Cal Club Autocross Forums

My son, The Artist, finally got his drivers license last year, at 19, just before leaving for his Sophomore year in college (Sarah Lawrence). He didn't drive much before leaving, didn't drive during the school year and is now back for the summer, with is Grandma's approx. '99 Maxima at his disposal.

I would like him to come out to our next event to test himself and the car at at least a moderate pace and perhaps push himself to see how he and the car will do in what could amount to an emergency situation, ie. skidding, sliding.

He doesn't really want to ... his mom doesn't think it's necessary. Can you help come up with some reasoning to persuade him. Hmmm ... perhaps Chucks daughter Heather should talk to him. She did her first tentative laps at the last event.

He did enjoy his run with Motonishi six years ago!



Sophomore, ie. Wise Fool ;)

Just keep talking about autocross, if he is interested he will let you know. Don't try to persuade him unless he asks.

i'm only half joking when i say this:

tell him there will be girls there..
:gpower: :gpower:

All due respect, but his Mom's wrong.

BMWCCA puts on a (national) program called Street Survival, that I have instructed at. It's ALL young new drivers, my students this year were two high school girls. One had her license for 3 months (2008 Mercedes sedan) and the other had her license for 2 years (very competitive 2 jacket athlete) an old Cavalier (broke the p/s pump and finished with mom's mini van).

It's set up with autox like elements that are strung together at the end for a full lap. Wet/dry skid pad, lane change, slalom.

The Merc driver especially liked turning off traction control & power sliding on the wet pad. The other liked the lane change, one lane into three where the instructor calls out left or right at the very last second. Student brakes hard & changes lane without hitting cones.

All run with cone type courses.

Each student has the same instructor all day long & includes some classrom.

Every kid & parent I spoke with was VERY enthusiastic.

I would start out or at least at some point have him do this. It's not competitive (no trophies) and all the kids feel good at the end.

Love of autox can't be forced, it just happens/or not.

Good luck.

Google BMWCCA Street Survival

I agree with Bob. Send him to a survival course -- Evo and TireRack both offer/sponsor them as well as BMWCCA. He'll get more emergency driving experience out of it in a one-day shot. Max and Maddie will both be doing at least one of these as close to geting their licenses as possible.

I also agree re: autocross. It sounds like he's not a car guy and not all that interested in driving , so trying to get him to do it might be a hard sell, especially if his mom is giving him an out. In contrast to your description, I had my permit on my 15.5th birthday, my driver's license test scheduled for my birthday two months in advance, and I'll drive anything anywhere for any reason -- not many other weirdos like me. If you offered me the chance to legally drive your Corvette or Miata or Maxima (hell, a Yugo) way too fast when I was his age, I would've agreed before you finished your first sentence. I think you either love cars and driving or you don't. Certainly doesn't mean you can't subtly and gently cajole him in that direction; just means temper your expectations. ;)

I'm not trying to force him to AX ... just want him to drive his car in a situation where he can safely approach and exceed the limit of traction. He's just not into cars ... was almost 20 before he bothered to get his license. (girl friends had cars) He can be a bit spacey ... which scares me when he's at the wheel.

Girls? He might be happy to have a respite from them. He goes to a college where there are three gals for each guy!

... or was it 4:1 ... one to take the photos.

there's a novice school coming up in June in the SD region...

have you offered to pay for his entry?

or asked if he'd like to come out to a practice day for ride-alongs (it's been 6 years, he might like it more riding along now that he can drive)?

or take him go-karting @ dromo or k1 even?

... or let him drive the corvette? LOL, j/k j/k ;)

if after all that and he still doesn't want to do an autox, i'd give up.

Best advice Mako is to let it go. He's not a car guy. Meet him on common ground and you'll have a wonderful, lasting relationship.

He's become passionate about photography, we definitely share that, at my cost!

... I'm just worried about his driving.

Henry's boy didn't seem that interested for quite a while ... now he's pacing Dad. I guess you know all about that, along with Lisa S. and many of the other parent/kid driving "teams."

Mako Koiwai wrote:I'm just worried about his driving.

That's a valid concern, and I think it's within your bounds as a parent to do what you need to get him to take a driver's safety class. You could probably even talk his mother into helping convince him it if you lay it on thick enough with her. As for autox, let him come to you if/when he's ready.

Mako Koiwai wrote:Henry's boy didn't seem that interested for quite a while ... now he's pacing Dad. I guess you know all about that, along with Lisa S. and many of the other parent/kid driving "teams."

Had to bring that up, didn't you!

Disown him.

Had to bring that up, didn't you!

You can be happy ... at least your genes were good for SOMETHING!

Max, maybe you should hang out with my Max ... you know, dates and all.

Mako Koiwai wrote:He's become passionate about photography, we definitely share that, at my cost!
... I'm just worried about his driving

As long as you're paying the bills it's easy. No learn to drive=no daddys money.

Eric Clements wrote:As long as you're paying the bills it's easy. No learn to drive=no daddys money.

That's why I'm going to get Max and Maddie in those classes while the Golden Rule is still in effect.

I'm pretty sure my son will kick my ass... And he's still in Kindergarten.

Steve Ekstrand wrote:I'm pretty sure my son will kick my ass... And he's still in Kindergarten.

Mine already has...once. I'm sure it won't be the last time.

I'm with Kurt on this one...I know many people who were either totally choping at the bit to drive like me or they were so carefree about it that it didn't matter. My fiance is that way...cars are a utility conveyance less a source of actual amusement. I do want her to participate in autoX but she's not interested and somewhat apprehensive. Riding with me didn't seem to change that either...so that option is out.

...however...

Since buying the Mazda6 she's started to be more assertive about her driving when we go together (she used to ask me to drive more often when we had the Civic). I can't tell yet if it's just because she likes the car so much or because she likes to drive more yet. I'm giving it time to settle and see how she does. The car is certainly better for it than her honda was!

Take him along with you, maybe have him ride in something closer to streetable rather than bullet/vortex fast (i.e. c stock or below).

Roman might be a good person to ask for advice.

DRIVE! or I will tase you again!

Hey - how *is* Roman doing? I don't think he's been out to one of our events in the last year.

Mike Simanyi wrote:Hey - how *is* Roman doing? I don't think he's been out to one of our events in the last year.

Roman seems great, he stopped by my studio last week to say hi. He's still studying photography at Art Center in Pasadena.

Doing a lot of moping and complaining about being single since Crystal and he broke up

So I said, "Hey, You need to come out and do some AX'ing!"

He must be getting close to graduating from Art Center of Design ... Photography.

Hey Mako,

I totally feel your "pain". My oldest son used to come out with me to practices quite often and catch rides with everyone, I couldn't wait till he got his license so we could do it together. I even helped him buy a WRX wagon from Mr Berry, thinking that would be a good first autocross car. But I've had no luck getting him to bring his car out to any events. He did come with me to a practice at el toro and drive my car once and it seemed like he had a great time, but since then he's shown no interest. He's now trying to talk me into letting him get a motorcycle......

I told him he can get one once he moves out and can pay his own health insurance, hopefully by the time that happens the motorcycle urge will have left him.

I think my younger son is going to be a different story, he's 15 and counting the months till he gets his learner's permit. He's already beating me at the go kart track.

good luck