[J_Miles]

I'm a four-year senior this year on our team. With our team, drivers have always historically been seniors, and, while it's not a guarantee that this will always be the case, it's very likely in my mind. With that said, our week one event will not be my first competition behind the controls. After the senior drivers graduate each season, our team selects a new drive-team for our off-season events.

Going into the season, now, I've driven at four competitions, and won two. Personally, I think that nerves are something that are difficult to overcome during the competition if one isn't prepared. A lot of it has to do with the student's composure in general. That's not to say, though, that a student driver cannot overcome the nerves. The best thing to do is to get out on the practice field as much as possible. Believe you me, it's a lot easier to be willing to fly around the field when you're actually on the field. Our build facility is one without lots of space, and what space we do have is filled with some expensive equipment that doesn't belong to us...so when we practice in facility extra care has to be taken to make sure nothing gets broken. In that way, getting onto the field has me feeling a lot more "free." Maybe that sort of experience might help. If a student isn't comfortable, get him/her comfortable driving in adverse conditions, so that driving on the actual field feels more natural and even easier.

Truly it all comes down to the ability to handle pressure, to take criticism, and to respond to instruction while still being independent, making quick decisions, and being aggressive. The unfortunate truth is that not all students are capable of driving. The best way of figuring this out, I think, is asking the student for an honest assessment of his or her abilities. If the student feels too nervous, I tend to think he or she would be willing to come out and tell you that he or she isn't comfortable doing it.