mrbill_fl

my .03

get the wink mirror and round circles for the side views.

you'll pick up 2 sec a lap your first season.

think of a race as 3 events, Qualifying, the Start, and the rest of the race. (later the last lap is 4th event).

try to run Enduros, great seat time, much less pressure at the start, and less dive bombing. (no need to pass NOW, this lap... you have another 30 min...)

Qualifying is very important. only 1 fast lap is needed. think about getting a clean lap, and following the fast guy(s). often a good qualifying will make your race. (getting ahead of guys you could not pass otherwise)

Watch out on the starts. took me 2 seasons to get comfortable... so many cars crash out on the start.

try not to forget its all about a ten dollar bowling trophy... (my first trophy cost me about $10k... lol.)

get a drink bottle, or camelback. getting a cold drink or gatoraid, after 10-15 min will make you sharper and faster than those without refreshment.


Oh, get in car video, it will help you find mistakes, and helps should you wind up in the stewarts trailer...

agree with scca licence, not sure you want to race there... door bangin is very common, and not much penalty.


Best part of skippy is the pro instructors.

APKhaos

Great thread, great advice.

My rookie year last year was my best track season ever. Three years of DE before that, and I was ready for 'what's next?' Like Todd, I planned to spend the first year learning the ropes and keeping out of trouble.

Choosing the right race series, and finding a car that was right for that series took around six months of talking to people in PCA Potomac and on this board who really helped get my head in the right direction. Without their great advice I might have been driving a GT something in PCA club race! Phew!

The NASA comp school in February was a real eye opener. Aside from starts, the biggest 'aha' moment was realising that almost 100% of your attention needs to be on situational awareness, passing/being passed, tactical decisions, and reading a few moves ahead on the track. The business of driving the car needs to be almost automatic. The 'racing line' is wherever there is room on the track, and its rarely the same from one lap to the next. The NASA Comp License School does some great exercises in off line driving and in-corner passing. Having the instructors out in their cars buzzing, *******, and generally giving the students hell is one fo the best features of the school.


The 944SuperCup series turned out to be a great choice. As a green rookie, the guys really helped me learn the ropes. There was a lot to learn!
I agree with everyone who has advised taking the first few races gently, and giving yourself plenty of time to get used to the new environment. In Cup, you will be faster than some, but you will need to be ready for the front runners in GTS, SuperCup and Cup to come blazing through, often caught up in their own fights for position. They will be expecting you to hold line and not do anything unexpected.

You have every reason to be anticipating a great first season.

Oh, and a couple of things that needed some clarification:

Aside from the great advice in Steve's post, don't believe that 'I'm slow' stuff. Steve won 944SuperCup races this year, and even when he dosen't win he rips off some fast laps. He's the series lap record holder for Watkins Glen, and held the record for Summit Point until the last SP race.

Not exactly. 944 Cup & SuperCup cars must comply with either PCA or SCCA CCRs, both of which have specific regulations on engine mods. The series reserves the right to have any car tested on a dyno at any time. If it looks like a given car is quicker than it should be, then that car is likely to get a dyno pull. To pass the dyno test, a car needs to be at factory spec HP + an allowance for exhaust & other legal changes. If a car has some mystery horsepower, it will get some equalizing weight.

TD in DC

Wow. Thanks again to all for the advice. Tony, thanks to you for everything and for pointing out the NASA school to me. I have been talking with them, and they seem really, really nice and helpful. I will be attending in February, and am in the hunt for a tow vehicle before them.

On an unrelated note, I just a few minutes ago received the "special tools" I ordered from ArnnWorx. You are more than welcome to borrow or come by and try it out on my car

944racer

Ok, I'm currently trying to get into the racing thing too, but I went through about 5 years of my dad getting into racing as pure fun, non-competitive. One of our main goals was to reduce cost as much as possible but have recently come around to thinking this may have not been the best way to go as far as cost is concerned. If you know you're going to be into racing for a while, go ahead and buy quality equipment. Don't buy the cheapest tires, trailer, or anything for that matter, go ahead and jump up one grade or two. This small increase in cost is worth it as those that are up one grade or two will last for a MUCH longer time than those on the cheapest side.

