The Road Racing Drivers Club has taken on the very large task of mentoring up and coming young drivers, with FIA’s help.

Monday, RRDC went viral Monday when it launched its SAFE is Fast website, taking its driver development seminars to the next level.Check it out: <http://safeisfast.com/>

RRDC President Bobby Rahal hosts the online symposium

RRDC had already gathered an impressive panel to cover a broad spectrum of seminar topics which now have been videoed and expanded for the website, which is hosted by BOBBY RAHAL, RRDC President, Rahal Letterman Racing team owner, and father of IndyCar driver, GRAHAM RAHAL.

SAFE stands for Skilled, Assured, Fit and Empowered. It was the focus of the RRDC FIA Young Drivers Symposiums free to young drivers, to help them get on the right track for a successful racing career. Three such workshops were held, in Indianapolis, at the 2010 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and last December at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show. The idea was to talk safety in a way the drivers wanted to hear.

Dr. Steve Olvey (along with Dr. Terry Trammell) covers Driver Safety.

The wildly popular seminars reached a finite number of young drivers who were able to attend. RRDC is now taking a more global approach, in an effort to reach more drivers where they live, and also provide for a permanent record of its expertise. The goal is to have the young amateur drivers visit the website, find sections of interest, take quizzes, check out the parts they like, and customize it to suit their needs, etc.

Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti explain Advanced Driving Techniques.

Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi reveal what the best teams look for in a driver.

Some very creative, committed and capable veterans in motorsports, spearheaded by Rahal and long-time RRDC member, JIM MULLEN, put together a plan to train young drivers, which has been more than two years in the making. With the goal of teaching that SAFE is Fast, RRDC sought and received a grant from the FIA Motor Sport Safety Development Fund, which is tasked, among other things, to promote programs for young drivers safety. FIA underwrites grants, courtesy of its $60 million share of the $100 million fine assessed to McLaren-Mercedes by the FIA World Motorsports Council in the fall of 2007. The fund was created to manage the distribution of motor sport safety-related programs worldwide…Spygate money being put to good use.

IndyCar and NASCAR Fitness trainer Jim Leo demonstrates what it takes to be a winner.

The video segments currently number sixteen, and include topics hosted by people who are household names in motorsports including 30 RRDC members.

LYNNE HUNTTING
PressSnoop.com