The PS to this: When working with the novices, once they know where they‘re going and which way is up, this is my prime lesson.
Photograph by Rupert Berrington
We were at Solo Nats, the biggest event of the year, in a car that was seriously outgunned regarding power, grip and nearly everything else.
My one goal: not finish last.
Where was I running? Last.
At this point, I had already been autocrossing for some two and a half decades. While not a great driver, I’d say I’m competent. Heck, maybe a …
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The PS to this: When working with the novices, once they know where they‘re going and which way is up, this is my prime lesson.
This may well sound very stupid but when I'm working with people my main point is:
Get the car rotating and nail the true entry speed, after that everything is gravy.
Everything from what gear and where to start and stop your braking will be set by your turn in speed.
As for advice; mine was something I read. I think it was MX rider Jim Pomeroy who once commented "anyone can be 125 World Champion, just weight the outside peg and keep the throttle open"
This resonated with me instantly because it addressed everything all at once. "weight the peg" told me it's all about traction. "Keep the throttle open" told me you have to get the bike turned quickly and maintain corner speed as well as focus on a good drive off the corner.
Having spent most of my life as a spectator and being taught that smoothness was a driving attribute, I was in for a rather rude shock at my multi day Sebring on track driving school. It sure was a different impression riding in a race car with my instructor then as a track side spectator. It was anything but smooth, it was very aggressive and nearly brutal, was it the fastest way around the circuit, not sure, but it was a whole lot faster than the way I was driving especially the braking. He was driving my Panoz school car.
Rotating the car with the throttle was thrilling even with an under 300hp track car BTW.
In reply to jcc :
It may have seemed brutal to you but likely wasn't.
New drivers tend to coast in spots whereas experience racers are either on the gas or on the brakes. Also they will tend to rotate the car much more rapidly than a novice.
Tom1200 said:In reply to jcc :
It may have seemed brutal to you but likely wasn't.
New drivers tend to coast in spots whereas experience racers are either on the gas or on the brakes. Also they will tend to rotate the car much more rapidly than a novice.
^Truth!
What experienced drivers mean by "smoothness" isn't slow, it's giving one direct command at a time. Novices tend to "flutter" their inputs all the time, whether that's appropriate or not.
For example, you're coming into the braking zone, hard on the brakes. Too hard? Better lift a bit! No, wait, you did need more brakes! Back on it hard! Now, let the car settle and then start your turn. That was too much turn! Unwind the wheel! No, wait, that was enough turn, you should have trusted yourself, turn the wheel more again! This causes the car to start bouncing and oscillating with excess weight transfer.
An experienced driver is going to squeeze those brakes hard in one smooth motion until they're at the moment it's time to start turning (threshold braking), then start to dial in the that turn while releasing the brakes (trail braking), rolling back onto the gas as soon as they've got grip to do it (apexing), then controlling the attitude of the corner with the throttle (throttle steering). All of that might happen over the course of three seconds and it's going to feel very abrupt as you're really managing weight transfer, but as long as you're doing it in a direct manner, the car isn't going to get upset and you layer the actions on in a manner that supports the car/engine/suspension ending up with physics helping accomplish what you're trying to do.
In reply to WonkoTheSane :
Also a more experienced driver, by virtue of being more precise with the controls, is going to see higher G loads than a novice; further adding to the sensation.
In reply to Tom1200 :
Hey, you were watching me at the TDX track day at Roebling two weeks ago!
Locke
The very first skill that my instructor taught me in my first road course outing at an HPDE event was how to brake. At first you think, well I've been driving for ____ years, I should certainly know how to brake. Well, no you don't! Most of those 20 minutes sessions were relearning how to brake for faster lap times. Fortunately, the Brembo's were more than up to the challege...it was the driver that needed to be reprogrammed. Trusting that the car/brakes will do what you initially think they won't, is also an eye opener.
In reply to RaceRed :
Sowhat was it you were taught?
Rapidly getting to peak threshold braking and or trail braking?
As an instructor I nag nag nag about learning trail braking. It's key to carrying corner speed.
WonkoTheSane said:What experienced drivers mean by "smoothness" isn't slow, it's giving one direct command at a time. Novices tend to "flutter" their inputs all the time, whether that's appropriate or not.
For example, you're coming into the braking zone, hard on the brakes. Too hard? Better lift a bit! No, wait, you did need more brakes! Back on it hard! Now, let the car settle and then start your turn. That was too much turn! Unwind the wheel! No, wait, that was enough turn, you should have trusted yourself, turn the wheel more again! This causes the car to start bouncing and oscillating with excess weight transfer.
An experienced driver is going to squeeze those brakes hard in one smooth motion until they're at the moment it's time to start turning (threshold braking), then start to dial in the that turn while releasing the brakes (trail braking), rolling back onto the gas as soon as they've got grip to do it (apexing), then controlling the attitude of the corner with the throttle (throttle steering). All of that might happen over the course of three seconds and it's going to feel very abrupt as you're really managing weight transfer, but as long as you're doing it in a direct manner, the car isn't going to get upset and you layer the actions on in a manner that supports the car/engine/suspension ending up with physics helping accomplish what you're trying to do.
Alyhough I know this to be true, it is still kind of difficult to process in action.
Many years ago (why do my anecdotes always begin with "many years ago"?), at an MR2 event, I managed to ride along once or twice with Bryan Heitkotter. I can't remember if this was in my AW11 or his SW21 or possibly both. What I do remember is that he managed to lay down remarkably swift laps in a remarkably undramatic fashion. Where I was constantly scratching, overthinking and overworking, he was quietly guiding the car around the course. It was a bit surreal, and very humbling.
I've always known that smooth is fast, but that smoothness is elusive.
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