Crackhead944S

Can I ask what do I have to unlearn that I learned driving on the street. I try and drive with my head up my @ZZ as little as possible?

Often when I see a post in the 944 area about racing people say "you need to unlearn what you learned on the roads." What?


I really want to know in case I ever get back out there, what did you guys learn at the track that you used to do on the street that was wrong? I am not saying that one drives 10/10ths on the street, but can't you drive 2/10ths on the street with the same form or skills?

BTW, I have only gotten to one autocross since getting my car and now it still has issues which are keeping me from getting back there. Wife said I looked smoother than other 944 drivers, but even with more HP, I still got my butt kicked. On the bright side, every run I dropped 1 or 2 seconds.

Thanks for sharing your info with a rookie/wanna be.

M758

Well,
It really depends on how you drive on the street. This can be different for alot of folks.

My street driving does use alot track techniques even when going 3/10 or so.

Firstly I heel and toe at just about every right hand corner I take without a stop. I also use "all my lane" when driving not to maximize speed, but to minimize g-loads. When I brake.. whell that is probably the biggest difference.

On the street is of a very slow off throttle easy brake application. At the track it is very rapid off throttle on to the brakes smoothly, but hard. On the street the to goal is to minimize weight transfer an the feeling of a nose dive. At the track that initial nose dive weight transfer is when you can get you peak braking forces. I guess when I work with new students an the track or autocross the biggest area we need to work on in general are 1) Using all the road 2) Braking technique

The one that I have not mentioned is harder for me as a instuctor to detect, but you MUST look far far ahead at the track. Most folks on the street look only as far ahead as the next car. Me I often look through the next car to one in front of him or farther. The reason you look far ahead is that it gives you more time react to what is happening. It allows to be smoother and not feel rushed in you inputs.

wombat7

I also use track techniques on the road. It really helps fine tune your skills. Like m758 said, the braking is much different from the street to autoX and then different still from the street to the track. On thing that I catch myself doing on the street is looking for the correct lines around corners and stuff. Even if I dont take them, I always catch myself thinking, what's the fastest way around this corner.

On an autoX course, you must use the whole course. I dont know about where you race, but our corses are often so tight that if you don't use the whole course, you are going to be a second or slower than everyone else.

I began autocrossing about a year ago and these are some of the things that i've learned. I hope they help!!!

Larry Herman

Braking is the biggest problem that I find WRT street driving. On the street, most people start gentley on the brakes, and increase pressure as the stopping distance shortens. On the track, you want to smoothly squeeze the brakes to maximum, and then LESSEN the pressure as you approach/enter the turn. The best practice for the street...judge your stopping distance (or the distance you want to slow to a new speed in) and apply only the amount of pressure that you need to do this WITHOUT continuely changing the pedal pressure. This will help you learn the brakes, and practice for tracking braking at the maximum.

Also, when you brake, use the ball of your foot and get used to moving your foot around on the pedal without changing pressure. This will help you with smoother heel/toe downshifts.

penguinking

in ross bentley's speed secrets theres a good section that talks about techniques you can use on the street that can help to hone your driving skills on the track.

Bob Rouleau

Crack -
I don't know your skill level so I'll start with the basics:

Drive your own car - do not follow the guy in front unless you know it is a skilled driver, your lines may be better than his.

Look farther ahead - on the street we normally look about 50 feet in front of the car and in traffic we stare at the rear license plate of the car in front. Doing this on a track will prevent you from making smooth arcs through the turns.

Do your braking in a straight line releasing the brakes vert smoothly just as you turn in. ON the street we tend to brake and turn at the same time - until you are ready for trail braking get on the brakes early enough to finish braking by the turn-in point.

Make all your inputs extra smooth - no abrupt braking, turning (swerves) or shifting. Pretend you're driving a limo with the boss in the back seat and you DO NOT want to spill his coffee. Finish braking so smoothly that it is not apparent to a passenger exactly when you finally let of the pedal.

That's a start!

Best,

JCP911S

Agree with above.... generally "street driving" technique as a nice way of saying sloppy and unaware, as that is how most people drive.

IMHO all proper track driving techniques are also appropriate for the street... I always drive like I am on the track... just 1/5 the speed. Smoothness, balance, vision, line, heel and toe, braking can all be practiced on the steet... in fact it is actually harder as you are not maxing out the car... it takes alot more sensitivitiy... and helps you build sensitivity toward what the car is doing at any speed.

Larry make and especially good point about braking... practive hitting 2/10s braking and holding it ... or 3/10s... then it becomes second nature to do it at 8-9/10s on the track.

Smoothness is the goal in track driving as well as street driving...

Finally. practice using your vision... soften your focus and look down the road... try to take in the whole picture... be aware of things that are moving... things that are not moving are generally not a threat (I mean trees and telephone poles....not stopped cars and pedestrians of course)

It is not important that you can read the license number of the car ahead of you... it is important that you see that the guy 4 cars ahead decides to slam on his brakes for a sudden turn.... you can see alot of potential accident situations developing if you are looking.