Advanced Driving GuideFrom TrackpediaThis section gathers as much info as we can find on advanced driving. You'll notice very few articles are by me, I'm not an expert but we do know some :) This guide will attempt to break out the key principles you will want to work on to make yourself faster each and every track day.
Driver PreparationMental ImagerySpend some time the days before heading to the track (especially if it is a new one to you) visualizing the track layout and how you would drive it in your head. If there are videos of the track or guides browse them over and while everything might not apply directly to your driving style or vehicle visualize what you would be doing on the track at those spots. Many professional drivers place stop watches in their hands sitting in a chair and visualize a complete lap around a course they are familiar with. They work on hitting the correct braking zones, turn in points, track outs, and shift points. Do this for 20-30 minutes each day leading up to the event and you should start to see your lap times on the stop watch very closely mirror your best real life lap times. This is a great way to re-familiarize yourself with a circuit and work on getting the right line correct in your head. Foot WorkGood foot work is a staple of being able to be quick behind the wheel. (More to come) On Track Work ItemsAnyway, I'd like to share two concepts that he shared with us: Brake ENDING point.On the track, we all understand the 'Brake starting point.' Often in the pits, and here on the Rennlist, we discuss where we brake, IE: the STARTING point of when me have our foot on that middle pedal. We equate our braking zone to the point at which our foot first hits the brakes. "I brake at marker 200" or "I start braking at the crack in the asphalt just before the notch on the wall"...etc. Unfortunately, many people tend to have a starting point too early, and some have their points too late. Some over-brake, others underbrake and hang on for dear life whilst whipping around the corner - entrying the corner too fast, only to compromise their exit speed. All in all, it seems that we are not too consistent in the braking zone. (At least that's my case in many corners) However, Ross contends that there may be a way of becoming more consistent in the brake zone - instead of focusing on the starting point of the brake zone, Ross Bentley suggests that the driver look further down track and focus on the brake ending zone - or somewhere around the turn in point of the corner. By focusing on this, and programming your driving on the track to adjust your braking based on this reference point, Ross argues that the braking will become more consistent. By the way - we do this all the time on the street - at every stoplight, every stopsign, everytime we need to stop we aren't using a 'brake starting point' reference, but we're using the 'brake ending point' to judge when we start to decelerate and apply the clampers. So we already know this technique! On the track, it's just a little different - we don't stop completely (though it may feel that some do!) and we don't wait for the light to turn green before turning the wheel. Trail BrakingYes, Ross brought this subject up in the Advanced Driver's Seminar. Too bad ColorChange isn't here on Rennlist anymore. Ross suggested that trail braking is a helpful technique that can be used to overlap the braking zone and the turning of the car. He also suggested that it is helpful to rotate the car. HOWEVER: he did mention that trail braking isn't the best technique in all cases. In fast turns with a great radius, trail braking should not be used - it would slow the car down too much. In tighter, slower, hair-pin like turns, trailbraking can be an effective technique to get the car rotated through the turn, and to overlap the braking zone with the turning zone. In terms of newbies learning to drive on the track - he felt that the 'braking in a straight line' technique that many instructors teach may not be the best - after all, you are essentially teaching a student how to do something incorrectly. However, he also warned that instructors shouldn't advocate trailbraking for a new student either - newbies have plenty of other things to worry about. That said, Ross stated that many drivers develop trail braking naturally - and that if that is the case with a student, an instructor shouldn't discourage the trail braking student, provided he's doing the technique properly and for the right corners. ContributorsJohn HajnyCentral NY Region PCA Chief Instructor - PCA National Instructor/Mentor Excellent set of articles on driving Ross BentleyThe is the author of the Speed Secrets series, has been racing for the past 29 years, and has been coaching on all levels for 22 years. The man knows a bit or two about performance driving. |
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