mfischer1095

Hello All,

I am new to Rennlist, and am loving the community thus far. I recently purchased a 981 Boxster S manual with Sport Chrono, PSE, and upgraded the plenum and throttle body. I cannot wait to get it on the track!

I am 24 years old and had my first track experience last August in my BMW 240. The day was filled with instruction and good experience, the day was run through a private club at NJMP. I decided it would be cool to ride in a buddies GT4 for a session and see what the intermediate group was about. BAD IDEA. He is a great driver, but I guess being a passenger completely changed things. I am prone to motion sickness and about 15 minutes into our 20 minute session he was at the top of Pit lane and I barely got it out of the car, it was a close call.

Writing to see if anyone has had any similar experiences and if there are any patches or bands or whatever that have helped in the past? Any and all help is appreciated!

wjk_glynn

There's a Racing & Drivers Education Forum on Rennlist located here: https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-a...tion-forum-65/

I suggest asking there as there'll be a lot more track-rats to give you advice.

But in general as I'm sure you know , you're vastly more likely to hurl as a passenger than a driver...

Karl.

HelpMeHelpU

I had a similar experience on my first track day. After my first session, which was a whole other story, my instructor offered me a ride in his 996 GT3. Sure, I said, why not? Bad idea. First of all, it scared the living daylights out of me. And second, after just a few laps, all I kept saying to myself was Please Don't Vomit, Please Don't Vomit. I almost left the track right then and there, thinking to myself, Maybe this just isn't for me.

I stuck with it and 30 or 40 track days later I'm still loving it. (But I am not racing to jump into the right seat of anyone's car.)

One of the tricks is looking out at the horizon and not the car right in front of you and also breathing, lots of breathing.

mhm993

Not an unusual passenger outcome. I hear some people get relief from pressure point bands worn on the wrists.

texas_maverick

I would consider using the ReliefBand. It delivers an electrical pulse sequence to the key meridian which really improves nausea. It is FDA cleared to address nausea related to pregnancy. A lot of the guys I fished with on the boat used it. I only caught on weeks in. I have used it on the track before (as a passenger) and it has helped. Bonine, scopolamine patches, and the like all seem to make my head cloudy, affecting my reflex time. I don't have any connection to the company but I will say that I was so impressed by the unit (which is also used to treat patients with nausea related to chemotherapy exposure), I tried to purchase the company back in the day before they were acquired.

Rich_Jenkins

My coach at PEC ATL gave me a ‘ride’ after our session was done in the 911T I had used. I lasted 2 laps and used the Emergency Fresh Air signal. My wife was no help; she grinned and handed me a Ginger Ale as I staggered into the A/C for a moment.

I am no track guy, but I’d say avoid getting rides by enthusiastic drivers in the right seat would be a good place to start.

texas_maverick

Another strategy is carrying alcohol wipe pads (the small single use pads) and smelling those when you feel nauseated. It's a strategy used in many ERs and on commercial flights.

matttheboatman

I am a terrible passenger MFisher! So, you are completely normal. Some of the things I do to keep it together when it is necessary to be a passenger on the track....

- First, I do the fighter pilots method to keep the blood in my head - flex each muscle starting from your extremities (foot, calf, quad, etc) just prior to your session beginning.

- Next, I anticipate each movement by make-believe I'm driving the car. I even put my hands up on an imaginary steering wheel and try to time my inputs the same as my driving instructor, noting any differences.

- And, finally, and most importantly, I force the concentration of the eyes to look up to the next turn-in, next apex, next track out - this is the most important skill you need to learn to be a fast driver, and it also happens to reduce motion sickness when a passenger. They say you need to keep your eyes up, look through turns, look as far ahead as possible. Funny thing - when you practice this successfully, you will be leaps and bounds faster and may find yourself wondering why the instructor is going so slow. This is because you processed that movement 5 seconds ago and your eyes and brain are already processing the next move up ahead.

Good luck and practice the techniques to get you through it.

AG GTS

It could be this. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/d...-ear-crystals/
I had it. ENT did a maneuver that move the crystal from the ear chamber that influences balance to the inert ear chamber. Like night and day.