How to explain to others what HPDE is.
 

(You can have fun with this thread, also please move thread if it shouldn't be here)
How do you explain to non-technical/non-car people that you don't actually race when you do HPDE?

I have the hardest time explaining it to anyone who doesn't know about cars. Recently, I have just given up and let them call it racing...Or I let my wife duke it out with them.

Funny moment:

my sister-in-law asked me to explain it, I told her we go around the track as fast as possible....[skipping some questions]...She asked me how fast I went, I said 110 on some tracks. She said "oh, that's not that fast, my van will do 140mph...[skipping some rofl]...Its on the speedometer, I am sure they wouldn't put that on there if it couldn't actually do it."

Shakespeare described HPDE as "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

-Ryan

I just tell people it's a chance to drive on track as fast as you feel comfortable. Yet, most still go back to "Are you going racing soon?"

I really don't even bring up my car stuff around non-car people, it's too annoying to try to talk about.

We should start out with what HPDE stands for, you know, for the ignorant.

High Performance Driving Event/Education, depending on the organization.

I hear it means racing...hehehe

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1384265474

I like to use internet memes and images pulled from google searches.

How I see myself:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1384265474

How my coworkers and friends see me:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1384265474

How actual racers see me:
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1384265474

If "racing" means "moving swiftly" doesn't HPDE qualify as racing? Even if you are not "racing" against someone else.

Pretty much this. Sad, but true. But I still try.

robert

No, I think "racing" implies a competitive event where the fastest/shortest time wins. Besides if we term it "moving swiftly" then drifting counts as racing and we know that's not true :dealwithit:

"It's an event where gearheads pay money to drive around race tracks without speed limits"

"It's like going to the movies, there are a limited number of seats, some people show up late, and there's always an old guy in front of you, fully reclined and a kid behind you, kicking your seat. Meanwhile, the whole goal is to be able to make it through the entire movie without needing to run to the bathroom because you had too much coke, but in the end, the entire thing was for entertainment purposes only, and the only "winner" is the guy who made it home in time to go to bed and get 8 hours of sleep before work the next morning."

"Think of it like go-karts, except when you hit the guy in front of you, you don't get pulled from the track..."

"It's an event where gearheads pay money to drive around race tracks without speed limits"

"It's like going to the movies, there are a limited number of seats, some people show up late, and there's always an old guy in front of you, fully reclined and a kid behind you, kicking your seat. Meanwhile, the whole goal is to be able to make it through the entire movie without needing to run to the bathroom because you had too much coke, but in the end, the entire thing was for entertainment purposes only, and the only "winner" is the guy who made it home in time to go to bed and get 8 hours of sleep before work the next morning."

"Think of it like go-karts, except when you hit the guy in front of you, you don't get pulled from the track..."

Just bring them out and have an instructor scare them. :P

Have her take her minivan up to 140mph and when you crash and die, you can explain that with some hpde classes, you would have been much better off not dying while getting 4000lbs of death on wheels up to speed.

"The process of turning money into noise and dust"

HPDE is like running with the bulls in Spain but safer

I don't think this is really a reasonable solution.

Um depending on who, what, where you are doing a hpde you can race people. I've had many a battle in hpde4.

bro, i was battling in hdpe1 with point bys.

On Hoosiers bro, get some Hoosiers bro

It's where a bunch of middle aged dudes who are engineers, doctors, or pilots go to drive in circles and touch each others gear shifters.

I usually say I am doing "open track days at tracks like Sebring and Road Atlanta". If further explanation is needed I tell them "I don't race in a particular class, but run with everything from full-on race cars to street cars to see who I can pass or who can pass me. We're just out there to develop our skills, develop our cars, and have a good time driving hard in a controlled and relatively safe environment."

This^

Everyone still asks me when is the next time I am going racing though. I have found it's not worth correcting them. The difference is lost on those not in the know.

OK . . . this one hit a little too close to home. You work for NSA?

"Gentlemen racing"

If they still don't understand, I e-mail them a few YouTube videos.

The HPDE experience varies from club to club and group to group making it difficult to summarize IMHO. I think the "gentleman racing" is the best single description possible in the highest run groups.

I think using the word 'racing' in the HPDE context is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. It sets the wrong mentality for potential participants. It's not a race and it shouldn't be anything even close to resembling a race.

I just tell them it is where we get together to learn and practice how to drive fast.

robert

When I hear "Gentlemen racing", my mental image is Historic Car racing.

For me:
HPDE = "Training" with an instructor and "Practice" without.
I usually try to emphasize this is not wheel to wheel racing as we aren't required all the safety gear a 'Race' car requires. Also passing is done only on the straights with point-by's.

^If you are a peasant.

/DE4 post :dealwithit:


lol

Words like "practice" and "training" naturally lead to the question of when you're going to do the thing you're practicing and training for.

Me, I always tell the truth (about HPDE): it's just a chance to drive my car around a race track as fast as I can, or as fast as I want anyway. That's reason enough as far as I'm concerned.

As for having an instructor in the passanger seat, I usually appreciate the tips but I'm not there for training. I'm there to drive around a race track as fast as I can. The instructor is there only because they wouldn't let me on the track without one.

Sorry if that's not serious enough for some of you. I do try hard to stay out of the way. :party:

I find that I learn more with an experienced instructor in my car. Or a racer.

Racing is like having sex. HPDE is like having safe sex.

Because you are less likely to ruin your junk but are still glad you are there?
Makes sense.

I like to say "It's a lot better than watching somebody else play football."

It's slightly less expensive than getting completely smashed at your place watching football and getting a DUI on the way home.

its like go karting with your own car on a 3x scale.

Of course; why are we still talking about this?

If further proof is needed, watch this video: It shows a Time Trial session, but it could very well be an advanced run group in any HPDE event. The point is, it looks just like racing, but "Gentlemen Racing".
:2cents:

I think everyones HPDE/TT experience can be different. I like to ask forgiveness before permission. Here are some random track day images I snagged off my facebook. None of these cars are "racecars" caged. All pictures were screened for illegal activity, some pictures were removed.

160mph down the straight at TWS, we were allowed to run the high speed banking leading to the straight for one session.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385396310

Camping at the track
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Miata Challange track day at HHR, all people pictured are MT members in their driving suits as worn that day.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Spoolin2bars drag racing a Viper
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Miata purchased from a used car lot 5 weeks before, threw 2k at it and won MC street class and beat all modified drivers too. Earlier in the day I had Khakis, button up shirt, and leather boat shoes on.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Friend sleeping in my trunk, so I drove around like that and ran track errands.
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Corpus track crew 2009?
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Drunken party at a race shop in MSRH
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

My Dad and sister battling on grassy PCA track
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Redline event at VIR
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Standing water in a turbo street Miata with 205 tires yikes!
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Got bored and drifted the grassy PCA track for a whole session, no fucks given
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Hustler cooking dinner with his front license plate
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Texas Miata Challange group photo with shotgun
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Working on buddies car
https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1385397174

Did I mention working on buddies cars?
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps4154e86e.jpg

This is what HPDE/trackdays has been like for me, YMMV

these images are awesome, so funny and true.

like a distinct stage of a illness. I remember trying to explain to people. totally dont even bother talking about it unless they drag it out with interesting info of their own... like building whatever car to start doing de.

"Is it like NASCAR?"

Sure, but I turn the steering wheel both ways and use my brakes.

"How fast does it go?"

I will usually quote a motorcycle number for top speed from my motorcycle days but say my track car is quicker.