Phase 1
Phase 2
Evolution Performance Driving School
26-27Jun04 - Phase 1: Skill Building
The Evolution Performance Driving School came to Edmonton/Namao on
what would prove to be the hottest weekend of the summer. Normally held in Red Deer, this event moved north due to
a conflict in the venue scheduling - so rather than cancel the event, they relocated it! Lucky break
for us Edmonton auto-crossers!! Phase 1 (Saturday) was about Skill Building, and Phase 2 (Sunday) was about
developing a "Mental Edge".
Day 1: Rick (Silver Miata) and Gary (Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V) set for another run
Phase 1 of the school had an enrollment of 15 students, driving everything from a tricked out Mustang to an Oldsmobile family sedan with winter tires!! The club was represented by Jason C, Rick S, and Rod H. We held our own against a Spec V (in picture above), a couple of Subie STIs, a couple of Integras, a newish Porsche Boxster and an older Porsche 924, a Subie Impreza 2.5 RS, a Cougar, and even a late model Corvette.
Day 1: Rick and Instructor Gerry Terranova running the cones
We split into 5 3-car groups: one group ran the course with and without an Instructor in the car as passenger or driver; two groups marshalled the course to keep the cones in place; and two groups watched. We quickly figured out that regardless of which group you were in, you could learn whether driving or watching.
Day 1: A fuzzy lineup of students' cars - hoods up atest to the 30Deg C temperatures both days
Skill Building was about familiarizing ourselves with the five basic elements of a simple autocross layout: slalom (serpentine); circles (left and right); turns (left and right); sweeper corners (left and right); and "Chicago Boxes". The driving courses were run backwards and forwards, so we got to drive all five elements both directions. The instructors watched how we negotiated the elements on our first solo passes, then got in the car as passenger and spent a few minutes describing their observations about how we drove each element. While we drove the next pass, they offered suggestions about how we could improve our time through each element, while the timing gear they brought actually tracked our time through each element for each run. Then, we switched places and the Instructor drove the same course while we rode shotgun. Finally, we drove a couple more passes solo to practice what we hoped we had just learned. I got in 20 runs as driver between 10AM and 5PM, and 4 more as passenger with an Instructor at the wheel. I also learned about Gravol, as I experienced motion sickness when riding as a passenger for the first time in years.
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Updated 23-Sep-04 11:06 PM © 1998-2007 Wild Rose Miata Club, All Rights Reserved
