Meet the HST Instructors

Jerry Bergeron, Lead Instructor

While still being very quick and exhibiting superior car control, Jerry admits that he will never be the fastest or best race car driver ever. However, knowing that he was part of someone else’s success is more than enough to keep him motivated and enthusiastic about instructing students. He started instructing around 2010 and now coaches around 100 students a year. He calls being Hallett Motor Racing Circuit’s (HMRC) Lead Instructor a “dream job.” Why does he call it that? Because he gets to work with people who have the same passion for cars, speed, and honing their skills on a race track, not to mention riding in and driving some of the most desired cars in the world.

Like any teaching job, success is measured by student performance. Seeing a student grow from a timid driver to a confident wheel person is tremendously satisfying. If you walk around the pit area and talk to the racers, you will discover the vast majority came from a High Speed Touring (HST) type of program. Jerry is proud to say he and his beautiful wife are part of HMRC HST program with the aim of keeping the sport alive for future generations to enjoy.

• 1999 began driving in Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC) HST events
• 1999 completed Bondurant School of High Performance Driving
• 2007 participated in The Driver’s Edge program
• 2009 began instructing at HMRC
• 2013 promoted to lead instructor at HMRC
• 2017 World Racing League racing license (7 Endurance Races)
• 2018-2019 Raced Miata’s Spec Miata class in the HMRC COMMA Series
• 2018 received Level 1 certificate from Motorsport Safety Foundation
• Instructed on numerous private days and club days, including Exotic Super Car, Mid-America Shelby Meet, BMW and Miata events
• Other track experience at Barber Motorsports Park, Texas World Speedway, Motorsport Ranch, Waterford Hills, Hastings Motorsport Park and Mid-America Motorplex
• 2019 Developed the drone training video for HMRC
• Current Lead Instructor for the HST Program at HMRC

Jason “JT” Toon

• After a lifelong background in competition sports, JT started attending High Performance Driving Events (HPDEs) in the late ’90s and then began autocrossing (AX) competitively with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) in 2001
• In 2003, he successfully completed the Evolution Performance Driving School Phase I, Phase II, and Challenge (Phase III) Schools where National Champion Mike “Junior” Johnson was his coach
• JT was a local, regional, and national AX competitor in the SCCA Solo series for 10 years, as well as with the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA), Porsche Club of America (PCA), and Equipe Rapide
• In 2006, he successfully completed the Instructor Candidate School for the BMWCCA and the PCA and, thereby, became a certified driving instructor
• For several years, JT instructed club/marque, private/corporate, and public HPDE events for Apex Driving Academy on a nearly weekly basis at MotorSport Ranch in Cresson, Texas
• In 2007, he successfully completed the National BMWCCA Club Racing School at Oktoberfest where James Clay and Randy Mueller were his mentors
• JT was one of two racer/instructors hired by Maserati of Dallas and selected by Lamborghini of Dallas to give “spirited” demo rides to potential clients at corporate track day events
• In 2009, he received his BMWCCA Rookie License as well as his NASA Provisional License and competed in the BMWCCA Club Racing series which was held in conjunction with the NASA Club Racing series
• JT was one of 5 elite instructors who were recruited by Judy Ray & Steve Stepanian at Driving Concepts, Inc. (DCI) to instruct their 2 day Competition Licensing Schools at Buttonwillow Raceway and Willow Springs Raceway in California. That program later merged with NASA under the direction of Steve Stepanian
• In 2016, he became an Instructor for Fast Toys (exotics) in Los Angeles, California
• In 2017, JT became an Instructor for the High Speed Touring (HST) Program, private track days, and ultimately, the VIP Club Days at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, where he regularly instructs multiple times a month
• In 2017, he obtained his World Racing League Competition License and has competed in multiple endurance races over the years with the No Lift Racing and OK Speed racing teams
• In 2018, JT received his Level I and II Instructor Certificates from the Motorsport Safety Foundation
• In 2019, he obtained his 24 Hours of Lemons Competition License and has competed in several endurance races with Team CEL
• In 2019, JT obtained his Competition Motorsports Association (COMMA) Competition License and has consistently competed in that Series in his Spec Miata
• He is a current Instructor/Mentor for the National BMWCCA Club Racing School andNational BMWCCA Instructor Training School programs
• Since 2006, JT has instructed/coached hundreds of events on over 20 different race tracks and/or track configurations throughout the United States

