Do you still feel nervous before each race?
06-19-2003, 12:08 PM
#16
Race Director
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Carrera51:
<strong>... I end up thinking to myself "don't F up the start," and then repeating it...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">May I make a suggestion? Instead of saying that, put it into a positive phrase, like: "I'm going to nail this start." Focus on the positive, not the negative. Saying "don't do this" will ultimately have your brain thinking about what NOT to do, and it will get preoccupied with it.
It's kinda like if there's a crash on the track, you are told NOT to look at it (Look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go!)
Sorry for the psycho-babble, but I believe it helps!
-Z-man.
PS: Now, if I only have the force, then I could drive much better! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />
<strong>... I end up thinking to myself "don't F up the start," and then repeating it...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">May I make a suggestion? Instead of saying that, put it into a positive phrase, like: "I'm going to nail this start." Focus on the positive, not the negative. Saying "don't do this" will ultimately have your brain thinking about what NOT to do, and it will get preoccupied with it.
It's kinda like if there's a crash on the track, you are told NOT to look at it (Look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go!)
Sorry for the psycho-babble, but I believe it helps!
-Z-man.
PS: Now, if I only have the force, then I could drive much better! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />
06-19-2003, 12:27 PM
#17
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I am a little nervous on the grid but once when we roll off I am concentrating on the race.
I recently went to Willow Springs for the first time where we started with a 64 car field and I do remember thinking to myself as we did the first part of the warm up lap.
How did I get started in this???
Wish I would of started years ago.
This is friggin cool!
Paul
I recently went to Willow Springs for the first time where we started with a 64 car field and I do remember thinking to myself as we did the first part of the warm up lap.
How did I get started in this???
Wish I would of started years ago.
This is friggin cool!
Paul
06-20-2003, 09:32 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
Z-man:
I tend to be conservative on the the starts and end up losing a position or two. However, I will remember your advice and look at starts in a more positive light.
As far as avoiding incidents on the track, I've had to avoid several spinning cars and in a few cases, actually put wheels in the dirt to avoid contact (have two of them on tape). It's amazing how what you've learned takes over without you even thinking about it.
I tend to be conservative on the the starts and end up losing a position or two. However, I will remember your advice and look at starts in a more positive light.
As far as avoiding incidents on the track, I've had to avoid several spinning cars and in a few cases, actually put wheels in the dirt to avoid contact (have two of them on tape). It's amazing how what you've learned takes over without you even thinking about it.
06-20-2003, 02:07 PM
#20
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Z-man,
I see you've been reading "Inner Speed Secrets".
Also...never think or say "I'll try to turn in earlier (or brake alittle later, etc.)" The word try shouldn't be in the thought process. Instead, you should say "I will turn in earlier.."
I see you've been reading "Inner Speed Secrets".
Also...never think or say "I'll try to turn in earlier (or brake alittle later, etc.)" The word try shouldn't be in the thought process. Instead, you should say "I will turn in earlier.."
06-25-2003, 02:55 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
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I don't get so nervous anymore. My race car is really where I most want to be. It's "just another day at the office" in terms of familiarity and being comfortable. Like McQueen said, "Racing IS life, all the stuff that happens before or after is just waiting." While waiting, I do run through a perfect lap in my head. Gearshifts, braking, all that. That technique is extremely effective for autocrossing too because things happen so fast, at least on our long, fast autocross tracks in San Diego. Autocrossing is road racing compressed in time. On the starts, I learned from karting to look way ahead. See the pile ups/spins as they're happening, not as you arrive. Too late.
Tim Comeau on Anderson Motorworks computer
Tim Comeau on Anderson Motorworks computer
07-16-2003, 08:33 PM
#23
Never before a race. Only when I'm driving home, after been away from the wife all day. See, at 6.00am I told her I was just popping down to Home depot to get the Light fixture she wanted me to hang.
07-17-2003, 04:54 AM
#24
King of Cool
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When I raced dirt bikes, and even if it was our Club's race (nothing official, sort of "practice race"), I was always nervous before the race, from the minute you start putting your gear on, to the moment just before the gate drops.
After the gate (or green flag) drops, the nervousness is gone!
Chris said it well.
After the gate (or green flag) drops, the nervousness is gone!
Chris said it well.
07-22-2003, 02:14 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
i've been racing for 11 years and my stomach is usually upset 15-20 minutes before I get in the car - then when I'm on pre-grid I don't want to be there. Once we exit pregrid on to the track I'm pretty good.
Alex
Alex
07-22-2003, 02:45 PM
#27
Rennlist Member
My biggest problem is getting to sleep. Usually I don't sleep much at all the night before a race weekend. Before the race I'm usually so nervous I get a bit nauseous but by the time we get onto the track it's gone away.