With the cheap things, you will have to pay for the cheap item you buy first, then you will have to buy the step or two up, and the cost quickly accumulates. Right now we're trying to get rid of a trailer because of this same thinking that we still stick to, even though it makes no sense. Also, I know I'm a newb on the board, but I've worked in specialty shop for 3 years through HS, and got to see others mistakes. That's the only thing I can really offer, buy things that are a step or two above the cheapest item, it's worth it in the end.

}{arlequin

great thread td, and thanks to all contributors who made it so. interesting insight from "the jaded ones"

Professor Helmüt Tester

What's the biggest thing about transitioning from 'DE' to 'race' ? Everybody is now 'keeping score'. It matters where you finish. If it doesn't matter to you…and you're just out there poodling around…then you're "that guy".

Racers are aggressive. Racers will be mean to you. Racers will take risks that DE'ers won't. Racers bend stuff and hit stuff. Why ? Because everyone is keeping score. If you don't want to deal with the aggression or take the risks, then you shouldn't be out there racing. If you think you can have a DE attitude in a race environment, then you're probably gonna get a reputation as "that guy". If you don't want to be in the fishbowl with a bunch of sharks who are all keeping score…keep out. No reason for you to be there. I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings…but if you're not willing to play under the same assumptions as everyone else, then you're just 'in the way'. There are 'pretend racers' in every organization…it's not a feature of any one marque, club, gender, religion or galactic cluster, and no one is happy to seem them trundle into the paddock for a race weekend, as they can screw up race outcomes (or worse).

That doesn't mean that you have to be running at the front of the pack, or that you have to be racing a $150k turbocharged ZoomRerra IV, to be considered a 'racer'. Lots of good racing happens at the middle or rear of well-thought-out classes.

Find the biggest group of cars in the same class. That's where you want to race. It can be a 'spec' class, or just a class with a reasonable rules set and a series administration who makes some kind of attempt at monitoring rules compliance. THAT is where you truly learn the craft of road racing. It has nothing to do with brand, or # of cylinders, or width of tires.

It's not about how much money you spend. It's not about having a shiny trailer or transporter. It's not about turning the fastest lap time of the weekend. It's about "racing". And we're all keeping score.

The most stressful part of racing for me ? Qualifying. If you do it right, you're throwing yourself off a cliff without a parachute, hoping you land right-side-up. Starts are always a bit of a pucker, but patience at the start always seems to work out well, when all around you are losing their minds. Qualifying doesn't have the luxury of patience. Get out early, get out fast and cut a fast lap before the track is clogged with traffic. It's tough to race well if you can't qualify well.

TD in DC

Good points about the dangers of treating racing like DEs. Just to clarify, if and when I start racing, I do intend to race. I am very competitive. I am also pretty aggressive (within reason), as those who have ridden with me can probably tell. Hell, I can't stand getting passed in DEs, even by faster cars with more experienced drivers. I hate it, although, since it is a DE, I give point-bys very early and do not hold anyone up.

I know that people keep score and that they are watching while racing. I just mean that I do not intend to be so focused on hitting the podium when I start that I am overly aggressive to the point of being a bozo. I fully intend to race, but I want to race within my control and skillset. If I don't make it to the podium when I start, I will not be happy, but I will not be crushed.

Also, I do not expect anyone to be "nice" to me while I am on the track or to cut me any breaks as a noobie while I am on the track. Not at all, and what would be the fun in that?

I DO expect people to drive in a manner that respects the safety and machinery of others (within reason), which is why I am trying to be very, very careful about the venue I choose. Intentional or unreasonably careless metal-to-metal contact is NOT ok with me at this point in my life and driving career. Accidental contact is not great, but much more understandable.

I also expect my fellow racers to be good guys with whom I want to joke around with in the paddocks and share a drink after the day is done. If I am racing out there with a bunch of ****** I never want to see off the track, I will stop racing.

Am I being unrealistic here?

stevemil00

Indeed. It's not uncommon that people focus on getting around some car during qualifying, at the expense of being able to bang out a fast time. Do what you have to do to get clear track -- hang back, go through the pits, get to the grid 20 minutes early, freakin' wail on cold tires as soon as the track is green because you know the guys in front of you are slower, whatever.

The sorts of things you have to do to get clear track can be pretty race-group-specific. For example, in last year's NASA Autobahn run group, it seemed generally to work better to grid at the front than at the rear, but there were usually enough cars that the front would catch the back in the first lap or two. No matter what strategy you pick, there will be times when you're just doomed. (-:

Try not to screw up your competitor's hot laps too much -- if you know your lap is blown, make it easy for someone who's trying to get around you. If you've got a flying lap going, though, too bad for them...

