Mark in Baltimore

As BobbyC states, I think gaining more confidence is one of the key elements to getting faster. A good coach will push you and help you do things that you didn’t think were possible.

As has already been stated, getting help from a coach is a work-in-progress. At our levels, many of us may be tracking a less-than-ideal car. Although having a perfectly set-up car that is ready for a coach to do his magic is the desired scenario, if your car is not set up by someone who is good at reading a car and making changes, then a coach can help put you in the right direction. It is part of the inevitable process to, hopefully, getting faster. I agree that it is not 100% ideal, but it is a start.

I’m going to sound like a broken record to many here, but this is exactly what Chris Cervelli did for a few of us here a couple of years ago. He drove my car and made some very worthwhile suggestions to the car’s chassis and remote reservoir system that made a big difference in my confidence in the car, as well as confidence in myself. Additionally, he taught a few key driving approaches that, along with the chassis help, transformed the way I drove the car, resulting in lower lap times. All of this occurred over a day and a half for me, so I really tried to make the most of my distilled experience.

FredC

Absolutely. Nothing worse than wasting money on a coach for him/her to tell you that your car needs more camber, that it understeers too much, when you already know it... Especially not when considering who you chose to coach you. This guy has a lot more to offer than advice about obvious car set up issues. PAOLO: send your car to DJ before putting money towards coaching.... I think it is fair to say that he knows how to read the 78-89 platform (all 911 platforms for that matter).

Veloce Raptor

I can see Seth's and Fred's point. However, the only concern I have with this, for only a 1/2 day session, is this: if getting a different set up right before the coaching changes the car a bunch, Paolo (or anyone) will spend more time & brain power learning how the car now drives than he should, and that 1/2 day of coaching will be somewhat less valuable, irrespective of what the coach says.

Like Seth, I "interview" the client first, establish clear, atttainable goals, and then recap how we have or have not done against those metrics throughout the day(s) as well as at the end.





Professional Racing and Driving Coach

Seth Thomas

This is why I stated on mine was to have a decent setup car. I am not saying make drastic changes to the car so the driver has to relearn how to drive it. The car also doesn't have to be perfectly setup either. It needs to be setup the way you think is easy to drive. This will take your mind off what the car is doing and more on the coaching. Keep it simple.

FredC

Then we are all saying the same thing. It is just that i believe that Paolo's car may not be set-up at an acceptable level today.

Bob Rouleau

Paolo - Half a day is a rather short time to accomplish the agenda you posted. Suggest you keep a very open mind and reasonable expectations. From the start on RL you have shown a lack of patience, remember the how long to go from Green to Black thread you initiated? IMO the goals you've established for a half day session are rather ambitious. You will benefit from the coaching, no doubt. Just relax and learn. Forget preconceived notions of what you define as "success" for your 3 hours or so.

For the others, unless something has changed, Paolo's car belonged to Ron Savenor - and he was a consistent winner with it. I know that Paolo switched to street tires (a good idea) when he began driving it. I don't know if the setup was changed but as delivered the car was well sorted.

Best,

Qwickrick

Coaching is not about how the car is set up/it's how your brain and driving are set up

bobt993

Make sure they throw in a t-shirt that states

" I am a Proffesional"
(coached student)

BTW Paolo, I cannot do the PCA CR, but will likely make the NASA T-bolt event. Track race budget this year is only 2 races following major car expenses.

BostonDMD

I am really looking forward to my session with David.......

I appreciate your help and I will keep you posted how it turns out........

Lou D

I've had a few 1/2 hour sessions with David. He's excellent. Let him drive your car first with you as an observant passenger. He will show you quite quickly what your car is capable of doing, and while he is driving he will explain to you what he is doing, his thought process, and the line he is driving. You will be amazed at how quickly he learns the car and how deeply he brakes into the apexes not to mention his smoothness.

RedlineMan

Hmmm...

I would love to have the benefit of his coaching, but I only "know him" from some minor personal contact. He is one of the most gracious people you will ever meet, and I know he will set you up for a completely successful experience. Hopefully, that will mean keeping it very simple.

You are pretty new to this driving thing, and so I am going to assume that he will concentrate on some very basic mechanical improvements to your underlying driving style. This alone will take a huge effort for you to assimilate. Make sure you try and understand the fundamental aspects of the changes that he makes for you. Do not be suprised if a day later you struggle mightily to replicate what you have learned, and so to this end try and keep it simple and get as much information that is clear and repeatable as you can.

And have fun!

Bailey-86-MA

Paulo - this thread has me thinking of doing the same and working with David at the end of the month for a 1/2 day at WGI. I think I would approach it as follows. I have my car, I will talk to him about my experience and goals, he will likely observe my driving, and I will let him determine the best use of my time with him. I would guess that with his driving record as well as teaching experience, he will know best how I might get the most out of our time together.

Veloce Raptor

Yup. We are (as usual) on the same page here.





Professional Racing and Driving Coach

Veloce Raptor

+1





Professional Racing and Driving Coach

TraqGear

If only a 1/2 day....
1st thing I would have him drive my car by himself....get some good data with a pro driving and let him get a little used to the car.
2nd, get in the car with him driving. You can learn a tremendous amount by watching what he does and feeling what your car can do. You will think, "man I didn't know my car could do that!"
3rd, drive the car by yourself. Look at data and he will show you where you can improve.
4th, drive with the coach in the passenger seat to make in-car suggestions. Make sure you have a communications device such as a chatter box. Don't automatically assume he will have one.
Just my opinion, but I think the best way to maximize a short period of time.