TonyGTS

Lol, Guy. Thanks.

FFaust

Now, what I want to know: Does the PSM warning light (you know the one) ALWAYS come on when PSM is intervening? On all variants of the cars with the system?

Veloce Raptor

I dunno...but when it does (as I tell clients) it is a sure sign that the computer has just saved you from a major calamity.

FFaust

Of course, and thanks, but it would be nice to be able to go one step further and tell a student that, as long as the warning light does not come on, THEY are doing the driving.

Matt Romanowski

I don't think it comes on with traction control.

Manifold

Over the past two weeks, I've read this excellent thread from start to finish, and I thank everyone for their contributions. Wish I knew how to summarize it all, but my main takeaway is to keep working on increasing speed into, through, and out of corners by optimizing braking (especially brake release), entering corners at a favorable angle, increasing overall radius through corners (which often means earlier turn-in and earlier/longer apex than we're initially taught), inducing rotation of the car when entering corners (as appropriate), and feeding in throttle as soon as and as much as the car will allow. And of course coaching and data help make all of this possible. Sound reasonable?

cavlino

^That's an excellent summary.

67King

I apologize if this has been discussed, I tried to search for the term, and 488 hits came up.

So what I am wondering is when coaching would be advisable? I've driven my race car very few times in the past 2 years due to an accident, a monsoon, several small but significant mechanical issues (mostly related to shaking out a car rebuilt from top to bottom), and a couple of deaths in the family.

I'm just now trying to get some seat time in the race car before I try, yet again, to get my rookie race under my belt. I drove my 968 street car last year, and I've been out a few times this year, but only for a few laps at a time.

I'll be at Road Atlanta in a couple of weeks for a 2 day DE. I am considering going to VIR a week later for a one day DE, but won't be signing up until I can actually get through the weekend without any issues. I have considered seeking a coach for the day at VIR.

So the basics of the qusetions are:
1. Is it advisable to seek coaching at a track one has never driven?
2. Would it be better to wait until I have a bit more current seat time in the car to get a little less rusty before seeking coaching?

Side note - mechanical issues were gearbox related, which has since been re-rebuilt (this time by a competent person), and an air leak from a large pressed-in nipple on the intake coming out under boost. The hose pushed it back in when not under boost, meaning I had to find it by taking off the intake. In other words, brakes, suspension, other systems that may be related to safety are good.

Adam@Autometrics

It would be ideal to have the same coach from day 1, but that is not at all efficient. To get the most out of coaching, you want it after all the "rust has been knocked out" (of both the car and driver), but before errors become habits. As such, getting coaching at a new track will help you learn the new track, but will leave less time to learn universal driving technique. Track-specific coaching is good, and some will translate to other tracks, but universal driving techniques will pay off bigger in the long run. If coaching is going to be rare, then definitely use it at a track you are very familiar with.

67King

Thanks, Adam. What I suspected, but also leery of the whole bad habit thing. I'm sure I have some, of which I'm not aware.

Veloce Raptor

I'd have to agree with Adam on this.

On an different topic, we have often discussed in this thread the benefits of proper corner entry at high speed, and patience getting to the throttle...so that one can go the the throttle once, rather than having to do a lof of on/off/on/off throttle exiting a corner.

Here is a video with excellent sound. Watch his corner entries, and listen carefully to how long he waits until he goes to gas...but he only goes to gas ONCE. Look how stable, and fast, the car is...

ProCoach

Awesome summary! That's it, in a nutshell!

Which track have you NOT driven before?

I think that you MUST go into EACH weekend or track day with a plan.

If your goal is to do a "systems check" and "knock the rust off" at Road Atlanta, then it makes sense to do both things without the additional input of analysis or input from an outside resource.

Then, if everything goes well, you can proceed to the next goal at VIR. With the aid of a coach, you can shift your concentration and processes to; first analyzing what you are doing and how well you're doing it; then, picking two or three pieces of the "lowest hanging fruit" to work on EACH session.

Depends on your goals. I definitely agree with Adam on the first and last points.

My opinion is that optimal driver "tuning" should focus on measuring, promoting and putting in place a plan EACH session to improve those universal driving techniques.

I also believe that few drivers can effectively execute if they don't "know what they're doing, before they get there...." Man, I LOVE iRacing and other sims to help get that put to bed for many folks. Both for tracks they've never been to or for those they have TONS of time on.

Any driver with experience is going to demonstrates habits that, while bolstering comfort and confidence, are not necessarily optimal. The goal of using a resource like a coach is to COLLECTIVELY deconstruct and analyze the most basic. fundamental executions of your current performance and work on what you together decide is most lacking or offers the greatest potential for improvement. That is not track-specific, however the driver's local knowledge and comfort level determine how well they can do that.

When I work with drivers new to a track, I encourage proper "universal driving techniques" by bolstering and providing granular local knowledge that encourages the driver to execute those universal techniques well because they ALREADY have some familiarity with the track.

Just knowing the order and severity of the corners, potentially problematic topography (and strategies with car placement/control inputs to minimize the downsides) allows the driver to perform globally optimum techniques better. My work with drivers integrates both disciplines (local knowledge improvement and basic skills execution optimization) to do EACH better...

Bottom line, if you are working solely on "recalibrating," or continuing your progression up the ladder in terms of skills execution, or focusing on finer points in optimizing your technique, and your opportunities for working with a coaching or analysis resource are limited, by all means work with that resource at a track you've "put to bed."

But, there are ways to work together with a resource at a new track and achieve both better local knowledge AND global skills execution improvement.

Good luck!

Cloudspin

Many thanks for posting that tip and that clip. The first time I heard that recommendation to be patient on the throttle until you can go to it and stay on it was the Top Gear episode with Jackie Stewart and Captain Slow. The challenge was for Sir Jackie to cut 20 seconds off of May's laptime around a track in England driving a TVR - like car. There was another great tip in that episode where Jackie leans his body into May and afterwards pushes him in an attempt to demonstrate the benefits of smooth inputs. I use both of those recommendations as an HPDE instructor and strive to follow them in my own driving. Thanks again.

I'm new to this section of RL and am not completely sure how it works so bear with me. I have a Solo DL in my car with no clue as to how to setup or use the analysis software. I was at Sebring this past weekend and had a very good driver run about 8 laps in my car with me riding shotgun. Wow! Unfortunately only one of his hot laps was recorded. Could I post that here as well as my quick lap of the weekend and have one or more of you look at them and offer some opinions? I am under no illusions that I will ever drive at his pace, but could maybe pick up some tips on how to reduce my lap times a hair. Thanks in advance and thanks for taking the time to share your collective knowledge and experience!

Veloce Raptor

Absolutely! Please post it here! Or, if you prefer, feel free to email it to me for a private evaluation: dave@racecoach.net

ProCoach

My evaluation would be only on this thread, but you need to email me the files of you and he exported from race studio 2 so I have all the GPS info, too.