About this event
GVC June Ultimate Driving School XCIX
Instructor Training School
Bimmerworld BMW CCA Club Race School
Watkins Glen International
GVC’s 99th Ultimate Driving School, the second of four GVC HPDE events at the Glen in 2018. This event is unique among this year's offerings, in that it is actually three schools wrapped into one weekend.
First, there is our traditional GVC HP driving school, which offers intensive in-car and classroom instruction on the art and science of high-performance driving.
- There are three separate run groups for Beginner/Novice (<4 schools), Intermediate, and Advanced students, each limited to 30-35 drivers. Run group assignments are based primarily on experience and prior evaluations (if any, including SLIP ratings), and secondarily on vehicle performance.
- Each student is assigned a highly-trained and experienced in-car instructor familiar with the performance characteristics of the student’s vehicle. This one-on-one instructional format is arguably the most important feature of our HPDE program.
Second, GVC is offering our first ever Bimmerworld BMW CCA Club Racing School at this event.
The Bimmerworld CRS is a challenging and fun track experience. Though the ultimate goal of the school is to recruit new racers to BMW Club Racing, you don’t have to drive a BMW, or have a race-prepared car, driving suit, or race harness to participate. Any vehicle that passes tech for our driving school is adequate for the CR School. Completion of the CRS does not automatically qualify you for a BMW CCA Club Racing license, but if you have the experience and meet the other requirements, you will be eligible for a rookie license, and the opportunity to join the ranks of BMW CCA Club Racing, which many consider to have the finest club racing level drivers in North America.
The CRS was brought in specifically at the request of our Group S drivers, who have expressed strong interest in taking it. However, to insure sufficient participation to cover the additional costs of holding a CRS, upper-level intermediate and advanced students, as well as instructors, are also welcome to apply.
To read more about the CR school, please use this link to the BMW Club Racing website: Bimmerworld Club Race School
Note: Even though the Club Race School is integrated with GVC's driving school, registration for CRS is managed on a different msreg site.
To register for CRS, please use this link: GVC Bimmerworld BMW CCA Club Racing School
Last, but certainly not least, we are proud to host another BMW CCA Instructor Training School.
The BMW CCA ITS program, first developed by GVC, has recently been certified by the Motorsport Safety Foundation, and those candidates that successfully pass the course become nationally certified Level 2 HPDE Instructors. Candidates work with top-level ITS mentors who role-play as students of different temperaments and skill levels during a series of intensive on-track exercises. The school provides all the required ITS manuals and classroom sessions needed to become a nationally certified BMW CCA Instructor. Applicants must obtain recommendations from Chief Instructor(s), and demonstrate excellent driving skills to complement their instructional abilities.
If you think you’d like to become an instructor, start by filling out the ITS Application. For additional information, and to apply for ITS at this event, please contact GVC's ITS Chief Instructor, Ken Buschner.
Weekend Format
Friday -- Includes the following groups:
-
Instructors (Group 0)
-
Club Race School Drivers with Friday add-on option (no Club Race School activities on Friday)
-
Instructor Training School candidates and mentors (Group 5)
Saturday and Sunday -- On-track rotation of the following run groups
-
Group 4: Novice (D; SLIP L1). Drivers with <4 previous driving schools
-
Group 3: Intermediate (C, less experienced B; SLIP L2 – L3)
-
Group 2: Advanced (more experienced B and A students, and Group S drivers not participating in CRS; SLIP L3 and up)
-
Group 1: Club Race School participants (Intermediate to instructor level, L3/4 and up)
-
Group 0: Instructors (Expert; SLIP L5 and up)
Schedule (Saturday and Sunday):
- Track goes “green” at 8:30 AM each day. Final checker at 4:30 PM Friday and Sunday, extended hours to 5:30 PM Saturday.
- Lunch break: 12 – 1 PM each day.
-
Weekend track sessions (per day, ~25 min. each). NOTE: the number and length of track sessions depend upon track conditions. Stoppages due to breakdowns, accidents and other situations may require changes in the schedule.
- Groups 2, 3 and 4: Five sessions, with the option to pay for additional track sessions with Group 2 or instructors ($50 per session, pay at event; space permitting).
- Club Race School: 4-5 sessions.
- Instructors: Three sessions minimum; additional sessions combined with student run groups may be scheduled (space permitting*).
*Note: Because many participants leave early, run groups may be combined on Sunday afternoon to provide more track time than scheduled.
Group Exercises (Groups 2-4)
- Organized run group exercises are done for the first ten minutes in one or more sessions each day, typically at reduced speeds for safety.
- Exercises include close-quarters (side-by-side) lapping in traffic, pair-wise passing, braking into corners, and others.
Classroom
- Groups 2 – 4 attend three 30-45 minute-long classroom sessions each day, led by a senior instructor
- Club Race (Group 1): Class sessions may include group debriefing after on-track exercises, and more general topics such as race car preparation, racing techniques, upcoming on-track race traffic simulations, practice starts, etc.
