martinc

Since a lot of you guys are on the track I figured I'd ask.

I had the pleasure of ripping around ThunderHill last Friday. It's fun. I only went off once...

That was my fourth track day -first in the GT3. I ended up getting sick on the previous TDs but I had taken some laps as a passneger on a couple of those days. On Friday I was solo the whole time and stayed hydrated but still ended up feeling like I had the flu by the end of the second session.

I'm looking for suggestions. If I can't overcome this, it will be a deal breaker and I'll end up selling the GT3.

Thanks

Martin

n13lha

Improve you driving.... The smoother you are the less thrown around you will be. Learn the lines slowly, build your skill level up then the speed and you should see your stomach do the same. Watch the F1 from the drivers cam. Even at these speeds it's all smooth turns.

AudiOn19s

hummmm..what level driver. Assuming at least intermediate since you were solo the whole day.

Tough to tell without being there to observe, but I'd bet it's an issue with where you are looking and target fixation. Work on always keeping your eyes up the road. Looking for the next turn-in point or apex or down the next straight when you spot them don't target fixate on them and move your eyes even further up the road. I've also found that students tend to have worse target fixation when reference cones are out on the course as it's a bright orange target that they tend to stare at instead of keeping their eyes up.

Read up on Ross Bentley's vision drills in his speed secrets books, practice the drills where you don't really focus on anything and try to use your peripheral vision more as you constantly look down the road. You can practice these drills driving down the road on your daily commute and it'll make you a better track driver and much more aware on the street as well. Keith Code's motorcycle series, a twist of the wrist, also is a very good read when it comes to vision and where you eyes should be at all times.

I've never personally been sick as a driver but when riding as a passenger and not focused on what the same visuals as the driver I get sick pretty easily.

Dramamine prior to the event helps me too, but I try not to take it if I can help it as it makes me feel somewhat out of it. I have to feel out my students the first day before I really decide if I'm going to need it or not.

996FLT6

Probably riding in people's cars did it to u. My buddy got motion sickness when he was instructing and couldn't drive his own car thereafter. Suggest you just drive and not ride with anyone and see if the results are the same. Mike

LexVan

And stay away from caffeine and caffeine derivatives (found in most energy drinks) during the event.

Burger

I'd suggest a motion sickness bracelet or patch. Dramamine might make you drowsy.

Being smoother on track might help, but motion sickness is can be more psychological than physical. I don't get it driving, but am susceptible to simulator sickness. For instance, if I'm playing a first person shooter I'm fine, but if I watch someone else playing, I can get queasy pretty quickly.

The bracelet might help.

Motion sickness bracelet

dave-C2

Agree with Andy on vision being key - but ginger capsules worked for my wife. Choose ones that have only ginger, some have other herbs, etc.

DER951

Dramamine has a non-drowsy version that works for me. I'm susceptible to motion sickness, and have riden with a few very unsmooth students.

PorscheDoc

I have a buddy who has been racing since he was a kid (now in his 50's), and he started getting motion sickness out of the blue on our endurance team with his stints (think smooth, make the car last 16 hours driving style). Drinks nothing but water, pretty healthy guy, and a hell of a good driver. After the 2nd time at two different events, he started wearing a scopolamine patch over the course of a race weekend and hasn't had a problem since. There are a lot of things that could cause it, upper cervical issue, dehydration issue, or other neurological issue and it can be a real bear to track down, especially if it is only occurring at a race track.

AudiOn19s

+1 I use it when necessary but still try to avoid it at all costs. It cures the motion sickness for me but makes me feel like I'm in a bit of a fog. I'm not really good with taking things in general but I'm not a huge fan of how I feel on this stuff.

fbirch

^^ This. If you are prone to motion sickness, try to avoid the right seat on days when you will also be driving. In time, you will probably acclimate to the higher g-forces and will be less prone to motion sickness. When I first started instructing, I would get a slight touch of queasiness if the person driving was very jerky with the wheel or driving in a way that was unexpected because it was different from what I would have done. After a few months, I was immune to it.

Also, hot days tend to be worse. And make sure you have plenty of air flow. As others have said, stay away from caffeine and alcohol the day before, and don't take your eyes off the road. Looking down inside the car, even briefly, can cause motion sickness when you're not the one driving.

martinc

Thanks for the input. Last week I was never in the right seat. I was looking at my gopro vids, I think that I'm running pretty smooth. After going off, I was tending to keep my speed down a bit so there was very little corrective steering. I'll ask my doc about getting a patch. I'll try the ginger on our next trip to the mountains*- I'll let my wife drive and see how it goes. I'm sure I could do better with Eyes Up. I know that I tend to focus on the car ahead rather than the points ahead.
That car sure is fun.

*highly recommend highway 49 from Grass Valley to Downieville CA if you're headed to Tahoe or Graeagle. Wonderful turns with very nice pavement.

Number54

Perhaps you were trailing a car that was running rich? I got nauseated following a badly tuned car once.

rodneyr

When I started instructing sometimes I used to get motion-sick especially in a car with a soft suspension because of the rolling/yawing. Even ten years later sometimes I get dehydrated.

I few keys besides being a better driver.
- Stay hydrated. Drink lot of water and you can use some type of natural energy supplement
- Ginger
- I don't really drink sodas, but on the track sometimes I will have something carbonated to ease the stomach such as ginger ale
- Bracelets on the wrist could work
- I bring fruit to the track for snacks such as banana's and apples
- On hot days a cool suit really helps

dailyraces

+ 1 for Ginger pills/tablets

A good friend developed motion sickness when racing supremoto bikes at a local go-cart track (it's a very tight track, but surprisingly fast on a supermoto). He started taking ginger pills before his races and hasn't had a problem since.