[ddeflyer]

becauseracecar1: Another thing to realize is that "the line" is not the be all and end all of track driving. For a beginner it often becomes a safety blanket that is assumed to keep them on track. Because "the line" seems like a stable, understandable element in a foreign environment, there is a strong tendency to focus on each apex, often to the detriment of other, more important factors. It might feel like hitting your apexes perfectly is the determinant of what a good driver is, or that hitting those apexes might make you a great driver, the envy of all the beginners; it won't.
In reality the line is a placement on track that will be pretty darn good for most cars (assuming they have a good driver) to turn a fast lap time. By realizing that your apexing won't miraculously make you the next Andretti or Senna, you can start to relax about not being perfect. You can start to look up, see what is around you. Those flag stations will be visible much sooner and you will pick up alot more information about what happened in each corner. You will be able to start noticing what happens when you give the car one input vs. another and suddenly the meaning of being smooth will reveal itself much more than anything I, or anyone on this board, can tell you. Being smooth you will see that it is faster to keep a constant lock through a corner and accept being a foot or two off the school line rather than trying to steer onto the optimal path (not to mention you will learn to place the car faster by seeing where it arcs to).