czentner

Hi guys!

This past weekend I finished my second DE event and was graduated to the white run group! Whoo hoo!

The problem I'm having now is know how to build speed at the track - I find that I'm much more nervous without an instructor and I don't know where to push more. I've been told my lines are very clean, smooth and consistent. However, I know I am braking too much for the sweeping corners as I am a newbie and don't really know the limits of the car (a modified 944 turbo supposedly putting out ~330 rwhp).

My question is - how to people get faster? I always think there is no way the car is going to stick to the road going up the hill after McLaren - but it does even with my braking too much. Watching from the tower, most people are just tapping the brake, however I am scared to try this!

Hints, advice, tips....please!

DJF1

Practice, practice, practice.

Your 2nd DE you are still really a newbie and my advise to you is to stop looking for speed and look at your basics, like looking up and ahead, smooth in your controls, hitting your lines time after time, basically getting really the bare basics to become 2nd nature. Practice your heel and toe, downshifts, upshifts, trailbraking etc to the point that you dont think, you just do and the track becomes a sequence, like in a picture and everything inside the car slows down. Your hands and feet may be moving fast, but you see things as if in slow motion, registering and processing more input from the chassis, the tires, the tarmac. That is where you develop a deeper understanding and start exploting the limits of your self most likely before you find the limits of the car.

Once you get to that level, then by just doing what I told you, you will have already picked up speed. Again the key here is comfort. I have seen one too many people push themselves too much only to end up in a tire wall. Again practice practice practice.

When I had about 10 DE's under my belt, I asked to get an instructor with me to tell me where I needed improvement and if I had picked up any bad habits driving solo. Turn 2 at TWS to me was always scary. Super fast turn, I always broke early for it and too much. My instructor told me to count to 2 next time I'm starting to hit the brakes on that turn before I bury my foot in. It worked. Now that braking point became the new norm. 3 laps later he told me to do the same thing! I did it. It was not super comfortable but it worked. Now that was the new norm. That continued to the point that I would later be able to trailbrake deep into the corner and my braking point moved much deeper into the transition, than when I started that day.

That instructor taught me that getting faster is a step by step process. a little bit at a time, then it becomes the new norm and you are comfortably faster.

Have fun and enjoy.

czentner

Thank you for your input! yes, I am a newbie but I would like to maximize what I learn on DE days. Your advice is very much appreciated!

Bob Rouleau

Chad, the number one secret to speed is the vision technique which I am sure your instructor talked about. Overbraking for corner 10 is usually the result of focusing on your braking point instead of looking into the corner as you finish your braking. Think of it this way, part of your brain is asking "how fast can I take this corner?" the other part of your brain which can answer the question is saying - but you can't hear it - "what corner, I don't see any stinking corner!"

As to turn 1 -2 -3 if you watch the reds you will notice that most do not brake for 1, rather they lift, coast down the hill and then accelerate (moderate and progressive acceleration) up the hill. The secret (surprise) is to look up the hill before you turn in (that vision thing again). I teach that in Green now.

Find me (it's easy) at the next DE and I'll show you myself.

Best,

Bill N

I agree with Rob...vision...look up, look for the end (not the beginning) of braking, look into the corner.

I would add...don't try to build speed. Work on vision and smoothness, and it will come. As I heard a motorcycle racer say on CBC, "If you want to go fast, don't hurry." I have found that when I try to set a fast lap, I'm usually slower!

Bill

vern1

Just a thought but are you sure you are ready for solo ? Theres no rule that says you have to go solo and it sounds from your narrative that you could benefit from more seat time with an instructor. The instructor may give you more confidence and instruction to safely push the car as your skills grow.

Again, just a thought as I know some guys who were offered solo but decided to stay in yellow for a while longer till they felt they were ready

Chris R.

I would also suggest taking it one corner at a time; that is to say, concentrate on getting one corner at a time right. Trying to get the whole track perfect in one shot is not going to happen.
A lot of my students tend to have problems with 1-2-3, the esses, turn 7 and bridge.
Choose one corner and work at it until you have improved then go on to the next. You can also watch some vids of other instructors or good drivers to see where they are positioned on track and when they turn in etc. Like Bob said, get in with one of us and we can help...just because you don't "need" an instructor does not mean you should not take advantage of us being here to help!

czentner

Thanks for the input guys - I'm definitely going to ask for some instructor ride alongs at the next DE - which for me is the August one. See you at the track!

TurboS

What a great Track!!

We were there on June 7&8 BMW club weekend. First time for me and a little bit of a steep learning curve given that Saturday it rained and with
Cup tires meant track time was at a minimum.

Can't wait to go back!

Not the final video waiting to download footage from other cars.

https://vimeo.com/68257088

ronnie993tt

Cheaper car with full roll cage.

Crazy Canuck

Chad I was your instructor in May. I didn't think you'd take long to be promoted to solo.

Be smooth. Speed will come and you won't put more strain on the car than is necessary. Learn to drive with the street tires howling before moving to stickier tires. Then go back to streets and back to sticky tires. You will inevitably be faster. And more in control.

Maintain your vision techniques.

Above all listen to what the car is telling you. It is speaking all the time it is running. You have to listen and understand what it's telling you. A little slide here, a shift in balance there ... Too much brake ... too little throttle etc. If you aren't sure what the car is saying ask an instructor to sit with you and ask questions.

I'd suggest asking an instructor to tag along with you once every event or two.

All the above is great ... BUT ... there is no substitute for seat time. It's going to take lots of practice and lots of seat time.

As Chris R. suggested, pick a corner or sequence of corners to work on. Once you have improved and are consistent move to the next corner you want to work on.

Have fun. See you at the track ... hopefully in September.

czentner

Hey Chris - thanks for the tips. Good luck with your wedding!

Dwane

Had Chris as an instructor a while back. He didn't have much to say besides the street tire suggestions. To this day, I tell everyone that very important piece of information he taught me concerning stickier tires. Did exactly what he said with swapping the stickier for street tires.
Had EVERY flagger watching me entering, mid-corner and corner exit at EVERY corner of the track....Priceless.
If I get the privilege to become an instructor one day, I will quote Chris word for word!
Enjoy and be safe.

czentner

Dwane - thanks for the reply. We haven't officially met, but we've spoken on the phone, I believe. You're the guy with the fast red 944 turbo, right? I'll make a point of coming over and meeting you at the next DE!

Dwane

Are you RSA Dan's friend?