DRIVER EDUCATION

PCA Pacific Northwest Region's Driver Education Program is designed to provide a safe, structured teaching environment in which participants learn advanced car control and safe driving techniques. PNWR Driver Education events are not racing, preparation for racing, nor a competition of any kind. No times or positions are recorded and no awards or prizes are given. Conduct considered to be either unsafe or inconsistent with the spirit or purpose of the Driver Education program will not be permitted and entrants may be refused entrance or expelled from an event.

Driver Education not only provides mental and physical exhilaration, but also enhances overall driving skills and car control skills, leading to safer operation both on the track and on the street. Skills learned on the track are directly transferable and enhance defensive street operation.

New Information for 2009

Check back for updates and possible changes prior to each event.

Online registration & payment is available at www.motorsportreg.com. Due to the new online system, please be sure to include your previous experience dated from 2005 so your file will be current.

Payment may be made with a credit card or by electronic funds transfer. Registration and payment may still be mailed with the postmark as date of receipt.

A Technical Inspection must be submitted and approved prior to the first attended Drivers Education event of the season for all instructors and entrants, regardless of club affiliation. Inspections are to be performed by a 3rd-party workshop familiar with your make of car and turned in to DE Technical Inspection at DETI@pnwr.org prior to arriving at the track.

A helmet minimum standard of Snell Memorial Foundation 2000 or later is required; M or SA rating is acceptable. SA is recommended for increased fire protection. A limited supply of loaner helmets will be available for a fee.

2009 Event Dates

Event Date	Registration PCA Opens	Registration non-PCA Opens	Registration Closes	Ground School
Apr 10   Friday	Feb 20	Mar 13	Mar 27	Apr 1
May 30   Saturday	Apr 11	May 2	May 16	May 20
Jun 10   Wednesday	Apr 22	May 13	May 27	Jun 3
Jul 29   Wednesday	Jun 10	Jul 1	Jul 15	Jul 22
Sep 3   Thursday	Jul 16	Aug 6	Aug 20	Aug 26
Oct 1   Thursday	Aug 13	Sep 3	Sep 17	Sep 30

Rates for 2009 Season

PNWR Driver Ed Participant	$205
Ground School - First time to a PNWR DE event, regardless of past experience or club affiliation	$10
Late fee; after closing date	$215
Half-fee	$105
Loaner Helmet; limited supply	$20

Ground School

All first-time drivers at a PNWR DE event (or if over two years time away) regardless of experience at other tracks or clubs, are to attend the Ground School training class prior to the event. This required 2-hour classroom training session is $10. The intent is to prepare entrants for track driving and what to expect. Members of other clubs who have not participated in a PNWR DE event must attend the PNWR Ground School to become familiar with our practices. For the 2009 season, it will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community Center.

Mercer Island Community Center is located at:
8236 SE 24th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
TEL: 206-275-7609

Map/Directions to Mercer Island Community Center.

All novice drivers, at some point during the year, must attend a PCA Skills Day, BMW Car Control Clinic, ProFormance Driving, Bondurant School, etc. event before he/she will be signed-off to drive solo on the track.

2009 Participation Requirements

See detailed requirements; this is only an overview.

• Minimum age 18 with a valid, non-restricted driver's license.
• You must be a current PCA, Alfa, Audi, BMWCCA, Corvette, Mini, Viper, or PDC club member.
• Maximun of 2 drivers per car, who must run in separate run groups.
• Helmet - Snell rated SA2000/M2000, or newer. A limited supply of loaner helmets are available for a fee.
• Tech - A PNWR Tech Inspection form must completed and passed by an approved tech inspector for all instructors and entrants each DE season, regardless of club affiliation.
• Additional roll-over protection is required for vehicles without stock protection from the manufacturer. This is an issue mostly with cabriolets not having pop-up roll hoops, e.g. 993 cabriolets require additional protection but 996 cabs and Boxsters do not.
• Equal seatbelts are required for driver and passenger. "Equal" means that both occupants have the same maximal level of equipment.
• Seatbelt/Harness Systems - refer to the seatbelts/harnesses info under PNWR/PCA Driver Ed 2008 Technical Requirements.
• Tires - Front Tires must both be of equal size. Rear tires must both be of equal size. all tires must be of the same make and model. All tires must have a speed rating which exceeds the vehicle's top speed.
• No illegal or drowsiness-inducing drugs or alcohol consumption prior to, or during the event. No alcohol on PRI property.
• Participants must follow any rules or instructions announced at the event's Driver Meeting.  Violation may result in a warning, or expulsion from the event for serious violations.
• PNWR reserves the right to refuse any entrant's event registration, and to expel any entrant during the event.

Registration & Cancellation Policies

See registration information for policies and forms.

Track

We run our Driver Education events at Pacific Raceways, in Kent Washington.

Instructor Clinic

The Instructor Clinic is held annually at Pacific Raceways. Attendance is by invitation only which is extended to all current instructors and selected instructor candidates. The goal for the instructor clinic is to set standards and build continuity between instructors so our track events run smoothly and our quality continually improves. This is an event for our instructors only. Our agenda is focused specifically on teaching and instructing. The clinic is held jointly by the PCA and BMW clubs. Instructors and candidates who pass the evaluation are accepted as instructors in both clubs.

Drivers and new-to-us instructors who want to instruct with us are required to attend this clinic or make special arrangements with the Chief Driving Instructor (DriverEd_CDI@pnwr.org). We strongly recommend that our current instructors attend the clinic annually to enable them to be kept abreast of changes in the program and to help us continually improve the quality of our program.

The day includes a variety of instructor skill building activities, including a track walk, skill exercises, role playing and evaluations to review all our current instructors and ensure our program is ready to go for the season. In addition, classroom sessions are provided to review materials, attend lectures and discuss teaching techniques with fellow instructors.

Priority is given to our existing instructors who have been dedicating their time to our track programs. Participation is limited, and attending the clinic does not guarantee a candidate will become an instructor. All drivers will be evaluated to determine if they are ready to instruct with our club. This day offers candidate instructors a great way to gather in-depth information on instructing and to learn if the instructor role is suitable for them.

Our instructors are all volunteers and come out with enthusiasm to help others to become better drivers and in turn often learn something new themselves from our talented students! It is a great way to give something back to the club and all the hard work is so appreciated - just look at the students and you will see! We have an excellent base of instructors who help make our events the best in the region!