Winter "Driver Control" School PDF Print E-mail

The Venue

The winter schools are held on a seasonal ice-racing facility plowed across the thick, frozen surface of a snow-covered lake.  Because the track is seasonal, it can be (and often is) laid out somewhat differently from season-to-season.  In addition to the ice-racing track, a plowed skid pad area on which to develop and practice specific skills will also be available.

Classroom Format

Obviously there are no buildings in the middle of a frozen lake, and standing outside in some sort of makeshift classroom could be mighty cold.  So, the theory portion of the winter Driver Control school will be combined into one session that effectively kicks off the event.  This allows for a comfortable (warm) environment in which to complete the registration process and absorb the necessary theory in advance of hitting the track. This joint registration & classroom session will be held indoors in Edmonton one day prior to the driving portion of the course.

Curriculum*

Topics to be covered in the classroom will likely include:

  • The importance of grip.
  • How and why grip is lost.
  • How weight transfer and dynamic loading affect grip.
  • What are understeer and oversteer?
  • Regaining control in understeer and oversteer conditions.
  • Handling differences between RWD, FWD, and AWD vehicles.
  • Threshold braking under normal driving conditions.
  • Cadence braking under emergency conditions.
  • How ABS works, and why it isn't a cure-all.

During the track portion of the school, students will alternate between the skid pad and ice racing track.

 

Students should be aware that there will be outdoor activities at the track, including a track walk and periodic information sessions.  Students must therefore dress accordingly.  If in doubt, students should throw some extra-warm clothes and boots in the trunk.

The Critical Caveat: "Weather Permitting"

As mentioned in several places, the winter Driver Control school will be held weather permitting.  This is due to two possible factors.  If the weather preceding the school dates is too warm, there may not be sufficient ice depth, which would present a safety hazard.  If the weather on the school dates is too cold, it presents a significant challenge to humans as well as to mechanical devices.  Wind chill and blowing snow may also be factors.  Therefore, dependant on forecast weather conditions, the winter Driver Control school may be cancelled in the days immediately preceding the event.

In the event the winter Driver Control school must be cancelled, students will receive a full refund of their tuition fees.

* Selection of topics is based, in part, on the skill level of the group as a whole.  More advanced groups should expect that some topics will not need to be covered in significant detail, or that certain topics will be best addressed in greater detail based on the particular student's individual skill level, or one-to-one by instructor and student while in the car.