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Post by harrisracing on Dec 11, 2009 9:59:51 GMT -6
Walt, more constructive criticism here.
After watching your video, I realize that you could be WAY faster in a few places. from the looks of it the car was kinda understeery that day, but I think you could go all the way down the straight and through 1 flat out...no kidding. Maybe all you need is a left foot brake there. Keep the throttle hammered, get WAY to the right, and just left foot brake and turn in to 1 to try to hit the concrete on the left. Once you get that the rest will take care of itself. I am willing to bet you have a half-second there each lap. It's a faith moment, but I think the car can do it.
Also seems like on most corners you need to start thinking about "Get on the gas!" after apex (even just after turn-in on some of them). The more time on the gas, the faster you will be. I know it comes with experience and you are doing great being smooth and taking a pretty good line, but next time you go, out after lap 3 (tires good and hot), try to tell yourself "It's GO TIME". Seriously, push the car and get your brain in high gear and make some fast laps!! I think that's really all the advice I need to give you to get you about a second a lap faster! Once you make it on over that crest of fear, you will find that riding the "on the limit" wave is quite thrilling (and fast).
Patrick
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Post by turbot on Dec 11, 2009 10:43:56 GMT -6
Walt- T pretty much said what I wanted. I knew you didn't know what the he11 you were talking about..... ;D T
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Post by turbot on Dec 11, 2009 10:48:06 GMT -6
Once you make it on over that crest of fear, you will find that riding the "on the limit" wave is quite thrilling (and fast). Patrick Yup.....agreed 100% there, comes a time when a session without a few slides, wiggles, bounces and "oh sh1t" moments just aint fun.... T
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Walt
I raced Once.
Posts: 96
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Post by Walt on Dec 11, 2009 11:08:15 GMT -6
Walt, I would have just given the "nice driving" default reply if what I saw there wasn't so obvious. [... POST SNIPPED for brevity...] You are already VERY aware on track and that's important. Anytime we ever used to run up to you in DEs, I knew you would be safe and fair but in the races, you need to come to the realization that you OWN part of the track when in proximity of other cars and you are not obligated to give anybody anything except in avoiding an incident. T T, All good points and taken to heart. I've gotta take ownership on the track and I know the confidence will continue to improve with experience. Gotta get over my slight paranoia about being a problem for anyone on track (overly cautious you might say) and focus ahead on my line and my driving and going faster while still being "aware". Thanks, Walt
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Walt
I raced Once.
Posts: 96
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Post by Walt on Dec 11, 2009 11:09:54 GMT -6
Hey Walt, one last thing that I think is helpful as a tool to review the race after the fact. Open up two browser tabs and get the race loaded up in two different windows. Stop/Start the beginning until you get them synced. You can switch between DC's view (or Eon's) and yours and see your car from inside and outside and learn a lot from that. T T, That's a great idea. I will have to check that out. Walt
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Walt
I raced Once.
Posts: 96
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Post by Walt on Dec 11, 2009 11:17:35 GMT -6
Walt and DC- Your videos showed some really good driving in places, and overall good car control. Because you can keep the car pointed in the correct direction, you need to work on your race-craft to keep up with the faster pack. Walt- T pretty much said what I wanted. It did seem like your car was pushing at the beginning of the video. Make sure your alignment is right. DC- (and Walt)- You were running a very modified line even when you had 3 car-lengths in between you and the others. If there is room to fit 7/8ths of your car in between two guys on the ideal line, put your car in there. Driving that far outside of the ideal line does a few things. First, it just isn't as fast. Second, it made you very inconsistent and you seemed disconnected from the task at hand. You weren't confident in your shift points and turn-in points and it made you busier than you should have been. On lapping days, you should run the modified lines to establish your braking and turn in points in those situations so you don't have to learn it during the race. Only drive a passing line when you are actually making a pass. Otherwise, stay in the draft and keep your speed up and pull out when it is time to make the move. If it doesn't stick, get your place back in the draft and try again. We drive production cars for a reason: they have bumpers. While you should be trying to avoid any contact, don't be too afraid of little bumper taps, especially in a straight line. Every car accelerates at different rates and love taps are just part of it. I've had people turn my mirrors on the way by. It's bound to happen. Overall, it looked like you guys had tons of fun. Keep working on it and try to catch up to the front pack. Good work. Andy, Thanks for the comments and advice. You're right my car was pushing, I couldn't get my pressures to stay where I wanted them throughout the day - very cold weather and the sun kept peaking in and out. I think my alignment is pretty good, but I will check into it. I've got to get to that unconscious confidence point in my driving/race-craft so that I don't have to think too much about the "basics" and can focus on the race. I am still having to think too much, unfortunately it is a trait I will have to work on, my nature is to over-think things. Thanks again, this is proving to be a valuable thread for me. Walt
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Walt
I raced Once.
