[HY.]

How many spots are left?

Meanwhile, like my original post says I am interested in learning course design. Seat time is valuable to someone new like me though (I want to get more involved in the scca/solo but driving is still ultimately why I come out) and I would think being able to run the course a lot would teach me a lot too about what was created. So it's definitely an incentive especially if im driving north and having to find a place to stay. I just didn't know if this course design school was more just geared toward SSs where a neophyte like me wouldn't gain a lot because the basics are assumed to be known and I'd be left in the dust. If we get that many runs I'm guessing this event will be very thorough! Thanks! Still wondering how many spots though are open cause I know others who are interested :)

[kjchristopher]

Honestly, I don't know. But it isn't full. Probably a little less than half of capacity, if I was forced to guess.

[ewcmr2]

Still space available.

I think every club should be sending people to the class. Yesterdays course could be used as a prime example of how minor changes can make a cone/DNF intensive course much better without changing the designers flow.

[HY.]

Thanks a bunch for this event! Me, Rae and Scott all had a good time and learned a lot from the school. I think I'd like to try my hand at course design in the future, although the technicality with which Roger Johnson approaches it seems to be a bit beyond the standard practices of SDR :D

That all being said, thanks for a great event. I learned and drove a lot. Maybe this has encouraged me to pursue being a safety steward when I have enough experience under my belt (although I have no idea what that amount is).

SPECIAL THANKS:

Sebastian Rios, for not only letting me drive his ridiculous car and saving my/Rae's life by giving us gas, but the lewd and inappropriate gestures he made while I tried to finagle a 400+HP/TQ car around a wet track. Good times :)

[Rae]

I'd like to second Hank's response to the course design school! Roger sure knows his stuff and learning the finer points of course design will definitely help me in other areas of the sport, especially finding the line and knowing how to spot visual illusions that are slowing me down.

Also, another whopping special thanks to Sebastian and Shauna Rios - for the gas and for (finally!) my first ride in an ST civic... A near-death experience ;) You guys ROCK!!!