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A Personal Coaching Experience

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#1
Johnny D

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Mazda Motorsports gave its club racers at the SCCA Runoffs the opportunity to have video and data reviewed by its pros at Indy. Did it help?

MazdaMotorsports.com has featured a lot of articles on coaching – the benefits, how to get the most out of a coaching session, how to find a coach. At the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mazda Motorsports made that last part easy; the team brought some of its professional drivers – Tom Long, Jonathan Bomarito and Joel Miller – to Indy to provide free video and data review for Mazda racers. But is a 30-minute review of video really going to help? I believe I can say, unequivocally, that the answer is “yes.”

 

First, an introduction: My name is Richard James, and I write many of the feature articles you see here on MazdaMotorsports.com. I’ve been a motorsports journalist for nearly 30 years, trying to bring insight to both fans and also to racers looking for ways to improve their game. Two years ago, after a long hiatus from racing, I acquired an NC ex-MX-5 Cup car. I raced it in SCCA club racing STL in Regionals in 2016, converting it to Touring 4 for 2017 with my eyes on the U.S. Majors Tour and the Runoffs at Indy. To be blunt, I’m a long way from the sharp end of the T4 grid, but with help from Long, I got a little closer.

 

Given the choice of the three drivers, I chose Tom for a couple of reasons: First, I’ve done a lot of features with Tom over the years, so I feel like I know his presenting style. Second, he has a lot of time in Spec Miata, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and in developing the Global MX-5 Cup car, so I felt his experience was most relevant. And, finally, I was reasonably sure he wouldn’t laugh upon reviewing my video and data (I’m joking, of course – none of these professionals would laugh, no matter how much I gave them cause to).

 

I’ll admit that learning new tracks quickly is not my forte, probably because I haven’t had experience at a wide range of circuits. So the Monday talk at the Runoffs by the three drivers, who raced the Mazda RT24-P in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship in 2017 before that program went on hiatus, was extremely helpful. In talking with several other racers, the expression I heard regarding the IMS road course was: “Not difficult to learn, but hard to master.” Hearing their tips after a single qualifying session gave me some insight into places I could hunt for more speed. One particular hint that helped me was using a sharper brake release into Turn 13, a critical corner, to help the car rotate in the tight left-hander.

 

Sitting down with Tom after my second qualifying session to review video (I use a GoPro that has GPS and can overlay speed and g-forces onto the video, so looking at the data was secondary), he had some tips that made a huge difference. Some were obvious ones that I had already spotted, such as not getting far enough to the right to set up for a left-hander or not using all of the track on the exit of another turn, but Tom had specific tips on how to make sure I did that.

 

Others were not so obvious. In Turn 4 (the second of three right-handers and the only one that requires a speed adjustment) and Turn 7 (the left hander at the end of the Hulman Blvd. straight) I was braking too late and too hard. In both cases, that was shifting my apex too late and I was overslowing, not carrying enough speed through the corner. Tom suggested moving the whole brake-and-turn-in episode earlier, and also using less brake, making the braking episode both lighter and a touch longer.

 

Taking Tom’s advice to heart paid huge dividends. I dropped two full seconds off my lap time in Wednesday’s qualifying. While the lower temperatures and better track conditions made everyone faster, in most cases that was by a second or less. Making those improvements also allowed me to try a couple of other things in Thursday’s qualifying session (with better track conditions still, but a black-flag-shortened session that netted only two hot laps) that allowed me to take off another 1.7sec.

 

As for the race itself – well, let’s just say I displayed my Runoffs rookie status with some significant mistakes. But I can tell you that in the sections where Tom gave me advice, I was clearly quicker than the cars around me and I made up a lot time in those spots.

 

If you’re wondering if coaching can help, and you’re not a national-championship-caliber driver (and probably even if you are), I’m proof that it can be very beneficial. And if you’d like to seek help of your own from Tom or any of Mazda’s professional drivers, check out this series we did earlier on driver coaching.