I'll also try sometimes to find a rabbit: a faster driver to whom I can try to hitch myself visually, to act as a motivator.

And if you can, get a decent lap in early, in case the session has to end early. It might not be everything you want, but if you have something on the books, at least you won't be all the way at the back. As a practical application of this rule, consider going through the pits to get clear track: I'd be inclined to get at least one full lap in, even if the time was pretty bad, before trying to go through the pits.

So that's the brain dump on qualifying. I'd give you one on starts, but it's safe to say that the way to learn starts is to watch what I do, then do anything else. Probably involving getting out and carrying the car. That's probably faster. (-: Man, I suck at starts.

-Steve

38D

One bit of advice for qualifying: don't race the guys around you. The biggest mistake I made all year was the sprint qualifying at the Glen. I had some transponder issues, so was mid pack with a bunch of people in the 2:17-2:15s. I should have just backed off, let them get a lead, and then laid down 1 good clean lap. Instead I let my ego get in the way, and spent the whole session trying to pass everyone. Net net, I posted a crap time, and had to work thru tons of traffic in the race.

M758

TD... when it comes to racecraft there is ALOT to learn and little of it in books.

It also can be hard to learn from other. Hell you race starts when you unload the car.

I remembe numerious practice sessions where I was the "fast guy" in class. Fun, but also challenging. Why? Well with all the same cars and of the "other slower guys" could jump to speed easily. For some all it could take I few laps in my wake, following my line to a T. Still it takes driver skill to be fast, but hey.

Anyway in practice I would be carefull when I was fast. Trying to ensure a top competitor was not behind me just as not give a look at my line. I would wave folks by or come in to the pits and run down pit lane. Sounds dirty... well not in my eyes. I had to do all I could to maintain my edge.

I remember one partiuclar PCA race where fellow 944 racer was just a bit faster than me. He was in general slower, but since we were not racing under spec rules at the time he slapped on a set of Hoosiers. That got him faster than me. Well through out the weekend it was a cat & mouse game. Saturday's Fun Race saw me qualify just behind him. I took this as a chance to "learn" where he was strong and weak. I stayed behind him on all 3 starts watching his actions and keeping mine hidden. In my first every race weekend I made the mistake of "showing" my strong move in the fun races only have it defended or use against me in real race. That was not going to happen again. So I just watche him on all race staying on his bumper looking for potential passing places and pressing him. I learned alot he saw nothing of what I could do.

Along comes the main event and well he qualfied on spot in front of me. Well at the drop of the green I am pretty certain where he will be and what he can do. So in the first set of corner I pass him easily. He did not even appear ready to defend the move. I slowly drove away in that race and never saw him again. I put a few other class cars between us and that was that. He did turn a faster race lap that me, but in general may laps were more consistant and I think I took him by 8 seconds or so.

In some respects that weekends racing ending on the 2nd lap of the race, but it had started much earlier.

So when the good Professor talks about "keeping score" yep it matters and has a huge impact on how you approach a race vs DE.

brucegre

38D, the OCC sprints are run under CASC-OR, the Ontario regional race body. Website is www.casc.on.ca There are the OCC GT sprints, which is what you want, and there is Touring GT, which is much more tightly controlled. All the rules are there, but for GT, the only rules are safety. In GT1, I race against Trans-Am cars, Joel Reiser's 993 RSR Turbo beast, a couple of old 935s etc. And we all wend our way through the Sentra trains - I think those guys are crazier than we are.

TD - I think your expectations are bang on. You will have fun. Sure, the guys you race against will lie through their teeth about driving ("I never lift for 2 at Mosport, I'm flat through there all the time - you should try it ) but most do enjoy a beer and some bench racing at the end of the day. It's competitive, and metal will get bent - but that's why we don't use our street cars. Keep us posted once you do the first one.

Bruce

}{arlequin

all this qualifying strategy reminds me of this video: "...I WAS SEVENTH!!!!!......"

brucegre

Please, somebody post a link to that video - I've read about a ton of times, but I've never been able to find it ...

Thanks,
Bruce

APKhaos

Here you go, Bruce..........get ready.........

I WAS SEVENTH!!!

It posted on Gary Jenkins superb Spec Miata Videos site.

sleder

That should be put in the video hall of fame!!!