Hi folks. Has anyone driven their car at Pocono Raceway? How many cars are on the track at the same time? Is there anyone there to make sure the experience doesn't turn into a disaster? Thanks!

 

Yes, I have driven it several times as a student and as an instructor. Which group is running the event you are thinking of? Number of cars on the track at one time varies with turnout. I have seen as many as 30 and as few as 10. From your questions it sounds like you are a novice to high performance driving events. Each group has their own rules but they are very similar and are established to keep order and prevent mayhem. First person responsible for maintaining safety is the instructor in the passenger seat. They will tell you the way around the track, brake points, turn in points, track out points, flag stations. They will also tell you when you are doing something wrong from a driving standpoint and they will keep an eye out for potential hazards that you may not notice due to being totally absorbed in what you are doing. The second person responsible for safety is you since you are driving the car. Then you have the flaggers who alert you to things happening ahead of you.

Rules include how to pass. The passing car has to wait for the car being passed to signal. No signal, no pass. If flaggers see somebody pass without a signal the chief instructor has the option of evicting the driver from the event without a refund.

First time novices are typically apprehensive, and some tend to be a little jumpy. One of the instructor's responsibilities is to help them through this phase by talking them through their first few sessions, giving them encouragement and advising them about things they are doing right and the things they are doing wrong.

Most first timers spend their first few sessions driving slower on the track than they did on the 2 lane twisty highway getting to the track.

Bill

 

Thanks a lot for your response. I'm actually going to Spring Mountain Resort in Navada next month for a three day Corvette racing class. Just thought that once I do that I would like to open it up every now and then without getting arrested. Pocono sounds like the perfect outlet.

 

It is a nice track but like all Rovals becomes a little boring with the lack of variety.

Once you get your feet wet try the Glen. Elevation changes of 100 ft up and down, high speed curves.

Bill