Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyattkb
@ solidONE you should be tracking with all the nannies on or in VSC sport. Don't worry so much about the grip, the car will catch itself if you push too far. After learning with the nannies on you can switch it off and you will know the threshold before the rear end slips out. Then you can practice counter steering, but if your losing grip that much to the point your drifting then your on the throttle too much through the turn or your trail braking is off setting the balance.
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In my first 2 track days (Buttonwill CW13 and SoW CW) I've left the VSC on in the beginning sessions and I found that it is much too sensitive. I was able to get much faster laps in with VSC off than on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dradernh
I'd start by asking how you rate your car control skills. Have you done any work that has elevated those skills, even if just for fun - say, autocrossing, off-road on two or four wheels, motorcycle racing on pavement, drifting, winter car control school, karting, rally school - really, anything at all that has a motor vehicle moving around underneath you while you keep it going where you want it to? The beauty of most of those activities is that the penalty for getting it badly wrong is a lot less than it is on a race track (depending upon what's in your way when you go four-off).
Paying much attention at this point to lap times (i.e., 'worry[ing] about them) isn't likely to help you progress. Lap times will fall as you develop; the immediate goal is to find out how to develop your skills in a timely fashion, which you're already working on by asking questions here.
This is a book held in very high regard by many drivers. Ross Bentley is an outstanding communicator, and he does a wonderful job explaining how to get a car around a track as quickly as possible.
Bentley's book may, however, be more than you're ready for at this time. In addition to it, I'd recommend picking up Going Faster! Mastering the Art of Race Driving: Carl Lopez, Danny Sullivan: 9780837602264: Amazon.com: Books
Going Faster! is an excellent introduction to the basics (and more) of driving a car on a race track. It's quite comprehensive in its treatment of the issues you've raised, and you could do worse than start with it. |
I know what I need to work on just not quite sure how to go about working on these things outside of a racetrack. By the end of a 20 minute session at the track I'm just barely getting warmed up, then I have to come in. I need to learn how to maximize my time on the track. What I've been doing so far is trying to program myself to be habitually smooth, so smooth inputs becomes second nature. I've also incorporated this in my daily driving habits. Heel-toe, rev matching, both hands on the wheel, minimal shuffling of hands when turning the wheel, albeit at much lower speeds and engine revolutions. All this to try to make all these into habit. Programming myself.... but all this 'smooth' I've forgotten to 'push.'
I've had experience on paved track via a few track days on 2 wheels and now 4 wheels, including an endurance race on 2 wheels going mid-pack pace. Nothing off road, though I used to ride BMX as a kid (which helped with my riding more than anything.) My last track day was the first time I hadn't improved upon my lap times during the later sessions. Matter fact, I was a lot slower in the later sessions. A lot as in around 5 seconds slower... very depressing thing, as you can imagine. As of the last track day, I'd rate myself way below average.... and even worse rating as to where I feel I should be. why did you have to ask me that?
