Amen, James! And my hat's off to the way you guys and gals do it down
there in Houston. Here in Red River, when we're done setting up the
course, we try to allow enough time to drive through it with a Tundra
pickup pulling the club trailer at about 20 mph or less. Obviously,
with a rig of that size, you can't drive the kind of line you're going
to be driving in your race car or you'll mow down a whole bunch of the
cones that you just set up!!!
Piled into that truck are the Solo Safety Stewards, the event
chairman/course designer, and the key people who were involved in
setting up the course. We also carry a stack of cones. If we see
something that needs "fixing," we fix it on the fly. Then I and my
other Solo Safety Stewards walk the course with the event
chairman/course designer - looking for and correcting potential safety
problems if we find any. Once that walk is finished and we're satisfied
that everything is OK, THEN AND ONLY THEN do we mark the cones and
outline the course.
I don't fault your intentions, Jim. But, like others, I think your
approach is overkill. I much prefer the system that James has outlined
of "teaching" people the basic concepts and then turning them loose to
do their thing - with experienced oversight. We've got a wealth of
people in this organization who have course design experience. I dare
say that many of them would be more than happy to share their experience
if somebody would just ask them.
Roger and James put on a course design session on Saturday morning at
the National Convention in KC - right after Rob Pickrell and I finished
with our Solo Safety Awareness session. It was very well attended and
very well received. Personally, I think this approach will serve our
needs much better in the future than having Certified Course Designers.
The same concept could be carried to the Divisional level with a
course design session at Divisional Roundtables and to the Regional
level as Houston has done with their program. It could (and, in my
opinion, SHOULD) also be incorporated into the SCCA-U curriculum.
Just my 2-cents worth from this old beer-fried grey matter.
John (Old Fartz & TLS #37) Lieberman
James Rogerson wrote:
> Again, here in Houston.
> It is mandatory for all event chairs to sit through Roger's course design
> school. We hold it every January. We all do it as a refresher for most
> and new to those that are just that new. The "class" is open to anyone
> that wishes to take it, advertised on our website. During those frozen
> days in January come down and have a doughnut and coffee with us. Roger is
> the presenter, he calls on me on occasion for SSS and comic relief.
> Rocky, I disagree on this point. It's a good thing to refresh yourself on
> basic concepts periodically. That's the intent of the "school" for those
> that have gone through it. The new folks we just want to introduce them to
> what the basic concepts are. Our course approval plan here is submission
> two months prior to event. Review in open committee. The design is either
> returned for adjustment or accepted pending actual setup and safety test.
> Roger and I do not run for regional points. We test every course in three
> phases. First we just putt through and check the visuals (can you find the
> course). Then we begin checking for runoff and crazy driver
> syndrome. We'll drive the course on street tires driving off line and over
> aggressive (spin inducement). We then will run a fast car on race tires
> and see if the course has any problems in that associated with raw
> speed. Our events are on Sunday, we setup on Saturday. It's a luxury, I
> know. When we run at a site that requires same day setup, Roger and I do
> the same routine in a compacted time frame.
> The course design handout that Roger has put together is not just his
> work. It's a compilation of the work of many, so it is broad spectrum and
> should be used as a guideline for the club. At least that's my opinion.
>
> Further, if any region wants a personal presentation, Roger is just an
> e-mail away. You'll have to buy his ticket, but he'll go anywhere. You'll
> have to supply your own comic relief. When Roger and I travel together, he
> requires a single malt properly aged.
>
> James Rogerson
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