27 replies to this topic

[Muda]

To all of you WITHOUT God given talent or parents who got you into kart racing, a coach may be the best investment you can make.
The hard part is learning to catch the fast guys in the corners.
Once you can do that you only have to spring for the lump.

Yes Ken, we need a masters class, maybe two. SMM & SM2M

[dmathias]

@ Steve DeV - how's the cost of a top SE30 compare to top SM? That's a nice ride you've got. I bet I'd fit better in a Beemer too.

@ Rick D - a little bird told me some drivers had trouble counting to 2 (as in green flags) at Mid-O Saturday - coached or otherwise.

[Steve D]

@ Steve DeV - how's the cost of a top SE30 compare to top SM? That's a nice ride you've got. I bet I'd fit better in a Beemer too.

Apples-to-apples the BMW is a few grand more for a tub-up build. OPM built a 99 SM and a top notch SE30 for me in 2008 and I kept meticulous build sheets on both. At least until the costs started to bother me, then I ignored it and was much happier.

You can find used cars in both series for about the same money, but there are very few tub-up builds in SE30 in the Southeast. $6k will get you a running car with a cage and a lot of issues. Low teens will get you a decent car with some respectable finishes. Mid-teens and 20's is rarefied air in SE30, unlike the proven SMs you see trade in that range.

The main reason I built the SE30 was so I could have the seat on sliders so my short wife could use it on track.

[svvs]

To all of you WITHOUT God given talent or parents who got you into kart racing, a coach may be the best investment you can make.
The hard part is learning to catch the fast guys in the corners.
Once you can do that you only have to spring for the lump.

I had a few good "coaches" while I was doing DE's and gettng started.

After two years of racing I split a pro coach with another couple of guys at the track one day. He has won in all sorts of cars, and has driven a ton of miatas.

All I can say is, wow. Granted I'm a mid pack driver, but he helped me find about a second and a half or so only having a third of him for one day. No changes to car or anything, just go out there and drive the thing.

If you do go for a coach, I would almost say having data in the car is a must. Get them to do a data lap, and work towards it. If the guy can't drive your car faster than you can.....get your money back.

[Todd Lamb]

A little late to the discussion, but since it's stemming from coaching, I'll throw my opinion in:

There are some pretty interesting observations here...

Yes, coaching is expensive. But relative to what? As pointed out by many, investing in the driver (skills that will stay with you) versus investing in new/more/better car parts (which wear out and become obsolete) offers a much better return on investment.

My formative years in car racing were spent with 2 seasons in the Skip Barber regional racing series (Formula Dodge at the time). There were some great instructors that taught me a lot about racecraft, qualifying, drafting, passing, going fast, rain driving, etc. (Jim Pace, Barry Waddell, Terry Earwood, Peter Argetsinger, Walt Bohren, Eric Van Cleef to name a few). In two years I went from a mid-packer to running at the front with guys like Alex Gurney. It would have taken me lots more $$$ and many more years to develop those skills on my own.

As a racer, you never stop learning. A novice probably CAN pick up 2 seconds with coaching. A mid-packer probably CAN pick up .5 second as well as learning some consistency, racecraft, passing skills etc. A front runner may not get faster, but there's always something to be learned to make them a better driver. Every driver has weaknesses - do you know yours? I know mine, but I ain't tellin!

[Bench Racer]

I know mine, but I ain't tellin!

Dude, coach youself out of them.

[Todd Lamb]

I would but every time I compare my data to myself it looks great!

[Muda]

I would but every time I compare my data to myself it looks great!

Ain't it the truth.
One of the most valuable things you come away with is a baseline data set from your car on the same day you're driving it, from a pro who is (hopefully) faster than anyone you've run with.