Bill… I think it’s great that you and Ron have raised the issue of safety for pro-touring cars running on road courses. I started out driving my pro-touring car on road courses by joining a local sports car club, and then entering HPDE (high performance driver education) events. The car club that I joined requires that first time drivers complete 2 hours of classroom training before being allowed to drive on the road course… then they are limited to 85 MPH on the track.
Also... they are required to have a certified instructor ride along for the first couple of events. When a driver has gained experience, and prove they can drive safely on the track, then they are issued a certificate of completion for driver education and allowed to “Solo” on the road course. I have been running with this club for several years and have never seen anyone get hurt or have a bad accident. I would recommend for those interested to get on the track, to seek out a local sports car club and run some HPDE events to get the basics.
Most of the guys that are regulars at the HPDE events typically have installed 4 point roll bars, and 5 point seat belts at a minimum, and wear extra protective gear. I plan to make more safety improvements on my car before next season from what I have learned here recently. Thanks again for raising the safety awareness level.
How to put on a safe event is a tough issue for sure. It seems like there might need to be different classes based on car set up, safety features, and driver experience. It's a great sport and I hope to see it continue to grow. I look forward to seeing what you come up with for rules.
