The PCA National Drivers Education Committee has updated the Driver Education Minimum Standards.
All DE participants must review this update as it may affect your car and equipment preparation for the upcoming DE season.
The section of the Driver Education Minimum Standards document to take particular attention to is the use of a Head and Neck restraint system commonly known as a HANS device, is now mandatory for both student and instructor when a five, six or seven-point harness are being used. Exceptions and detail for some Four-point systems are also listed in the document.
"The participant should BE AWARE that the addition of such a seat and harness system results in the occupant being fastened upright in the vehicle. Therefore, in order to have a COMPLETE SYSTEM, a properly padded roll bar or roll cage is recommended, and an approved head and neck restraint device is required. A head and neck restraint device certified as meeting the standards of either SFI 38.1 or FIA 8858 or its successor is required. The use of such a harness system without roll protection and a head and neck restraint device may result in an unsafe environment and is not a COMPLETE SYSTEM. Roll bars or cages and their installation must meet PCA Club Racing Standards.
When using a head and neck restraint device, it is recommended that one follow the SFI Recertification process for the head and neck restraint device. The instructions for this can be found on the device. Additionally, it is recommended that the straps be replaced every five years."
NCR Chief Instructor and DE Committee comments:
- A Head and Neck restraint system commonly known as a HANS device, is now mandatory for both student and instructor when a five, six or seven-point harness is in use.
- A suitable roll bar or roll cage is Strongly Recommended when race seats and harnesses are in use but is not mandatory.
A suitable roll bar or roll cage along with a Race Seats and Harnesses provides the driver and instructor with a complete safety system. - It is recommended that sedans and coupes with racing seats and harnesses without a roll bar or roll cage have *functioning factory provided three-point seat belts in the car.
- Sedans and coupes with racing seats, harnesses and *functioning three-point factory belts that do not have a roll bar or roll cage, are allowed to use factory *functioning belts with an instructor but both occupants must use the same restraint method.
- Students and drivers that utilize racing seats and harnesses without suitable roll protection and do not have *functioning factory provided three-point seat belts in the car, will not be provided an instructor; this includes check-out rides.
* Functioning three-Point belt requires the same fitment as provided by the stock seat.
- Details
The North Country Region Drivers Education team will be using text messages to augment the PA announcements for schedule changes and other significant operational issues during the Club Motorsports events.
Due to FCC requirements, you have to opt-in to the service. (We checked with MotorsportReg and this service is separate from the SpeedWaiver opt-in). If you did not opt-in during registration, you need to enable the service for North Country Region Drivers Education Club entry in your account details at MotorsportReg.com by following this link.
- Details
We opened the 2024 Season with two fantastic days at Lime Rock Park. Great weather and and lot's of track time!
Click below to see all the photos!
- Details
Select Host Column Entry to register.
March 9 (Sat) HMS NCR/NER
May 6&7 (Mon,Tue) Lime Rock Park NCR
May 24-26(Fri,Sat,Sun) Thompson NER
June 14-16(Fri,Sat,Sun) Palmer NER
July 3-5(Wed,Thu,Fri) Calabogie NER
July 18-20(Thu,Fri,Sat) Club Motorsports NCR
August 9-11(Fri,Sat,Sun) Watkins Glen NER
September 5-7(Thu,Fri,Sat) Club Motorsports NCR
September 27-29(Fri,Sat,Sun) Palmer NER
October 5&6 (Sat,Sun) NHMS NCR
- Details
Parking Lots
In the annotated photo below you will see the four designated parking areas for this event (Kart, Welcome, Main, West).
The West lot is restricted to track cars and temporary parking for registration.
The Main lot is to be used for trailer and tow vehicle parking.
The Kart and Welcome lots are to be used for tow vehicles, trailers, and track cars.
Registration
- Enter the facility via the West entrance and stop at Roy's Dog House for your parking assignment.
- Use the temporary parking area in the center of the West lot for Registration (park side by side facing Roy's Dog House.
- Register in the West Tent.
- Move to Main lot to unload vehicle from your trailer.
- Details
PCA Chief Driving Instructors and Region Officials,
The number one priority of PCA's HPDE Program is track safety. A core belief in the DE program is that a person can purchase a stock Porsche and take it to the track for an HPDE weekend, after an appropriate tech inspection of course.
Some people choose to modify their cars to increase performance and others to increase safety. A popular modification made to track cars is the addition of a multi-point harness system. Starting January 1, 2019, the DE Minimum Standards will be expanded to state that if a driver uses a harness system, he or she will ALSO be required to utilize a head and neck restraint system, commonly referred to as a HANS device.
A head and neck restraint device is an integral part of the harness system. Because the rule of equal restraint always applies, if a driver uses a harness system there must also be a harness system available and used by the passenger. Thus, both the driver and passenger will be required to use a HANS device. We highly encourage all DE participants to not wait until 2019 to comply with this new minimum standard. Head and neck restraint system devices are now more affordable and easily purchased online.
The DE Committee's decision was made over the course of two years after careful review of options, conversations with DE participants and discussion of a variety of perspectives. Please pass on this information to your DE drivers and instructors as soon as possible to avoid any confusion.
As a reminder, members of the DE Committee can be found here: https://www.pca.org/national-
Thank you for all your time and effort to make your region’s DE program a safe and successful one. If you have feedback, please let me know!
Catch you in the Curves!
John Krecek
Great Plains Region – Porsche Club of America
Chief Driving Instructor
PCA National DE Committee Chair
402-995-1470
johnkrecek@gmail.com
- Details
This past October I decided it was time for me to spend a day driving at an NCR DE event. I had done the Car Control Clinic, and the Charity Laps for Make-a-Wish. Those experiences were nothing but positive, so I decided to give it a try.
From a distance the DE program looked to me like a place for “race car drivers”. Folks that wanted to take their car out and thrash it around the track. So I was a bit intimidated. Not trusting myself with my car at high speeds, not trusting my reflexes with such an expensive car. A car that I enjoy driving in its “present condition”. I had signed up for the Monday driving and watched the weather. As luck would have it Monday proved to be a rain day. In my mind I flip flopped back and forth. Should I cancel, or should I go anyway. If I cancel there are no refunds. But if I lose traction in the rain and smash my car, that would prove to be a huge loss. Crashing my car was the last thing I would want to happen. Knowing many of the people who produce the DE program for NCR, I decided to go for the day in spite of the rain. I had to trust that these guys would help me avoid a crash, trust that their instruction would prevent me from having a problem on the track.
- Details
Read more: Novice Drivers Experience - Spring is a long time coming
More Articles …
Page 6 of 12