270 replies to this topic

[Todd Lamb]

Welcome to the site!

This is such a broad question that I have to take the easy way out and punt.

There are many many things you should focus on. I'm sure you've picked up several from this thread alone, but I would highly suggest a racing school like Skippy or Bondurant to get some basic instruction and that will significantly narrow down your list of things to focus on. It would take me days to type what you would learn in 5 minutes at an intro to racing school during the opening "chalk talk". Well worth the money since you don't already have a racing license.

Also suggest reading any of the many racing/driving books to get an understanding of the basics.

We have yet to enter into racing school but all three of us have been tracking our daily drivers for years now.

After seeing so many guys come through your drivers school, what are a few things new guys like us can focus on as a good "first cut?"
If we are taking the SM to some track days to just shake it down and get the bugs out, is there something that we can focus on technique wise to not start getting bad habits? We wont have any data aq. on the car for now but is there anything you would suggest like posture or breathing?

If there were a few things that you feel take the longest to develop, therefore needing to start early, what would they be?

Thank you,

-Z


p.s. first post wooooo!!!!

[Todd Lamb]

Pure speculation, but I would guess it was his way of feeling out the grip in an unknown street car on street tires. With deep tread, street tires are pretty sloppy and vague with the feedback (ever run a set of full tread 888's in the dry?)

It goes like this:
Dip into the throttle and see if it sticks. Not yet? Wait and try again. Now? Nope. OK how about now? Yep, full throttle!

Todd
Do you think the on/off throttle when getting on the throttle is Senna compensating for TCS or just his driving style?

[Todd Lamb]

Like I stole it.

. but how would you drive a VLSD miata?

[Todd Lamb]

No, yes !!!!

Caveman, Drago ????

I think that covers every question currently in the queue. Long but rewarding weekend at Road Atlanta working with 5 different clients. Starting to work with some front runners in that "other" spec class. Interesting to compare and contrast the politics, camaraderie, tires, and driving styles.

[Danny Steyn]

No, yes !!!!



I think that covers every question currently in the queue. Long but rewarding weekend at Road Atlanta working with 5 different clients. Starting to work with some front runners in that "other" spec class. Interesting to compare and contrast the politics, camaraderie, tires, and driving styles.

 

Talking about that other spec class, this weekend I was so surprised to see the lack of grip of their cars on the Goodyear rains compared to our H2O's. Much like our Toyo RA1' rains compared to the H2O's.

[Ron Alan]

Is the "other" spec class classified? Curious which you are referring to?

[Caveman-kwebb99]

He was referring to SRF for sure and maybe another as well.

[Todd Lamb]

Time to resurrect this thread - who has a question?

[NPiekarski]

Braking question. Threshold braking, do you feel like you spike the pedal and modulate or ease in to near near max grip and work pressures from there? I see both types being used, wondering what the pro does using turn 5 at Road America as an example.

[Todd Lamb]

Nic: threshold braking requires a good sense of pedal pressure. The best way to work up to it while learning is to brake early (to allow room for accidental lockup), and progressively add pedal pressure until you get very close to lockup (or possibly a small, very brief lockup if you add a little too much pressure). Then you can use that "calibrated" pedal pressure as the threshold point for that specific corner and then begin to brake later and later since your braking will be more effective. In other words, you can find the limit in a safe way, and then apply that limit to later braking.

 

The initial pedal application should be smooth but fast. Fast means squeeze it on quickly, while allowing enough time for the car to transfer the weight to the front tires for maximum grip for braking. The time required will have a lot to do with rake, ride height, springs, shocks, and many other setup factors (of course with SM we are limited on many of those).

 

You don't want to "spike" the brake pedal because going instantly to max pedal pressure does not allow time for the weight to transfer to the front tires, thus not allowing them to get to maximum grip for braking. If you spike the pedal you're likely to get immediate lockup because the front tires are not fully loaded.

[Mike Collins]

The only thing I'd like to add to Todd's comment is; big muscles make big adjutments, little muscles make little adjustments. To be successful at threshold braking you need to use fine motor skills not brute force to get the most out of the event.

