Fri, May 15 - Sat, May 16, 2015

Alberta BMW clubs driving school 2015

Castrol Raceway Park

About this event

Established in 1997, Alberta Advanced Driving School (AADS) is Alberta’s premium track driving school for those with an interest in taking their street car onto the race track.  The school is a partnership between the Northern and Southern Alberta BMW Clubs; however, the school is open to ALL MAKES OF VEHICLES.

Alberta Advanced Driving School is NOT a racing organization.  This is NOT a racing event or a race licensing school.  Our events are non-competitive high-speed driving schools with one-to-one in-car instruction provided, and with coordinated passing.

FORMAT:  Students rotate through a series of instructional branches, in 20-30 minutes sessions throughout the 2-day event.  Instructional branches are as follows:

·  Classroom instruction tailored to the experience level of the student.  For novice groups, this includes basic instruction on: basic track etiquette; flags and signals; entering and exiting the track; passing rules; seating, hand, and mirror position; cornering technique including such concepts as turn-in, apex, and exit; types of corners, including increasing radius, decreasing radius, double-apex, compound curve, and hairpin; and the ideal line.  For more advanced drivers, instruction will include: balance and the effects of weight shift; braking effort; relationship between horsepower curve and acceleration; and skid control.  For the most advanced drivers, theory may include: traction; slip angles; the friction circle; dynamic weight transfer; and oversteer and understeer. Selection of topics is based, in part, on the skill level of the run group as a whole.

·  Driving techniques, practiced on an open, barrier-free paddock (also referred to as a skid pad).  Dependent on timing and skill levels of participants in any particular group, exercises may include:  exploring the limits of adhesion; cornering; wide slalom; accident avoidance; emergency lane change; gas and brake application; threshold braking; and heel-and-toe down-shifting.  In most exercises the emphasis is on control and smoothness, from which suitable habit and instinct will develop.

·  On-track driving at speed.  The road course is where the theory of the classroom and the skid pad exercises are put into practice.  The "race track" is used because it simulates a series of corners just as you might encounter in typical countryside driving, but under controlled conditions that provide an opportunity to more closely approach your driving limits and the limits of your car than would be prudent under normal driving conditions.  Understanding these limits, and how the car can be expected to react under adverse situations can then be incorporated into normal everyday driving making one a safer and more competent driver.

Students are paired with an instructor during all track sessions throughout the two-day school (advanced students may be signed-off for solo driving on the second day, at the discretion of their Instructor).  The Instructor will observe skills, identify areas for improvement, and recommend strategies for improving.  The Instructor may also choose to demonstrate specific techniques, either in the student's vehicle or in their own vehicle.  As a result of this intensive instruction, students should expect to make continuous improvement throughout the two-day course.

SCHEDULE: This is a daytime event taking place over two consecutive days. Tentative schedule is that gates open at 7:00 AM each day; registration from 7:30 - 8:30 AM; school runs from 8:30 to Noon, and again from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Lunch will be provided onsite for all participants, instructors, and volunteer workers.  Students should expect approximately 2.5 hours on track, 2 hours in the classroom, and 1.5 hours on the skid pad.

RATES for this event:

  • Fee per driver:  $625.00
  • Additional membership fee of $60 applies for non-BMW Club members
  • Helmet rental: $20 (optional - limited availability)

TAXES:  AADS is a CRA-approved educational institution.  An educational tax credit receipt will be issued prior to end of February next year for the amount paid for registration only (excludes membership fee and optional helmet rental).  GST does not apply on educational fees.

Event requirements

Driver Requirements:

Valid drivers license. GDL is acceptable.  (Prospective students with only a learners permit should contact the registrar BEFORE registering).

- Valid registration and liability insurance on the participating vehicle.  Unlicensed and uninsured race vehicles are not suitable for this event.

MotorsportReg driver profile must be filled out INCLUDING PREVIOUS TRACK DRIVING EXPERIENCE. Your profile should also include information about transferable skills such as sanctioned racing events you have been a participant in, track driving schools you may have taken, lapping at other tracks, atutocross, time attack, solo, rally, etc. so we may assign you in the most appropriate run group. Unknown drivers without previous driving track experience in their profile will be placed in the novice run group.

- MINORS, whether participating or observing, must sign special waivers AND BOTH PARENTS MUST ALSO SIGN WAIVERS.  This MUST be completed in advance if both parents are not going to be in attendance at the track.  Waivers are available for download on our website ... please contact us if you have any questions.

 

Vehicle Requirements:

PERMITTED VEHICLES include track-worthy and safe sportscars only.  Trucks, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), and Sport Activity Vehicles (SAVs) are NOT permitted without prior approval. Convertibles, cabriolets, and open-top cars ... please contact us BEFORE registering.

Vehicle technical INSPECTION completed in advance of the event.  Inspection form can be found at http://nabmw.webs.com/documents/NABMW.Inspection.Form.PDF.  The vehicle must be inspected by a licensed Automotive Service Technician with knowledge of the rigors expected in road course driving.

BRAKE FLUID must be less than six months old as of the event date.  Please note that the energy required to stop a vehicle at speed must be dissipated as heat. Repeated application of the brakes on a road course will cause a significant heat buildup.  This heat can cause a number of underlying mechanical problems to become apparent, in particular that water absorbed into aging brake fluid will boil (referred to as "boiling the brakes").  Should this happen, there will be enough steam in the brake lines to cause a SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. This is prevented when there is fresh brake fluid in the reservoir, lines and calipers.

HELMET:  Snell-approved M-2005 (motorcycle) or SA-2005 (motorsport) or newer helmets are permitted in all run groups. ALL Snell-approved helmets bear a Snell rating sticker, typically found by lifting up the helmet liner (you should not need to remove any glued portions of the liner to view the sticker).  Open-face helmets are preferred in vehicles with air bags; closed-face helmets are preferred in vehicles without air bags. If you do not have access to a helmet, a very limited number of helmets are available for rent (availability is shown when you get to the registration form).

CLOTHING:  Shirts with long sleeves and long pants are strongly recommended.  Clothing should be comfortable without restricting movement. Natural fibers (i.e. cotton) are preferred.  Smooth, rubber-soled shoes are recommended.  A thinner sole is preferred as this will enhance pedal feedback and feel.  Leather-soled shoes are not recommended.  Open-toed shoes are not permitted.

EVENT WILL GO RAIN OR SHINE … please be prepared.  No refunds for inclimate weather.

Castrol Raceway Park

Nisku, AB

Organizer

HPDE organized by

Alberta Advanced Driving School

Event over!