From: Peter Bodensteiner <levelland@hotmail.com>
>OK, here's a driving question, or at least, driving-related question. I've
>run into the same problem at the last 3-4 events I have run: My first run
>is my fastest, even encouragingly fast, and then I can't improve on it.
...
>Does anyone have any advice about how to get out of this rut? I'm sure
some
>of you must have been here before, right?
Luckily, sometimes that first run has gotten me the first-place trophy. My
theory was that on those occasions, I set a winning-time first run because I
didn't know any better. I pressed harder on subsequent runs and got a
little sloppy, giving times which were in the same second, but slower.
Sound familiar? Control mistakes and overreaching which to not cause hit
cones can slow you down. Tire scrub always costs time.
Maybe you are doing the right things, but are not really pushing the
envelope. Are you hitting any cones when you press harder? Once you start
hitting cones, determine why you are hitting them.
There are two general reasons for hitting a cone:
1) You steered into it and hit it while in perfect control of your car. In
a learning mode, you should be hitting some of these. It gives you a sense
of how close you are coming to the important cones. This is a key skill in
using the whole track, which is essential to fast times. I am REALLY slow
in learning this when I get into a different car. I had it figured
perfectly in my MG Midget after three seasons (I told you I was slow at
this) and of course I sold the car as soon as I was winning.
2) You lost control of the car and went someplace you didn't want to go.
Whether understeering over a cone or spinning over a cone, this indicates
that you were expecting too much from the car. This is also a learning
experience. It teaches you what it feels like as your car approaches the
limit.
Press harder. Hit some cones. Then analyze WHY you hit each cone. It is
nearly always one of these two reasons. Each one teaches you something.
Or maybe you are near what is possible with your car and setup. Get a good
driver to take you for a ride in your car. Not necessarily someone who wins
with a hot car (but it might be), but someone who makes fast times look easy
in all kinds of cars. This teaches you more about what is possible in your
car.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
Lotus Europa, VW Quantum Syncro, Chev Suburban
LOON, TCVWC, MAC
pethier@isd.net http://www.visi.com/mac/
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