Posts: 96
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Post by Walt on Dec 11, 2009 11:23:28 GMT -6
Walt, more constructive criticism here. After watching your video, I realize that you could be WAY faster in a few places. from the looks of it the car was kinda understeery that day, but I think you could go all the way down the straight and through 1 flat out...no kidding. Maybe all you need is a left foot brake there. Keep the throttle hammered, get WAY to the right, and just left foot brake and turn in to 1 to try to hit the concrete on the left. Once you get that the rest will take care of itself. I am willing to bet you have a half-second there each lap. It's a faith moment, but I think the car can do it. Also seems like on most corners you need to start thinking about "Get on the gas!" after apex (even just after turn-in on some of them). The more time on the gas, the faster you will be. I know it comes with experience and you are doing great being smooth and taking a pretty good line, but next time you go, out after lap 3 (tires good and hot), try to tell yourself "It's GO TIME". Seriously, push the car and get your brain in high gear and make some fast laps!! I think that's really all the advice I need to give you to get you about a second a lap faster! Once you make it on over that crest of fear, you will find that riding the "on the limit" wave is quite thrilling (and fast). Patrick Patrick, Based upon my car's previous owner's experience, you are right, the car is capable of taking T1 flat out. I have to trust it to do so. As for the "Get on the gas" sooner, you are right there too. Even my wife said the same thing. It is glaringly obvious when I look back at the video. Definitely I need to focus on next time out. I haven't hit that "on the limit" wave yet, but looking forward to it. Thanks, Walt
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Post by Fast Guys on Dec 11, 2009 12:16:39 GMT -6
Walt, more constructive criticism here. After watching your video, I realize that you could be WAY faster in a few places. from the looks of it the car was kinda understeery that day, but I think you could go all the way down the straight and through 1 flat out...no kidding. Maybe all you need is a left foot brake there. Keep the throttle hammered, get WAY to the right, and just left foot brake and turn in to 1 to try to hit the concrete on the left. Once you get that the rest will take care of itself. I am willing to bet you have a half-second there each lap. It's a faith moment, but I think the car can do it. Also seems like on most corners you need to start thinking about "Get on the gas!" after apex (even just after turn-in on some of them). The more time on the gas, the faster you will be. I know it comes with experience and you are doing great being smooth and taking a pretty good line, but next time you go, out after lap 3 (tires good and hot), try to tell yourself "It's GO TIME". Seriously, push the car and get your brain in high gear and make some fast laps!! I think that's really all the advice I need to give you to get you about a second a lap faster! Once you make it on over that crest of fear, you will find that riding the "on the limit" wave is quite thrilling (and fast). Patrick Patrick, Based upon my car's previous owner's experience, you are right, the car is capable of taking T1 flat out. I have to trust it to do so. As for the "Get on the gas" sooner, you are right there too. Even my wife said the same thing. It is glaringly obvious when I look back at the video. Definitely I need to focus on next time out. I haven't hit that "on the limit" wave yet, but looking forward to it. Thanks, Walt The feel that you are looking for in slower turns is to be threshold braking at turn in, as the car rotates, get on the gas. Basically, you pre-rotate the car going into the turn and catch it with the gas. The tighter the radius of the turn, the later you want your apex, but that means you actually get the car turned and are on the gas again prior to hitting the inside apex. About turn one: I have gotten through there at over 120mph. You guys should be around 105-112 at turn in. You can definitely make it. You will turn in just before you can see the turn "open up". Work up to it slowly, but every time you approach it, say, "I'm going to go 1mph faster." You will see where you need to aim to make it. The best passing area on the track is between 1 and 2. If you can carry 3-5 mph more speed through 1 than the guy in front of you, while staying on the gas, you can easily make the pass going into 2. It will be a tight pass, but when you take the inside, the outside guy has to give it up. One thing to note, if you are too close to the guy ahead of you on the approach to 1 and you have more head speed, you may close on him too early. These passes work the best if you have 3-5 mph difference and 1-3 car lengths between you. I hate to keep referencing this, but the video shows a lot of what I'm talking about. Notice how tight the beginning of the race is. Remember, the car stops a lot faster than it accelerates. Don't get off the gas if you think you are creeping to close, but shadow the brake with your left in case you have to stab it in a pinch. Steve Diniz taking it away from me: www.vimeo.com/2827785
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