PWDA Basic Rule Book Race SeriesClassesSchedule of EventsFAQAbout Phil WicksContact PageFormsPhoto Gallery PWDA Basic Rule Book The Phil Wicks Driving Academy www.wicksdrivingacademy.com www.minidriving.com Basic Rule Book General Information: 1. On the day of the Academy: a. Be early. The best way to stay relaxed is to not hurry for anything. The stress and tension created by rushing around to get ready will reduce your ability to concentrate on the job at hand – driving safe, driving fast, and having fun. b. Be prepared. Have everything you will need for the day with you. Use a checklist if needed. Have your car ready for the track BEFORE you get to the track. It bears repeating, the stress and tension created by rushing around to get ready will reduce your ability to concentrate. c. Wear the best. Get the best safety equipment you can afford. Your helmet is for your physical protection in case of a mishap. It makes sense to have the best protection possible. Long sleeved shirts and long pants made of natural fiber are recommended. We do not require long pants, but some venues do. Be prepared for both. A driving suit is encouraged in race-prepared cars. Clothing made of nylon or similar flammable synthetics are not allowed because these fabrics can melt into skin when exposed to a fire. d. Bring personal supplies. Bring plenty of water, food, hat, notepad, writing instrument, sunblock, lip balm, and a chair or stool for in-between sessions. 2. Car Preparation: a. Check it over, then check it again. The Novice and Intermediate requirements are very simple. They are no more stringent than what you should do before any trip. b. Neat and clean. Make sure there are no oil leaks and nothing hanging off the car that could endanger you or another person during the event. If it was bolted on before, it should be bolted now. c. Tires. Tires must be in good condition with at least 50% of the original tread still available. We strongly recommend a good set of tires since this activity presents driving situations that are easier to navigate if the tires are good. Tires should be inflated to maximum according to car manufacturer’s recommendation. d. Mirrors. These can remain on the car. No taping is required. e. Lenses and headlights. These do not require taping. f. Adjustments. Make sure that all adjustable parts of the vehicle are within proper specifications before participating. g. Brakes. Check brakes at all times. Many crashes are directly attributable to failure of setting proper brake pressures after installing new tires or brake pads. Brakes are the most important safety item on your vehicle. Make sure they work before participating in any track session. h. Loose items. All loose items should be removed from inside the car and the trunk. 3. Description of Driver Classes: Please note that actual curriculum will be determined on the day of the class, dependent on weather conditions. a. Novice (Performance Basic). New drivers and drivers with no track experience will be with professional instructors throughout the day. There will be classroom sessions and behind-the-wheel autocross, slalom course, emergency braking, and general vehicular control sessions. b. Intermediate (Performance Advanced). Drivers with track experience will be allowed to participate in the Intermediate class once evaluated by a professional instructor. Intermediate drivers will be allowed on the track. Passing will be allowed in designated areas. Track etiquette will instill a code of courtesy that allows all drivers of all vehicles to maximize the opportunity, e.g., no car will be permitted to dominate the straight and hold another vehicle up through the infield. c. Expert. These are certified race drivers with race prepared vehicles. They will be allowed to participate on the track without limitation. 4. Minimum standards: a. Equal restraints. Both student and instructor shall have the same restraint system. All vehicles must be equipped with a properly installed lap and shoulder restraint system. b. Driver’s license. All entrants must have a valid driver’s license or permit. c. Car occupancy. If two people are in a car, one must be an approved event instructor and the other must be the registered entrant in the event. There are no exceptions to this rule. Registering people for the sole purpose of allowing instructor rides is not an acceptable procedure. A registered entrant is defined as a person who is participating in substantially all appropriate aspects of the event (classroom, exercises, on-track). This does not mean, however, that a registered entrant must attend the event full time, or participate in classroom sessions or exercises that are not scheduled for the entrant (e.g., instructors and intermediate students need not participate in classroom session or exercises developed for novice drivers.) d. Clothing. All car occupants must wear a Snell approved helmet which has the current available Snell rating or the one previous Snell rating. Note: Rental helmets will be available for a $25 rental fee per day. Footwear must be enclosed, non-slip, with a relatively smooth sole. Hiking shoes or deep lugged soles are not acceptable. e. Eye protection. If the vehicle does not have a windshield, the driver must be equipped with eye protection. f. Final safety inspection. A final safety inspection of the vehicle shall be performed within 24 hours at an approved site or at the event facility. This should include inspection of the helmet, the restraint system, removal of all loose objects, tightened gas cap, and any other items deemed necessary by the Phil Wicks Driving Academy. The car will be identified with a sticker or some other means as having passed the final inspection. g. Drivers’ meeting. There will be a mandatory session for all drivers and will include track etiquette and flagging responsibilities prior to the drivers entering the track. h. Erratic driving. If instructors, corner workers, or organizers detect erratic driving, the driver will be required to return to the pits for vehicle inspection and questions regarding the cause. i. Event registration. Every entrant must complete a registration form that must include an emergency contact and minimum medical information such as allergies, blood type, and any unusual medical condition. 5. Drivers’ meeting: Before the first group goes onto the track, the chief instructor or chief steward will explain the “ground rules” and safety rules of the event to all participants. This will include: a. Passing zones. These areas will be clearly explained. Each track is different, so an experienced driver will establish the areas where passing can be accomplished most safely. Normally a passing zone will be a straightaway with sufficient length and width to allow safe passing. Some form of guide, such as pylons, will indicate the end of a passing zone. Passing in turns is not allowed. b. Passing signals. Emphasis is placed on proper signals and techniques for safe passing. Special emphasis will be given to the proper procedure for passing multiple cars at once. c. Flags. The meaning and use of each flag will be reviewed with all drivers. Flags are used by the officials and safety workers to communicate track conditions and situations to the driver. Some flags require specific action while others are for informational purposes only. The following is a list of flags used in the program and their definitions: 1. Green – The green flag indicates that the course and clear and open for activity. 