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#2
Caveman-kwebb99

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I once got coaching from jim or James or whatever he goes by these days Drago. What a great car and engine builder and driver but the only coaching you will receive is I don't know just go faster... And you can pull the chip from the traqmate and look at it any time you want just have it back in before the next session lol...
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Donor - Made PayPal donation Majors Winner - Chatterbox - Blah blah blah... Blah blah blah Instigator - Made a topic or post that inspired other Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Make it Rain - Made Paypal donation of $100+

#3
Danica Davison

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I just want to throw this out there ... I gave Michael Ross a couple pointers for T17 this weekend ... and he won. So, I’m a proven success. Just pay me in beer and pizza :)

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#4
Caveman-kwebb99

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I just want to throw this out there ... I gave Michael Ross a couple pointers for T17 this weekend ... and he won. So, I’m a proven success. Just pay me in beer and pizza :)


You can help me in Nov! I will pay in pbr bucks
  • Danica Davison likes this

K. Webb
Powered by East Street Racing (Best engines in Spec Miata)

Driver coach, Spec Miata Prep shop, Spec Miata Setup

2016 Hard Charger award passing 12 cars runoffs 2016 Mid Ohio

2016 P3 RUNOFFS OVER 40 DIVISION LOL!

2015 First consolation prize Northern Conference Majors Title Pageant
2015 Winner Circus Cat Majors Road America

2015 Winner BlackHawk Majors crash fest

My Signature is still not as long as Danny boy's
 

 

 

Donor - Made PayPal donation Majors Winner - Chatterbox - Blah blah blah... Blah blah blah Instigator - Made a topic or post that inspired other Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Make it Rain - Made Paypal donation of $100+

#5
Bench Racer

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You can help me in Nov! I will pay in pbr bucks

Is that old left over $hit from before the OPM Tracy days?


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#6
Craig Berry

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This is an obvious statement, but keeping your ears open and talking to those who may know more than youself about a particular track is critical. As far as coaching.... I have had great advice from Drago on many tracks, Lamb is very good at explaining how to go fast, and I did receive some great advice from Jim Pace back in 2013 about Road America. Pace's advice was so good, I keep it to myself!
  • Danica Davison likes this
Circuit of the Americas Winner - Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver BFG Supertour Winner - Majors Winner - Make it Rain - Made Paypal donation of $100+ We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations!

#7
MPR22

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I just want to throw this out there ... I gave Michael Ross a couple pointers for T17 this weekend ... and he won. So, I’m a proven success. Just pay me in beer and pizza :)

yes you did sir,  John came up to me at the drivers meeting after the test day and says, i have been watching you all day and I have a suggestion for you that might help.  Bam, .4-.5 per lap.  Magic, 


  • Danica Davison likes this
Shattering - For those who cant drink tequila NASA Champs Winner - NASA Champs Winner Majors Winner - Novel Approach - When a paragraph simply won't do... We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver Donor - Made PayPal donation

#8
Danica Davison

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yes you did sir,  John came up to me at the drivers meeting after the test day and says, i have been watching you all day and I have a suggestion for you that might help.  Bam, .4-.5 per lap.  Magic,

 

Just happy it was able to pay off in the end, man!! It is hard enough to even keep up with Selin at Sebring ... but to BEAT him there 1on1 ... that is a win in itself! Great Job!


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John Davison
Autotechnik Racing / 5x Racing
2016 - Central Florida Region Champion
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2017 - President of DSFC
#itcouldbeyou

Series Champ - Won a points based series in a Spec Miata Chatterbox - Blah blah blah... Blah blah blah Instigator - Made a topic or post that inspired other We have a Winnah! - Won their 1st race... Congratulations! Bona fide - A bonafide Spec Miata driver

#9
chris haldeman

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I know the advise and will sell the tip for 500$ please pm me :-)
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#10
Steve Scheifler

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I know the advise and will sell the tip for 500$ please pm me :-)


You are a little late Chris! I’ll likely never race there but I’ll give you $5 just to know.
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#11
Tom Hampton

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I know the advise and will sell the tip for 500$ please pm me :-)


"Show your tits to T&S" doesn't work for everyone equally.

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