[Tom Hampton]

As a new racer what are some things I can do to improve my driving consistency?  Is it just seat-time, seat-time, seat-time?  Are there any off-track things that can be done?  Are there things that I can do to be more ready while preparing for a trip to the track?  Are there on-track techniques to improve repeatability? 

 

Btw, its hard to know exactly how to ask this question....when you aren't sure what the answer is...

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Tom I am not the pro but for me it is watching both videos of other who are doing things right and then pulling my vid and watching it and comparing my notes that I make mentally about the car corner by corner and then playing the video so I can compare what I feel to what the video shows me is really going on. When I first started doing this I found alot of difference in what I came off the track saying and what the video showed. Over time I have a much better calibration of this. For me consistency comes from repeatability. Anyone can blindly hit the bullseye's one out of 2million times. Some can hit it 10 out of a million by dumb luck. I am one that has to work to increase my probabilities.

I try to have all of my process be completely repeatable from the process of setting up my alignment apparatus to how I arrive at hot pressures at the track, to personal feedback checked against video. To putting my car as raced back on the alignment rack and checking what I actually brought home from the last race.

Repeatability is consistency and can all be improved through bettering your processes and adopting the proper texhniques. Just my 2cents...

All that I know in racing has been learned from others with years and years of experience and top results which gives me confidence in adopting many of their techniques and processes. I have added very few of my own processes to theirs as there has been no reason to reinvent the wheel...

[MPR22]

Tom also not a pro, but when I was starting out and to this day if I am struggling it is because my eyes are not far enough up the track.  The body will make what your eyes see happen, if you are looking at the apex and not through the apex at the track out you will miss your turn in and your consistency will suffer.  

[ECOBRAP]

I would like to hear your thoughts/tips on track visualization Todd!

 

What I do right now is incredibly useful to me (close my eyes and visualize the perfect lap to bury it into my subconscious so that I perform the lap reflexively without having to think too much) but I am sure I have not perfected this and would love any additional advice.

[mhiggins10]

As a new racer what are some things I can do to improve my driving consistency?  Is it just seat-time, seat-time, seat-time?  Are there any off-track things that can be done?  Are there things that I can do to be more ready while preparing for a trip to the track?  Are there on-track techniques to improve repeatability? 

 

Btw, its hard to know exactly how to ask this question....when you aren't sure what the answer is...

 

I would also like a reasonable definition of consistent.  Is it +/- 1 second/lap?  .1 sec? 3 sec?  Obviously it depends on the track, but a general guide would be nice.

[Waterboy]

I would like to hear your thoughts/tips on track visualization Todd!

 

What I do right now is incredibly useful to me (close my eyes and visualize the perfect lap to bury it into my subconscious so that I perform the lap reflexively without having to think too much) but I am sure I have not perfected this and would love any additional advice.

 

You do this before you are on track I hope

[Jim Drago]

You do this before you are on track I hope

I try to do while on track.. see how far I go before I open my eyes

[ECOBRAP]

Lol yes it is my pre-grid routine. Although sometimes when the pace car leaves I am still sitting there with my eyes closed. Needless to say I am woken up by a few angry revs behind me 

[Todd Lamb]

It really depends on the cause of the inconsistency. Here's another answer:

 

A lot of times inconsistency is due to a lack of focus/concentration. Racing is a mental workout. When you get tired physically, your mental game is affected as well. So cardio can greatly improve the physical aspect, so it has less effect on the mental aspect.

 

On the mental side, concentration can be improved by iRacing and other simulators. Even shoot em up video games are good for concentration and reflexes. Do a 45 minute session on iRacing with other cars while staying focused on the car and the handling, not just the driving. It should be a good mental workout.

As a new racer what are some things I can do to improve my driving consistency?  Is it just seat-time, seat-time, seat-time?  Are there any off-track things that can be done?  Are there things that I can do to be more ready while preparing for a trip to the track?  Are there on-track techniques to improve repeatability? 

 

Btw, its hard to know exactly how to ask this question....when you aren't sure what the answer is...