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Motorsports Performance Driving School Experiences
22 messages, Last post on Oct 06, 2009 at 9:25 AM
You are in the Motorsports Forum. Your Host is steve_
Laguna for a class in something open wheel is one of the things on my list in the fairly near future. I notice that getting bounced inside the cage at Sears Point did result in a few bruises and yes I can see that the corkscrew would give a jolt. I don't know why but that was one corner where I could make up time on some smaller cars in the Vette since I took the leap of faith that the flag station had the best view and if the yellow wasn't up it was OK to just throw yourself down the hill. I think many HPDE drivers don't get enough instruction about looking ahead and so are trying to find the right side berm by sight, very slow approach. Having the correct turn in and then sighting briefly on the correct Oak (some groups put up a cone and the wall) ends up putting you right on the berm and you have already looked out into the next turn, you just know the car is correctly placed, making it tons of fun, real E ticket ride!
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Replying to: starrow68 (May 11, 2005 8:29 pm) I'd say if there was one BIG thing I learned in open wheel class it was to keep looking where you want the car to end up, not just over the front of the car or where it happens to be pointing at that moment. Once I got smooth enough to avoid any compression braking (not good) or graunchy downshifts or sudden movements, I just got faster and faster. Of course, the instructors do not time you or praise you----EVER---but you know you're doing well if they say nothing to you the entire day. That is a big pat on the head. They will yell at you, though, or kid you behind your back during on-site critique. Students DO do funny things, like at the beginning of a lap session, weaving their cars back and forth to "warm up" their street tires----that does nothing of course but they might have seen it on TV. |
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The several times I've been up at Russell I feel like I'm being ignored. Some are faster, but not most, and the best I get other than, 'how did that tighter line feel, last time around?', good?, ok, keep working on that. It's like if you don't push so hard that you spin out a lot, I don't, they figure you are comfortable as long as you are on line and making smooth shifts and throttle control, even though you aren't the fastest one on the track. Always leaves me wanting more! But not enough to push over the limit, just to find where it is. My last day in the Vette was at Buttonwillow on a configuration I've run before and in the second session I pushed pretty hard for a couple laps to pass a couple slower cars and then had clear track. I thought I was really cooking. Told myself to calm down and just drive smooth. The laps I was passing I was doing 2.24 and 2.25's without any real holdups, and I then laid down 4 laps within a half second in the mid 2.22's and I didn't feel like I was pushing at all. But relaxing on track is really work! It doesn't come easy. Then again, it's a lot harder to stay smooth in the Formula Mazda's since they are so much tighter, steering, brakes, shifting and throttle. Getting all the inputs right for a full lap is not something I'm yet capable of repeating, and trying it for a 30 minute race, about 16 laps, with traffic, HA, I can only wish, and keep trying. Randy
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Replying to: starrow68 (May 13, 2005 8:42 pm) |
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Want to let your horses run wild? We show you how… (Inside Line)  Steve, Host |
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The message is pretty limited and he is right on about the reaction you get from people when you mention driving on track, or an open road event. But the other day I came across Buz, a guy about my age who's wife had the same view as mine. 'He did everything for the family and kids up to this point and most of that is out of the way so it's time for some fun'. We both had a kick chasing the younger guys in the formula Mazda's even if we weren't within a few seconds of the fastest pace. On to Laguna Seca for the new year! Randy I will note that most of the links were east coast related but he did an amazing job of getting lots of data. For any interested in left coast events at road courses: http://www.hotrodbuick.com/schedule/index.html |
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Replying to: fredmcmurray (Apr 19, 2005 8:24 am) Got a good resource for everyone. http://www.advisemyparents.com for parents with teen drivers and http://www.drivingschoolstop.com for driving schools in USA. Enjoy, Bill |
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"The Skip Barber racing school already conducts training for wannabe racers at 30 racetracks around the country, but a collaboration with sim racing company iRacing.com will put the iconic three-day racing school right on your own computer." Skip Barber Puts Driving School Online |
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I did the Zakspeed school at the Ring. Best money i have ever spent in my life.I was able to take 40 seconds off my Old course time after completing the training. 
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"Bridgestone Tire's Drive and Learn event has been going on for several years. It's a program primarily for its dealers and distributors. The main purpose to inform them of new products, current and future promotions along with advertising campaigns, and even some technical presentations. The best part, though, is the driving. Bridgestone assembles a group of instructors with real racing backgrounds (SCCA, Formula Atlantic, Touring Car, Formula Mazda, karts, etc.) to coach those in attendance around an autocross (i.e., parking lot) circuit. You're supposed to evaluate their tires too, but most participants are too focussed on going quickly with the least amount of cone killing. " Bridgestone Drive & Learn (Straightline) 
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