Sam McAllister

Sam instructs for two reasons:

Sam’s motorsport experience:

Burt Williams

Since 2012, Burt has raced with Porsche Club of America (PCA), Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing (CVAR), a regional organization and Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVAR), a national organization. he has also competed in endurance races with World Racing League (WRL). With these organizations, he has competed in over 220 races at the following tracks: Texas World Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Circuit of the Americas, Eagles Canyon, MSR-Cresson, Barber Motorsports Park and of course my favorite, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC).

Burt has informally instructed fellow racers over the years and formally instructed with the Cimarron PCA Club since 2019. In 2020, he had the pleasure of joining the Hallett High-Speed Touring (HST) Team. In 2021, he completed the Instructor Training Level 1 Course of study prescribed by the Motorsport Safety Foundation. His goal in instructing is to give back to the sport by providing HST participants with information and guidance on how they can have a safe and fun track experience. At each event, he initially focuses on understanding a student’s level of experience and as well as their individual goals.

Burt hopes for each student is that they make consistent progress in learning the track rules, following the track line, improved track awareness and car control all of which will most often result in an uncontrollable smile of satisfaction before the end of each session/event.

Jeffrey Sexton

Born in the swamps of the Arkansas delta, some say that he is illegal in 9 states and will cry tears of joy at the sound of a turbo rotary. Jeffery started his racing career at the age of 10 with three-wheelers of all things; because, “motorcycles are dangerous.” This did eventually lead to motocross and local dirt track racing. It wasn’t until 1999 that he learned you could turn right in a car when he started attending local autocross after becoming addicted to Gran Turismo… yes, the original on Play Station 1.

In 2002 when Jeffery first attended Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC) and shared seat time in possibly the worst example of a Porsche 924 in existence, the track bug really took hold. From here, Jeffery was jamming in as many track days as possible at as many tracks as possible starting at Memphis International sliding around in the rain with the Mid South Porsche Club.

After climbing through the HPDE ranks with Porsche Club and NASA, more go fast was needed. In 2005 Jeffery earned his time attack and competition license and started campaigning an Evo 8 in NASA TTB and eventually, TTU. In 2007, he and a friend added a C5 Z06 to the time attack effort.

Since that time, Jeffery has campaigned other cars such as an S2000, STI, NC Miata and an M3 in other time attack efforts with NASA, Super Lap Battle, BMW Club, Global Time Attack and Grid Life. This also includes a Honda Fit in what was once known as Spec Fit, which is now Sundae Cup.

Jeffery became a full-time instructor at HMRC at the end of 2019 after working as an instructor at select events at HMRC and other tracks. Additionally, Jeffery has continued to race motocross and be active in autocross at a local level while continuing toward more driver coaching certifications.

Tracks Driven:

Eric Sack

If you ask Eric, he will let you know that he cannot recall a time when there was not an interest in racing — racing of any type — and cars. When the opportunity for him to drive on track arose at the end of 2018, Eric signed up for the first High Speed Touring (HST) weekend at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC) in 2019, all three days, and was instantly hooked.

After countless HST weekends, VIP Club days, and private track days over a two-year period, the opportunity to become an instructor presented itself. He jumped at the opportunity to help others experience the thrill of driving a car, at speed, on track, while working on their car handling skills.

While most other instructors come from a racing background, all of Eric’s experience is in HMRC’s HST program. He relates well to other HST drivers — novice and experienced alike — given his specialization in driving street cars on track.

As an instructor, Eric’s approach is to understand the student’s goals for the day, help them set reasonable expectations, and finally, adapt his coaching style to help them achieve their goals. Ultimately, his hope is that students’ experience was safe, their car handling skills improved, and their time at the track enjoyable. Ideally, Eric wants students to leave with the same passion he left with after his first track experience.

Eric is a professional engineer and land surveyor. He also have a private pilot certificate and is a professional photographer.  When not at the track, Eric enjoys spending time with his lovely wife and three astonishing children.

Michael Hutchens

More information about Michael coming soon…