 Visit
the Track |
Road Atlanta
Braselton, GA |
|
|
|
DRIVERS
EDUCATION SCHOOLS |
 Frequently
Asked Questions: |
| General Questions |
| Can
I get register as a Solo student? |
No, the
BMW club approaches these events in an educational manner. Every
student has an in-car instructor assigned to him or her for
the weekend. Advanced students may be signed off to drive solo,
with the agreement of the chief instructor and their instructor.
Having an open mind towards learning, and being willing to consider
input and insights from a variety of teachers is a great way
to learn. |
| Are
the classroom sessions mandatory? |
Yes. We
take the educational part of our school very seriously. There
will be level-appropriate classroom sessions with required attendance.
Failure to attend classroom sessions may result in loss of track
time. |
| How much
track time will I get? |
Approximately
4 hours over the weekend. Usually four (4) 25-30 minute run
groups per day. You’ll also receive 2-3 hours of classroom
instruction. |
| Can I drive
in the orientation day on Friday? |
It depends.
The orientation day on Friday is for instructors. The club also
invites experienced A group students. Invitations are based
on student’s history with the Club, at Road Atlanta, Sign
Offs, and prior instructor evaluations. |
| Do I get
less track time if there is a club race the weekend of the school? |
No, the
track time is the same regardless of whether races are occurring
or not. The club runs four student groups of cars on normal
school weekends with 100 student slots. Race weekends are cut
to 75 students spread over 3 run groups with the racing group
taking up what would normally be the 4th run group time slot. |
| Can I share
a car with another student or instructor? |
Generally,
this is not a problem, unless both drivers are novices, with
little or no track experience. This is because the two students
must be placed in separate run groups, and at least one of the
students must have enough experience to be classified above
the other. If in doubt, please contact us via email for a clarification.
Also, be aware that doubling-up on a car will increase the stress
and wear-and-tear on the car. Consumables, such as brakes and
tires, are at particular risk of wearing out more quickly than
expected, and should be closely monitored. |
| Are touring
laps going to be available? |
To Be Announced
|
| Can I bring
pets to the track? |
No, Road
Atlanta does not allow pets on the grounds |
| Can my
kids ride their skateboards or micro go-karts in the paddock? |
No, for
safety reasons, children need to be closely supervised at all
times. There is a constant stream of vehicle movement through
the paddock and pits, and strapped-in and helmeted drivers are
somewhat more restricted in their ability to see objects or
people in their vehicle blind spots, especially when backing
up. |
| |
TOP OF PAGE |
| Vehicle
Questions |
| Do
I have to drive a BMW to participate? |
No? We
accept vehicles from all manufacturers into the school. |
| Can
I drive a convertible in the event? |
No. Convertibles
are not allowed in Peachtree BMW driving schools. The vehicle
has to have a fixed B or C pillar, with hard roof panel in-place.
(No canvas) Targa Corvette/911 for example would be allowed.
The presence of a roll cage in a convertible does not change
this policy. |
| Does the
club perform a technical inspection on my vehicle |
No. Vehicle
owners are responsible for having their vehicles inspected prior
to arriving at the school. The inspection form will be e-mailed
out to participants in advance. The club reserves the right
to prohibit (i.e. ban) vehicles determined to be unsafe by the
driving committee. Your assigned instructor will perform a “clean
tech” inspection with you before the first on-track session. |
| Does my
insurance cover my car should the worst happen? |
We don’t
know. This is between you and your insurance companies. Some
companies have specific language exempting coverage from all
events on closed race courses. However because this is an educational
environment and no timing is involved, many insurance companies
will cover damages that occur on track. READ YOUR POLICY or
ASK YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY to be sure. |
| I’m
just starting out, and I want to buy R-compound tires. What
do you recommend? |
As a novice
driver, we recommend and encourage the use of street tires initially.
Some people believe they need racing rubber to have fun on a
track, but today’s street rubber is much more capable
than novice drivers are. Street rubber has the distinct advantage
of “talking” to you. It will provide audible clues
when you are reaching your traction limits. This will help you
learn faster and help keep the car under your control. |
| |
TOP OF PAGE |
| Safety Questions |
| Do
I need a Helmet? |
Yes,
To participate in the school all drivers must wear a Snell
2000 or better helmet. The club does have a few available
to rent for the weekend but we recommend students bring
their own. |
| Can
I use a motorcycle helmet? |
Yes,
Helmets Rated Snell M (motorcycle) 2000 and higher are
acceptable. |
| Why
are you so picky about Snell 2000 or better helmet requirements?
It’s my noggin at risk. |
Because
CCA standards, and our event insurance, are absolutely
clear (and strict) on this matter. Foreign (or other)
helmets w/o Snell designation are not accepted. If your
helmet had a sticker and it fell off, it will not be allowed
in our event. Some of these helmets have been accepted
on case-by-case basis in the past but that exemption is
no longer available. No Snell sticker means the helmet
is not acceptable. NO SNELL STICKER MEANS THE HELMET IS
NOT ACCEPTABLE. |
| If I buy
a helmet, what kind of helmet should I buy? |
If
you are thinking of buying a helmet, our suggestion would
be to buy a 2000 or 2005 helmet. Beginning January 1st,
2006, only 2000 or 2005 Snell-rated helmets will be allowed.
We recommend a driving (SA) rating v/s the Motorcycle
(M) rating due to the fire protection associated with
the driving helmet. |
| Do you
require equal protection for all passengers? |
We require
equal restraints, but not equal seats. For example, if you have
a 5-point racing harness for the driver seat, you need to provide
a 5-point harness for the instructor in your passenger seat.
Club policy is that you must provide instructors with the same
level of protection in your vehicle as you provide for yourself.
|
| Passengers?
As a student am I allowed to take passengers? |
No. Students
can only drive on track with an instructor in the passenger
seat. If a student is signed off, they can drive solo or have
another instructor ride along to obtain a different perspective.
Students are prohibited from taking non-instructors out on track.
The only exception to this rule is during touring laps if they
are available. |
| |
TOP OF PAGE |
| Registration
Questions |
| Do
I have to be a member of the BMW Car Club to Participate? |
No, we
do not require BMW club membership, but if you plan to attend
more than one event per year, you might want to join because
the $40 differential in the registration price is equal to a
one-year CCA membership. Plus as a Peachtree member you are
eligible to register one week earlier than non Peachtree Members. |
| When
will I know if I got into the school? |
You should
receive an email confirmation within minutes of completing your
registration form. If you don’t receive it, do not assume
that we got it. Send an inquiry to the dschool@peachtreebmwcca.org
address to confirm receipt. This e-mail confirms we received
your application. Your slot is not secured until payment is
received. Some students have been disappointed in the past by
registering close to when the school fills up, then dawdling
getting the payment into the registrar, and have been denied
entry in favor of others who paid faster (i.e. Paypal). Paypal
is the preferred method of payment. You will receive
a separate e-mail from the registrar stating your payment was
received with space available, which guarantees your slot in
the school. This e-mail will come from the registrar
(not Paypal). |
| What about
Email Blocking? |
Club registration
materials will originate from the dschool@peachtreebmwcca.org
address. We recommend that you configure your email programs
to allow mail from this sender. We see a lot of bounced mail
that ends up causing confusion and delay for our registrar and
for you. |
| |
TOP OF PAGE |
|
|
