LOL it's all good Doug. I totally understand your point above, but instruction is what you make of it IMHO. It is an excellent privilege but some people think of it as a burden and can't wait to go solo (not necessarily you) and I believe they are missing a very important learning opportunity as a result. Things like the fast line through T16-T17 at VIR are generally not taught in HPDE1-2, but can be taught in HPDE3 upon request, and might never be found on your own. Even as an instructor the best seat time I ever get is when I can convince (bribe? lol) a racer or another instructor to sit with me... because there's always something to improve upon.

FWIW I can recommend some NASA instructors who are happy to be more aggressive from the shotgun seat so you can progress as quickly as you wish. And at any rate I applaud your goals and wish you the best of luck as you climb the ladder of speed

Jon