Track Walk
- After-hours car-pool tour of the track led by Classroom instructor(s).
- Stops at selected corners to inspect the track on foot, discuss braking points, driving lines, cornering techniques, etc.
- 5:30 – 6:30 Saturday only, weather permitting.
Bonus Features (complimentary unless otherwise noted)
- GVC Driver’s Resource Center: Helpful advice and assistance for all participants at the track. Free water to all participants for the weekend.
- GVC event shirts for all drivers and instructors.
- Garage Social: Light legal beverages and snacks provided. Open to all, participants are encouraged to BYOB for tastings.
- Tire and performance parts auctions offered by our generous sponsors.
- Friendly and helpful GVC staff to make this truly the “Ultimate Driving School”.
Please visit the GVC website for complete details about our HP driving schools:
http://gvc-bmwcca.org/What_is_a_Driving_School
Registration and Fees:
- Members: GVC chapter members are afforded highest priority for slots at our events, followed by BMW CCA members from other chapters.
- Non-Members: Non-members are charged an additional $100 above member fees, and are last to be accepted from a waiting list.
GVC will use $48 of the non-member fee pay for a one-year new (or renewed) membership in BMW CCA.
Join today to register early and avoid the $100 non-member surcharge! http://bmwcca.org/index.php?pageid=new_member
- Registration after the deadline is only possible by special arrangement, and only if there are still seats available, or late cancelations (call or email the Registrar: registrar@gvc-bmwcca.org).
-
Fees
- Advanced/Group S drivers (G2), intermediate (G3), and novice students (G4): $510 (two-day school). Non-members: $610
-
Club Race School (G1): $675 (Saturday-Sunday); Non-members: $800. Optional Friday open-track add-on (members only) is an additional $100.
To register for CRS, please use this link: GVC Bimmerworld BMW CCA Club Racing School
-
Instructors (includes shared garage access for the weekend):
- Friday - Sunday: $100. Includes Friday Orientation Day, three sessions each day Sat and Sun.
- Fri - Sun., sharing a vehicle: $50
- Sat - Sun only (no open track): $35
- Advanced/Group S drivers (G2), intermediate (G3), and novice students (G4): $510 (two-day school). Non-members: $610
Cancelations:
- Fees are fully refundable before the deadline.
- Fees may be credited toward a future GVC Driving School.
- No refund or credit after the registration deadline.
Accommodations
The host hotel is the historic Seneca Lodge (http://www.senecalodge.com/) located at the upper entrance to beautiful Watkins Glen State Park off NY 329. The Lodge is famous for its food and racing heritage. The bar is notable for its collection of over 60 years of racing memorabliia, as well as an extensive selection of fine beverages. Another favorite place to stay very close to the track is the Falls Motel in nearby Montour Falls. http://www.thefallsmotel.com. These lodgings fill quickly, so make reservations early.
Many other accommodations are available in Watkins Glen, from cozy bed-and-breakfasts to the luxurious Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel.
Camping at the track: Not available.
Off-site camping: Available at nearby Watkins Glen State Park and at other private campgrounds.
For more information, please consult our website: http://gvc-bmwcca.org/Info_About_Watkins_Glen
Event requirements
Vehicle and driver requirements are detailed on the GVC website: http://www.gvc-bmwcca.org/Event_Requirements_DrivingSchool
GVC Tech form: GVC Tech Form.pdf
GVC Emergency Medical Forms:
Form: GVC Medical Info form.pdf
IMPORTANT: GVC’s policy* for cars equipped with automatic “crash avoidance systems” (CAS).
CAS technologies go by different names depending on manufacturer, but they all have the same basic function. The two systems of concern are: 1) Rear collision warning/automatic braking systems designed to prevent rear-end collisions at highway speeds; and 2) Active lane-keeping assistants, which generate audible and tactile warnings, and in some cases apply counter-steer, to prevent an unsafe lane change in traffic when the driver takes no action. When operational, these systems may be unsafe in conditions typically encountered on a racetrack at HPDE events.
Therefore, cars equipped with either or both these systems will be allowed on track ONLY if the systems are completely shut down and remain off until the ignition is turned off . We have been assured by BMWNA that these systems can be completely shut off by the driver on all current BMW models. Cars from other manufacturers will only be allowed if the driver can demonstrate that the system may be manually shut down. Vehicles in which such systems are “hardwired”, and therefore CANNOT be manually turned off by the driver, are not permitted on track at GVC driving schools.
It is the responsibility of the participant to follow the vehicle's shut-down procedures to the letter before leaving staging and entering a "hot" track. If these procedures are followed, we have been assured that CAS-equipped cars will be safe and compatible with the HPDE track environment.
*Please note that the policy outlined herein applies only to Genesee Valley Chapter driving events, and does not necessarily represent the national policy of the BMW Car Club of America or it’s affiliated chapters.