2. Red – The red flag indicates EXTREME DANGER, so come to an immediate, controlled stop on the side of the course. REMAIN stopped until directed by an official to proceed slowly into the pit lane. 3. Yellow-Standing – A yellow flag held stationary at a flag station tells you there is something on or near the track surface that you should be aware of. TAKE CARE, DANGER, SLOW DOWN. There is no passing when the yellow flag is displayed. Passing is allowed once you are past the incident that brought out the yellow flag. 4. Yellow-Waving – A yellow flag being waved denotes GREAT DANGER, SLOW DOWN AND BE PREPARED TO STOP. There is no passing when the waving yellow flag is displayed. Passing is allowed once you are past the incident that brought out the yellow flag. 5. Yellow with Red Stripes – The yellow flag with red stripes is known as the “Surface Condition Flag” or the “Slick” flag. When this flag is displayed stationary, it means debris is on the track surface – anything from oil to anti-freeze or even automobile parts. Make sure you have control of your vehicle and can take evasive maneuvers if needed. 6. White – The white flag is a caution flag used to denote a slow moving vehicle – a slow moving car, an ambulance, or a dispatched tow truck. While it is acceptable to pass an ambulance or a tow truck, do so using extreme caution and do not pass both vehicles at the same time. 7. Black with Orange Disk – This is called the meatball flag. It is used to notify you to report to the pits as soon as possible because there is some mechanical problem with your vehicle. 8. Black Closed – The closed black flag (or the furled black flag) indicates that you have done something wrong and failure to change your behavior will result in loss of driving privileges. The closed black flag shaken at a driver is his one warning to correct unsafe behavior. 9. Black Open – The black flag displayed at the starter’s stand will be accompanied by a number board (for vehicles with numbers) or will be accompanied by a pointed hand signal from the starter. You have done something wrong and should proceed into the pits to see the Chief Steward or Pit Lane Official. DO NOT take another lap before proceeding into the pits. 10. Black Open with a sign reading “ALL” – The black flag ALL indicates the session is over. Proceed to the pits. 11. Blue with Diagonal Yellow Stripe – The blue flag with the diagonal yellow stripe is called the passing flag. It indicates that another driver is following you very closely or is trying to pass you. 12. Checkered – Session/event is over, continued around and enter Pit road. Before slowing down, signal the other drivers of your intentions by raising your hand, and then proceed directly to pit road. DO NOT abruptly slow down after receiving the checkered flag. Continue on and slowly come down from full speed past the starter before you enter turn one. d. Safety rules. Any rules made to ensure good attitude and safe conduct on the track will be reviewed. These include no passing zones, black flag procedures, and the consequences of unsafe driving and rule infractions. Unsafe driving will not be allowed or tolerated at any time. We will not hesitate to black flag any driver who ignores our safety rules for a “talk” with the chief instructor. e. Drug and alcohol use. At no time during an event will consumption of alcohol or the use of drugs be allowed by anyone on the site. Anyone caught drinking or using drugs will be asked to leave. Anyone who sees a person drinking or using drugs must report this to the organizers. Swift dealing with these problems will lessen the risk to other participants. 6. Track operations: a. Staging. Staging will take place away from the track entrance and at a safe distance from the hazards of cars on the track. Staging will be in an area with little or no pedestrian traffic. Cars will be lined up and ready to go onto the track when the track is clear from the previous session. The worker controlling staging will have communications with Central Control for the event. b. Pit out. A worker will be placed at pit out to make sure everyone is properly buckled in, has the appropriate clothing, has his or her helmet securely fastened, and has the final tech sticker. This person will also check to see if the student requires an instructor, that they are in the proper group, and that the passenger is either an instructor or student riding with an instructor. c. Caution. During an event, it is absolutely forbidden to drive or two a car in a direction opposite to that in which the event is being run. This includes driving or towing off to the side of the track but within the confines of the track fence. Emergency vehicles are also subject to this rule. Normally, problems like this should not occur, but sometimes when an incident occurs or someone tries to get a car with mechanical problems back to the pits, there is a temptation to take short cuts. Only the event Central Control can authorize driving or towing upstream and then only after all cars are either off the track or stopped. Infraction of this rule will lead to immediate disqualification from the event. d. Driver attitude. Even when the drivers and the cars are properly prepared and everyone knows the rules, there is still no guarantee there will not be an incident. However, there are some points that can improve the overall safety of the event and help it be accident free. The moist important of these is the elusive “driver attitude: 1. Two-spin rule. If a driver spins or takes an off road excursion twice during the event, regardless of the cause, they will be finished for the day. 2. Lap times. Avoid discussion of lap times and use of the word “racing.” 3. Rule enforcement. Rules apply to all drivers equally, without exception. 4. Comfort factor. The student should set a pace with which they are comfortable and never more than 80% of his/her capability. Pushing leads to erratic driving, is generally unsafe, and slows down learning. This is not a racing school. 5. Intermediate drivers. Once a driver has earned the right to drive without an instructor, they must resist the temptation to think they know it all. There are varying conditions and emergency situations that can put a driver in “over his head.” If we spot a driver who is driving over the limit, we will black flag that driver and bring him or her into the pits for a “chat.” The entire group will be called in to review the session. 6. Speed differential. Groups will be assigned based on the drivers’ experience and skill. The most important thing to remember is to have fun and allow others to have as much fun as you do! 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