Instructors - Who are your favorites?

[Loren]

I'm trying to pin down who our best instructors are so that we can best server our current and future novices and first-timers.

If you're a current or recent novice, or you've been previously drafted as an instructor, or even if you're just a long-time FAST member who has made some observations, your opinion is welcome!

What I need to know is:

Who are the best instructors? Who can ride with you and always be relied on to pick up exactly what you're doing right or wrong, and offer you that one golden nugget of advice that you needed?

Who does the best Novice Walks? This takes a different skillset than instructing. It requires someone who is capable of "presenting" information to a group. They have to cover all the basics to keep the first-timers from getting confused and lost, but they should also be able to include some information that will help novices understand some of the more important features of the course and how to drive them properly.

So, let's hear it. Name names. Tell stories. I'll take notes.

[ExecutiveHydra]

From personal experience. I've liked Drew, Jim Swayne and Mike Murdoch. I mean I may be biased, as they all drive Mustangs, but they were all able to tell me what to do, and what not to do. Jim gives great novice walks, and Mike and Drew offer great in car advice.

[Dave S]

Tim M has helped me out the most. I really appreciate the time he's taken to help me out. That goes for all of the FAST instructors, it's just that Tim has spent the most time trying to get me headed in the right direction.... Literally sometimes. He does a pretty good novice walk to. Don't judge his teaching skills based on my driving Thanks Tim!

[twistedwankel]

I love myself.

Seriously tho' after a 5-6 year hiatus from autocrossing (having sold everything off) and deciding upon retirement to see if I could still do it competitively in a stock 84 Mustang on stone tires.

For about a year the very best person occasionally riding along and in general looking over my shoulder person was/is Steve. He is very observant, knows when to be stern and helpful. But you all ready knew that.

I think I've only gone on two novice walks in many FAST years when I really didn't get a chance to study the course by walking. Jeremy and Jim Swain both gave really good brief insights as to how to drive a course. But you all ready knew that too. If you can keep him on topic Bob Tamandli is a very good source too. So is Vivek + very skilled and technical. He's given me some super pointers on shock setup too.

There are so many outstanding ride along instructors in the club it's hard to say who's tops? Every event they are there I see the very experienced drivers allow Novices to ride with them, grab a helmet many many times and ride along or sometimes drive a person's car for them moderately fast so they get the feel and learn the courses. Allowing Instructor drives that don't count against the driver's total runs are a great teaching tool and encourages them to use that tool. I had 3 people let me drive their unique cars in one recent event and they really appreciated seeing what their cars were capable of doing without harming the engine or themselves. So many novice people now have access to well prepared fast "street" cars they can get into alot of trouble quickly without guidance. But you all ready knew that too.

[Deafdude55]

Who is my Favorite?

Well after attending my first event (as a non-driver {which really suck not driving at all}) as a guest and a rider in about 7 other people cars (which I greatly appreciated!!!!). I learned a lot!!!!!

I drive a 2005 Mini "just'a Cooper" Convertible. and I am looking forward to the next event in which I will be driving.

So who want to take on a NOOB??? You could be come a F A V O R I T E INSTRUCTOR.

Sonny