Calling all NEQ HPDE Instructors, Instructor Candidates, and Advanced Drivers!

We have another opportunity to help our cousins at the Connecticut Valley Chapter of BMW CCA with their upcoming Tire Rack Street Survival School for new teen drivers at the Consumer Report Automotive Test Facility in Colchester, CT this coming September 27th, a Saturday.

What is Tire Rack Street Survival School (TRSS) for new teenage drivers? It’s a teen driving school, sponsored by Tire Rack, designed to teach teenage drivers how to handle their vehicle in emergency situations through a combination of classroom and driving drills in the cars they actually drive. The driving exercises include emergency braking drills, a slalom course, an emergency avoidance drill, and wetted skid pad. Driving conditions they didn’t encounter or learn about in their regular drivers’ ed program.

Where is it being held? Consumer Reports is a long term supporter of the TRSS program. CR donates the use of their Automotive Testing Facility located at 3 Hall Kilbourne Road, Colchester, CT 06415. The TRSS driving exercises are conducted on courses set up on the CR automotive test track and the classroom is in the garage (not your average garage) and office adjacent to the track.

When is this again? The school is on Saturday, September 27, and runs the full day. Registration volunteers need to arrive around 7:00 a.m., staff and coaches from 7:15 to 7:30. Student registration opens at 8:00 and it’s all hands on deck to help with registration and car tech. 9:00 a.m. the learning program starts and runs until around 4:00 p.m. There is a break for lunch.

What is CT BMW (CVC) looking for? CVC needs 4-6 more instructors and could use 5-6 more volunteers to assist with cone shagging on the courses as well as general help in the garage (food service and clean-up). To become a TRSS instructor, the candidate must be either an NEQ certified instructor or instructor candidate, or an advanced driver with a minimum of 3 years in the run group. All TRSS Instructors must first successfully complete the online TRSS training module to be eligible to instruct. The module takes about an hour to complete. There are no stipulations on volunteers other than a cheery disposition and a willingness to help teens learn. All volunteers and instructors should be available for a coordination Zoom meeting on the Wednesday evening before the school. Last, but not least, BMW CCA membership is not required, though everyone will have to sign the BMW CCA Waiver, very much like the Audi HPDE Waiver.

While this is not an NEQ event and NEQ is not affiliated with this program; it is a great opportunity for NEQ and our members to contribute to the very worthy cause of improving teen driving skills and to help out a cousin car club with a shared love of German automobiles and passion for driving.

If this sounds like something you’d like to do, please contact Patrick Delany (NEQ Member an CI for the CVC TRSS) at delany_ct@comast.net or 860.794.4935