In my first race a fellow racer died just before my qualifying session when he hydroplaned on the front straight during his qualifying session. There was a 3 hour delay as the state police completed their investigation. About 1/3rd of the people decided not to race but I wasn't one of them.
Three hours later it was still raining. The start was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life as I had zero visibility from the green until I saw the brake lights of the car in front of me come on for T1. I didn't want to keep accelerating down that straight but I knew if I didn't the driver behind me would probably be really pissed off.
About halfway through the race I almost quit when I realized I wasn't really having any fun but I hung in there and finish what I had started. It was an incredibly bittersweet weekend.
After that experience it's all been pretty easy...
In my first race a fellow racer died just before my qualifying session when he hydroplaned on the front straight during his qualifying session. There was a 3 hour delay as the state police completed their investigation. About 1/3rd of the people decided not to race but I wasn't one of them.
Three hours later it was still raining. The start was the scariest thing I have ever done in my life as I had zero visibility from the green until I saw the brake lights of the car in front of me come on for T1. I didn't want to keep accelerating down that straight but I knew if I didn't the driver behind me would probably be really pissed off.
About halfway through the race I almost quit when I realized I wasn't really having any fun but I hung in there and finish what I had started. It was an incredibly bittersweet weekend.
After that experience it's all been pretty easy...
Last edited by Paul Foster; 07-22-2003 at 03:00 PM.
07-22-2003, 09:30 PM
#28
Race Car
Excellent!!
I'm thrilled to find out that other racers are normal people too! 
At the PCA Club Race two weekends ago at Mid-America, I fell asleep on the grid as well...too funny, when the guy tapped on my windshield to get a "thumbs up" at his two-minute warning it scared the SH__ out of me and I got self-conscious...he just laughed and asked me if everything was okay.
I then had this overwhelming fear that something was wrong if I was able to "knock-off" at the grid??
Things were okay, but I WAS nervous as hell as this was my first PCA race and I only had two others under my belt, one of them an endurance race in a Diasio, the other in my recently acquired Toyota Atlantic.
Like Mark, my 911 still has a stereo in it and I listened to a good CD while waiting...as soon as cars began moving the stereo went OFF.
The starts are the only things that worry me, just don't want to do anymore bodywork after my troubles last Fall.
Side by side through turn 1 seems the norm...am I supposed to LIKE it??
On the second/third lap, once the "field" gets formed and/or the "stragglers" (that's me) spread out...it's all good.
I went on to join up with the GTS Challenge Series the following weekend at Gingerman and noticed that I was still nervous, but not as bad...I had gotten my 911 "wet" in racing and things went well...trying to determine whether I'm doomed and "hooked", no question when viewing my bank account!
At the PCA Club Race two weekends ago at Mid-America, I fell asleep on the grid as well...too funny, when the guy tapped on my windshield to get a "thumbs up" at his two-minute warning it scared the SH__ out of me and I got self-conscious...he just laughed and asked me if everything was okay.
I then had this overwhelming fear that something was wrong if I was able to "knock-off" at the grid??
Things were okay, but I WAS nervous as hell as this was my first PCA race and I only had two others under my belt, one of them an endurance race in a Diasio, the other in my recently acquired Toyota Atlantic.
Like Mark, my 911 still has a stereo in it and I listened to a good CD while waiting...as soon as cars began moving the stereo went OFF.
The starts are the only things that worry me, just don't want to do anymore bodywork after my troubles last Fall.
Side by side through turn 1 seems the norm...am I supposed to LIKE it??
On the second/third lap, once the "field" gets formed and/or the "stragglers" (that's me) spread out...it's all good.
I went on to join up with the GTS Challenge Series the following weekend at Gingerman and noticed that I was still nervous, but not as bad...I had gotten my 911 "wet" in racing and things went well...trying to determine whether I'm doomed and "hooked", no question when viewing my bank account!
08-10-2003, 12:42 AM
#29
Rennlist Member
Although I've done autocrosses & POC Short Track events for 7 seasons, I still get quite nervous before timed runs. I don't like to talk to anyone and I try to get into the zone before my run.
This past February I did my first kart race and I had the same type of nerves. I was even nervous on the warm up lap. But, once the green flag dropped all of the nerves went away. I ended up on the podium in my first kart race so that was pretty exciting.
Rich
This past February I did my first kart race and I had the same type of nerves. I was even nervous on the warm up lap. But, once the green flag dropped all of the nerves went away. I ended up on the podium in my first kart race so that was pretty exciting.
Rich
08-10-2003, 12:45 AM
#30
Rennlist Member
Hey Jeff & Paul,
I get quite sleepy, too! I've heard that this is quite normal for many drivers (ex: Danny Sullivan & Nelson Piquet), so I guess we are in good company.
Rich
I get quite sleepy, too! I've heard that this is quite normal for many drivers (ex: Danny Sullivan & Nelson Piquet), so I guess we are in good company.
Rich