I thought I'd check out if there are any HSDS's that I could attend this fall, and found that www.coastaldriving.org has been disabled. Anyone know the scoop? Is CDS dead or just the website?

Demick

They decided to stop holding HPDE's indefinately




They ran a top notch school.


KT

I hated the fact that Hank parted ways with GGR. I had bad feelings about the group from the start. I never thought they would break even on any of the events. It is tough to start "yet another" run group when you have established groups all up and down the coast to run with.

I wonder what he will do next??


B

coastal driving school was a joint venture sponsored by Loma Prieta and Monterey Bay Regions of PCA. Last year the events did very well and made a bit of money... this year they ran into the same attendance problems that GGR TT series has had this year.
Ultimately, LPR and MBR withdrew their sponsorship of the series.
Hank has been TTing with GGR this season and coordinated the Porsche hot laps at Laguna for Cherrys Jubilee....a group of us instructors and a few others have been doing this chairity event for about 7 or 8 years now...IIRC.

Anyway, Hank is still very active with track events and is hoping that CDS can be revisited in a year or so.

Too bad. GGR requires me to spend a whole Saturday at ground school before attending an HSDS even though I've been to several track days before. That pretty much kills it for me. CDS did not require that.

Demick

Run with Trackmasters.


KT

Demick, with CDS you still had class room requirements and download sessions at the track.

The GGR ground school is not just about apexes and braking points. GGRs use of flags is quite different from other clubs. It is also a day of watching track video of the track next up for a TT. A short indoctrination into the social aspects of GGR time trials, free lunch, and time to meet/bond with some other newbies to our series.
Do I think it could be a little shorter....yes.

but many newbies that attend come away enjoying the day.

I attended it a couple of years ago when I was the Competition Director just to see what it was all about....I hadn't been to it since 1993. It wasn't all that bad.

Just do it Demick, you might find it to be informative and entertaining.

GGR has always had a ground school, and probably always will in some form.

Yes to GGR. I went to the ground school early this year. It was good.

I just couldn't work any GGR DE/TT's into my schedule


KT

It's not that I think that the ground school is too boring to go to. Nor that I am 'too good' for ground school. It's just about weekend time. 3 kids to juggle at home so weekend days are at a serious premium for me. There's a reason I haven't made it to a single autocross since April.

GGR Ground school simply turns a 1 day event into 2 days. If ground school was offered on a weekday evening (6-10pm or something), that would make a huge difference for me.

Demick

Actually this season it would turn it into a 3 day event. This season all the HSDS was run on Saturday and Sunday. Practice sessions on Sat (4) and then Sunday with 2-3 run sessions for HSDS.

I understand the family thing....for over 10 years I coached soccer, basketball, baseball, and was an official at swim meets, soccer referree. Plus traveling with my daughter that was in high level gymnastics for 12 years

been there, done that....but it is great time you can never replace with the kids. there will always be another AX or DE/TT after they are grown up and want to have nothing to do with you.

Well put Dan. Yes, my priority for weekends is on my family, where it should be. But I'll continue to get out now and then for an autocross or track day.

Demick