The PCA National Drivers Education Committee has updated the Driver Education Minimum Standards.
All DE participants must review this update as it may affect your car and equipment preparation for the upcoming DE season.
The section of the Driver Education Minimum Standards document to take particular attention to is the use of a Head and Neck restraint system commonly known as a HANS device, is now mandatory for both student and instructor when a five, six or seven-point harness are being used. Exceptions and detail for some Four-point systems are also listed in the document.
"The participant should BE AWARE that the addition of such a seat and harness system results in the occupant being fastened upright in the vehicle. Therefore, in order to have a COMPLETE SYSTEM, a properly padded roll bar or roll cage is recommended, and an approved head and neck restraint device is required. A head and neck restraint device certified as meeting the standards of either SFI 38.1 or FIA 8858 or its successor is required. The use of such a harness system without roll protection and a head and neck restraint device may result in an unsafe environment and is not a COMPLETE SYSTEM. Roll bars or cages and their installation must meet PCA Club Racing Standards.
When using a head and neck restraint device, it is recommended that one follow the SFI Recertification process for the head and neck restraint device. The instructions for this can be found on the device. Additionally, it is recommended that the straps be replaced every five years."
NCR Chief Instructor and DE Committee comments:
- A Head and Neck restraint system commonly known as a HANS device, is now mandatory for both student and instructor when a five, six or seven-point harness is in use.
- A suitable roll bar or roll cage is Strongly Recommended when race seats and harnesses are in use but is not mandatory.
A suitable roll bar or roll cage along with a Race Seats and Harnesses provides the driver and instructor with a complete safety system. - It is recommended that sedans and coupes with racing seats and harnesses without a roll bar or roll cage have *functioning factory provided three-point seat belts in the car.
- Sedans and coupes with racing seats, harnesses and *functioning three-point factory belts that do not have a roll bar or roll cage, are allowed to use factory *functioning belts with an instructor but both occupants must use the same restraint method.
- Students and drivers that utilize racing seats and harnesses without suitable roll protection and do not have *functioning factory provided three-point seat belts in the car, will not be provided an instructor; this includes check-out rides.
* Functioning three-Point belt requires the same fitment as provided by the stock seat.
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The North Country Region Drivers Education team will be using text messages to augment the PA announcements for schedule changes and other significant operational issues during the Club Motorsports events.
Due to FCC requirements, you have to opt-in to the service. (We checked with MotorsportReg and this service is separate from the SpeedWaiver opt-in). If you did not opt-in during registration, you need to enable the service for North Country Region Drivers Education Club entry in your account details at MotorsportReg.com by following this link.
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We opened the 2024 Season with two fantastic days at Lime Rock Park. Great weather and and lot's of track time!
Click below to see all the photos!
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The final event of the NCR/NER driving season will visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway(NHMS). It looks spectactular in the fall and we expect over two hours of on track time per day.
For many of us this is the track where we had our first taste of HPDE. The clubs have visited NHMS yearly until last year and we are back for our season ending event in 2023.
The technical, twelve turn, 1.6 mile track rewards drivers that look ahead and have smooth inputs. Here are three of the twelve turns.
Turn 3
The Bowl
Turn 10
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Select Host Column Entry to register.
March 9 (Sat) HMS NCR/NER
May 6&7 (Mon,Tue) Lime Rock Park NCR
May 24-26(Fri,Sat,Sun) Thompson NER
June 14-16(Fri,Sat,Sun) Palmer NER
July 3-5(Wed,Thu,Fri) Calabogie NER
July 18-20(Thu,Fri,Sat) Club Motorsports NCR
August 9-11(Fri,Sat,Sun) Watkins Glen NER
September 5-7(Thu,Fri,Sat) Club Motorsports NCR
September 27-29(Fri,Sat,Sun) Palmer NER
October 5&6 (Sat,Sun) NHMS NCR
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Parking Lots
In the annotated photo below you will see the four designated parking areas for this event (Kart, Welcome, Main, West).
The West lot is restricted to track cars and temporary parking for registration.
The Main lot is to be used for trailer and tow vehicle parking.
The Kart and Welcome lots are to be used for tow vehicles, trailers, and track cars.
Registration
- Enter the facility via the West entrance and stop at Roy's Dog House for your parking assignment.
- Use the temporary parking area in the center of the West lot for Registration (park side by side facing Roy's Dog House.
- Register in the West Tent.
- Move to Main lot to unload vehicle from your trailer.
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PCA Chief Driving Instructors and Region Officials,
The number one priority of PCA's HPDE Program is track safety. A core belief in the DE program is that a person can purchase a stock Porsche and take it to the track for an HPDE weekend, after an appropriate tech inspection of course.
Some people choose to modify their cars to increase performance and others to increase safety. A popular modification made to track cars is the addition of a multi-point harness system. Starting January 1, 2019, the DE Minimum Standards will be expanded to state that if a driver uses a harness system, he or she will ALSO be required to utilize a head and neck restraint system, commonly referred to as a HANS device.
A head and neck restraint device is an integral part of the harness system. Because the rule of equal restraint always applies, if a driver uses a harness system there must also be a harness system available and used by the passenger. Thus, both the driver and passenger will be required to use a HANS device. We highly encourage all DE participants to not wait until 2019 to comply with this new minimum standard. Head and neck restraint system devices are now more affordable and easily purchased online.
The DE Committee's decision was made over the course of two years after careful review of options, conversations with DE participants and discussion of a variety of perspectives. Please pass on this information to your DE drivers and instructors as soon as possible to avoid any confusion.
As a reminder, members of the DE Committee can be found here: https://www.pca.org/national-
Thank you for all your time and effort to make your region’s DE program a safe and successful one. If you have feedback, please let me know!
Catch you in the Curves!
John Krecek
Great Plains Region – Porsche Club of America
Chief Driving Instructor
PCA National DE Committee Chair
402-995-1470
johnkrecek@gmail.com
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