Slower cars and drivers do not bother me in the slightest PROVIDED that passing signals come in timely manners. In the highest run group, I think it should be expected that passing signals will be given at the earliest safe opportunity, and that nobody should be held up for more than 1 straight without a passing signal. (Actually, in the highest run group, nobody should even be held up for a single straight)

I've had times where I've followed people for an entire lap (sometimes more) at the Glen while waiting for a passing signal. When I'm told that I should cycle through the pits because the person in front can't give a signal... Well, yes, I admit to being miffed.

 

Oh, nonono...

I didn't say that for the student. No no. I agree with you. A quick preparatory glance only for them. Get them paying attention early. Helps everyone.

As far as you being too slow, let it be a motivator. Turn up your driving a notch!! There is nothing better than seeing a fast car up on your tail going in, and then signaling a car that you have just driven away from in the turn.

 

Based on what I have seen, not many will catch you IN the corners. On the straight .. is a different matter and makes passes easy with no loss to either. BTW I don't recall any Rennsport GT3s holding you up

 

Please forgive - didn't mean to make it sound like your words.

Turn it up a notch? I wish it worked that way. Easier done on the chase than being chased. Why is that?

 

I dunno...I find it the other way around...haha, I love getting pushed

 

I like both. I really like when a driver in a slightly faster car switches back and forth with you during a session. Chip from Delaware and I spent a session at Mid Ohio this year playing cat and mouse and switching back and forth the whole time. I am not so sure he learned from me, but I learned from him. Since I was in a slower car, I gave him a point by everytime we hit the straights, which he frequently waived off. When he did take the point by, we would run head and tail, and he would lift a little on the straights so that I could keep up there. Complete blast.

Track awareness should be second nature by the time you reach, frankly, white. If you don't know that a car is coming up on you before you are entering a turn, you don't get it. If you are at VIR and you can't see the cars coming down from Southbend as you exit oaktree, you have some work to do on your awareness.

I may have had one of the slowest cars in the black group, I guarantee you that I never held anyone up, despite getting held up occasionally by point and shoot squids (but not that often).

 

Bob;

Only the evil handling ones.

Obviously, passing me on the straights is no challenge at all, for sure. Held up with RSR? Not at all. Your groups are quite well vetted, of course. I know that if there were such a driver, you'd have them over for a chat!

James;

Yeh. With no HP drug to blur the focus on DRIVING well, it's a slow building process, but all the more sweet. My notches have been pretty small, but I've gotten there!!

 

I try to give the signal (for drover's that I know) to fast approaching cars at turn-in so they can setup for the pass at corner exit. This has had the negative side effect of the other drover sometimes missing the pass since they are looking through the corner and not at my car, so I'll have to give another at corner exit.

When droving with people I don't know, I give the signal as I'm tracking out to prevent any confusion.

 

A couple things that help this in DE are

1) No signal required on straights. If you are in the experienced run group you should be fine with having a car blow by on the straight away. It is not a big deal at all. Point by still recommended however.

2) Passing in corners with a point by. In this way faster cornering car will not have to "wait" for the straight to pass. Again if the drivers are experienced this should not be a big deal as passing in a corner is not hard if both drivers are aware and can handle their cars.

Remember race group practice is open passing any place and that works quite well when nobody is contesting corners. Even in the race group I will point by faster cars in practice or even in the race. The reason is that it gives ME some additional control over where the faster car will pass thus allowing both of us to minimize any slow down that results.

 

^^^I definitely agree with that. I loved the practice sessions before the clubrace as it was definitely less stress, easy to give up a corner (no mental ah ****), and the slower cars werent bothered much and worst comes to worst, you just pass on the next straight with NO problems...gives some great practice that I feel points dont really give...

maybe a new run group...duh duh duh...