I once though I was hot shit. I was relatively fast in a local club (HPDE or "lapping"). The I entered the regional time attack championship. Oh my god was I put in my place. Some people, same car, same tires, (stock car basically) were turning a whole 10 seconds faster than me. I was a slug in class.

I stopped working on "go faster" mods, worked on reliable mods (cooling, braking, fluids) and driver mod (driving schools, video and book study, understanding how it all works, and carting).

This year, im actually second in my class (no chance at the top guy, he's a rocket), Im ashamed of myself when I think back on the things I did and said thinking I was good. Im still not good, but im better and keep on improving.

Yep, I was lucky enough to have this person as an instructor one day:

http://kristintreagerracing.com/

Uhhh, yeah. By the end of the weekend I was like 5 seconds a lap faster. Watching her obliterate the course with one hand on the wheel as she is guiding my eyes through where to look with the other and chatting me up the whole way.

Beyond impressive.

I still think I'm hot shit. I just stay away from tracks and instructors so I don't learn any different about myself.

Ignorant question there! Everybody knows Caps have more grip! :)

sorry i used the wrong terminology, shouldve said chassis reinformancement

Practice is the way for anything, but "go faster" mods also help. They can give you more confidence to push a bit harder or offer you a safety net or the bit extra power. It is a combination of things that can send you to the top. If it was only a driver issue, most teams would not need their precious engineers. Either we like it or not, it is basically a team work.

We are talking about HPDE drivers here chief, not professional race teams run with millions of dollars per year.

Modifying the car to be faster when you don't have the skills to control it actually REDUCES your safety net.

Perhaps you would have caught the car at 50mph on street tires with the tail stepping out. Now at 65+ because you're on a better suspension and Hoosiers with more grip and much less "forgiving" breakaway characteristics (ie don't progressively squeal as you get close to the limit, need more slip angle to generate max Lateral grip, etc), you can't and off into the weeds you go.

I'd run one of these on the dash if I wanted my car to be "planted"
http://www.stepbystep.com/wp-content...a-Chia-Pet.jpg

Do you need millions of dollars per year to race a car? Even an amateur race driver can have a mechanic in a garage which can trust him. From there he can learn the basics about correct maintenance and basic upgrades.

I agree that you have to start from low and go up gradually. I am just saying that it doesn't make sense trying to be only a better driver and not doing anything to your car.