> HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT LINE TO DRIVE?
>
> As anyone who has ever walked a course with me can attest,
> looking ahead does not get me to the place I should be walking/driving
> --I can have the course memorized, know exactly where the next turn
> is and what it leads into and still have *no* clue where I should be/how
it
> should be set up/whatever. Maybe all other autocrossers are
> spatial-genius-types, but I'm clearly not (yesterday someone told me I
> was "pinching off corners" and I was too embarrassed to tell him that I
> had *no* idea what he meant).
>
> So, any great "ah-hah" experiences or breakthroughs? Rules?
> Suggestions?
> Thoughts? Things I can try with Hot Wheels cars?
Here's something you can try with Hot Wheels cars. It's a bit different
than the other responses, so take it as an *attitude* rather than a
technical guideline.
When I walk a course, in the back of my head a clock is ticking. (If you
don't know what a clock ticking sounds like, you are too young to benefit
from this profound wisdom.) I start with the premise that the course is a
straight dragstrip 3/4 mile long. That's the fastest I can possibly cover
that distance. Then I begin walking with the intent of minimizing the
differences between this course and a dragstrip. A straight is anywhere
that I can apply full throttle, just like a dragstrip. A turn is not
something to battle and triumph over, it is something to accomplish as
expediently as possible to get onto the next straight.
- Turn the course into as many straights as possible connected by as few
turns as necessary.
- Identify each of those straights, even the very short ones, and make sure
you *treat* them as straights by usiing full throttle.
- Spend as little time cornering as possible.
- Everything else will fall into place.
KeS
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