wanna911

Yeah, I think the doubters might possibly be forgetting that the setup means time too. If you get 2 seconds in driving, which I would bet the vast majority of the people posting here could do with solid coaching. Then add another 2 seconds from setting the car up right, 4-5 seconds doesn't seem so far away. Most of us have a set of coilovers and some alignment we got from somewhere like here, or just line it up like the manufacturer says. Really tuning the setup can make a lot of difference.

Of course this is assuming you don't have a good setup already.

Veloce Raptor

Perhaps I misunderstood, but I took Paolo's question to mean what realistic improvement could be had by a person of his current abilities after spending a single weekend attached at the hip to a coach. Obviously, over the course of a year, regular coaching can definitely garner more substantial improvements along the lines of what mglobe has seen.

mglobe

I would think 2 seconds is a reasonable outcome under those parameters.

onefastviking

I would also add that if the goal is racing then a proper coach can provide many other techniques to better the students racing position even if not improving his lap time.

Veloce Raptor

EGG zactly

jrgordonsenior

Oh yea.... I spent 6 or 7 laps trying to get around the Corvette that beat me into T1 at in the first qual race at Miller. I went left, right, up his **** cavity, all over the track trying to find a hole to get around him. All this time my coach is yelling at me to back off and set up the pass instead of just frantically trying to pass. I finally listened. He said back off him 3-4 lengths out of T2 and then go WOT thru T3 trying to time running up his *** at the exit of T4. It worked perfectly, I came out of T4 on his bumper, slid left and T5 was all mine. I wouldn't have ever thought of that and would probably have just stayed glued to his bumper still looking for that hole. I was so frustrated for those 7 laps, on the very next lap I broke the ST2 track record by 1.3 seconds....

Charles A. Toupin

Back in 1999, I attended the Jim Russell Racing school at Mt-Tremblant (old track then). I was fortunate enough to have Jean-François Dumoulin as a teacher, sitting beside me in my street car. He taugh me that exact same trick on how to pass a car. He said: take turn 7 a tiny bit slowlier than the guy in front of you, then make sure that you are at full throttle a bit before the apex (he will not as he's trying to maximize its cornering speed), you should gain on him on the straight before turn 8 and take the inside line for the turn.

It worked just fine!

Someday, I will have someone in my car to make me faster!

c.

Carrera51

Great thread. One of these days I need to get a good coach in the car with me, and get some sort of data logger in the car, and someone really good at checking the set up on the car. The car seems to do everything I ask of it so I am sure that most of the time to be had is working on the nut behind the wheel.

Veloce Raptor

One thing a good coach should be able to do is bring a portable battery-powered TraqMate or other brand data logger and put it in your car if you don't have one. My TraqMate system in my own track car is not hard wired. It runs on TraqMate batteries & is velcroed in. I can easily remove it & bring it with me to put in a client's car. In fact, I will likely be doing this in a week and a half.

onefastviking

Hey today is your lucky day !
I found this place online that has a deal on them, check it out.

http://www.ogracing.com/catalog/2-Ca...UISITIONSYSTEM

Seriously, bring your car to the NASA Nationals this year and I'll help you with some coaching and Data analysis.

Mark Dreyer

Yup, this is what Chris Hall does for me. He brings the Racekeeper system that he uses at the Porsche Driving Experience. He drives my car, then I drive, followed by him giving me in detail critique of each turn. It's really a wonderful teaching situation. The only problem is now I'm burning through the dang tires too quick and will need to spend another $2k getting the front suspension modded for more camber. Slippery slope indeed!

VERBOTN

@Mark
Dont think of it as "spending $2k" to upgrade front suspension. Over the year you will be saving $$$ due to increased tyre life and having a better drive

BostonDMD

I definetly would be ecstatic to gain 2-2.5 sec. at the Glen or on any other track........

Currently in the process of switching the car back to E stock......

working with a coach is in my horizon......

Thanks onefastviking, Lolaman, VR and and everyone else for your inputs..........

TedA

Well stated, spot on, I will not disclose how many secs you got me at VIR. I get embarassed easily.

Veloce Raptor

With any luck, I may be back there again in early July, but coaching this time. But PBOC and NARRA will need good instructors again, so you should come out!