TraqGear

Oh, yes so true. I was thinking in terms of 1st place podium wins.

Gary R.

Yep, I wanted to run with NASA last year but the race only had 3 (inc. me!) GTS2 cars signed up. Luckily at Lightning we had about 15 in D, and at the Glen about 10. Sure hope Limerock draws a crowd this year!

kurt M

I am surprised that Time and Money are not brought up more. Both can overcome a lot. There are some true naturally talented drivers that are short of one or both. Seat time is not cheap in many venues and more so when in racing trim. As often as it is used as an excuse car setup and tune is a factor when you look at the split between mid-pack and podium and far more so between podium and win. How many times has a very good driver/ wrench driven someones car, made a recomendation or two on setup and the owner then gains from it?
The consistent winners have talent and seat time in varying proportion, a good in class car that is well set up and the time and or money to get things right before the green flag drops. The truly talented can make up some deficiencies in the car and the regular guy can make up some skill deficiencies with cubic $. The winners are the guys that are well rounded in all aspects.

APKhaos

Kurt is on the right track here. One of the keys to running at the front of the pack is being able to 'read' the car and then do two things:
- drive within its limits. When you are running at close to the car's capabilities, the limits will be different on any given day/track condition/etc
- know how to optimise the setup. Maybe a slight tire pressure change, or a ride height change, or a sway bar change, or...... Thye are all little things, but they make the difference.

All this comes with both seat time and listening to the guys who've been doing this for a long time and runnign at the front. It helps to be humble about asking for help.

TR6

What would happen if Paolo posted a thread and no one responded? Mull that one over. Every response just keeps feeding the habit. Having said that, here's mine...

Paolo, you always post these very general questions that really seem to have fairly obvious answers or at least ambiguous answers. (For the record, the answer to your original question is "yes". ) These threads always seem somewhat polarizing. What if, instead, you asked a specific question if you really have a specific issue on your mind? Work with me here... Let's say you received feedback from an instructor, for example, telling you that you need to improve your trail braking (I'm making this up, I have no idea how well you trail brake), instead of something very general, then post a specific question asking for tips and war stories on trail braking at an advanced level. That kind of thread would be very useful to all of us in my opinion. Your questions always seem to devolve in the "Paolo white knights" vs. your critics vs. the folks that just don't give a **** anymore (how many of you guys are in the latter category?).

Just my 2 cents. You guys carry on. I suspect there at least 10 more pages in this horse before it flatlines...

Gary R.

Hmm.... sounds like I can get a new windshield banner now, thanks.

I guess anyone that has met and actually like Paolo (he is a real person, you do know that right?) are idiots you are the new "voice of internet forum reason" here. I liked your 1st idea, if you don't post (a response), you don't come across looking vindictive..

mglobe

Regardless of what the circumstance was, why would anyone taunt an instructor about not being "brave" enough to ride with them? Why would you brag about scaring people? That implies to me that you're not a very good driver. Possibly the best compliment I've received as a driver was when an instructor told me he was never at all scared when he rode with me.

BostonDMD

You are right...... I am not a very good driver......

If I were, I would have been racing professionally......

TR6

Obviously not a fan of tongue in cheek humor. Being vindictive is one thing I have never been accused of. Too dry a sense of humor maybe... Sorry if I hit a sensitive nerve.

Part of my response to Paolo was serious (the part about asking real questions). It's up to Paolo to take it under consideration or ignore it. Won't offend me either way. All of us are real people in real life. One day I hope to meet Paolo and tip a beer with him. Then I can make up my own mind about him as he can me.

M758

Paolo...
Look like others have said here just go and race. To be in the race group you only need race car and some reasonable driving sense. You have the race car and despite what some may say it sounds like you can make it around a track just fine.

So just go and race. You may not be the fastest right off the bat, but then again you may surprise yourself. Go and race for the fun of racing and stop worring about being "good enough". I think you have some mis conception that all racers are fast. Well not true. I know many racers who are not fast and probably will never be fast. It could their attitude torward racing, time availability or just plain age and skill. Many of these don't care. They still go out and have fun racing at the pace they can. They are safe in the that they can handle a racing enviroment, but so what if they are 2-5 seconds off the pace of the fast guys.

So if you really want to race just race. Stop worring about being good enough. You are good enough to be on the track wither racers so just do it. Once racing you can see what skills you lack.

I will say if you want to be at the top of a competitive class it takes either a lot of natual talent or resonable talent and alot of effort. There are very very few who can just show up and be fast. Most have talent, but also put a lot of effort in. That can be making sure the car is prepared to rules well. It also means working develop the chassis to ensure it is creating the optimal grip given the parts you have on it. Then there is the mental focus needed to determine a race stratagy and how to run the race and weekend's activities.

For some guys all that effort is not worth it and they just want to race as is. Hey that is ok too.

In the end I see you craving something, but you lack the self confidence jump in. It seems like you want jump in racing and be fast from the start. Well very few do that and all the time you spend contemplating it take away from time you can be experiencing it.

Veloce Raptor

Wait...let me understand, Paolo: are you actually taunting an instructor here? Do you actually think said instructor was scared to ride with you?? If so, have you actually considered why???

Veloce Raptor

IMO, if someone is going down the path to race, they already have some of both, else they would drop the idea stillborn.

mrbill_fl

Jeez, What in the world did all those drivers do before DE's existed?

-just consider the 1st season an extension of DE, call it RE: racing education...

(if you haven't already run in some of the open passing groups, do that too.)

RedlineMan

My Eyes Have Been Opened;

There is indeed FAR too much waxing going on here.

Veloce Raptor

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