> When I am not in a good position is when I blow the final run.
Yes but blowing your final run due to anxiety seems
pretty normal to me. :) Maybe you need to focus more
when you are 5-6 cars back in grid?
Most people that know me know I'm fairly chatty.
But about 5-6 cars before the starter I'm not, that is a time
to focus, get psyched up for the run.
You might need to relax before the run or refocus your
mind. Maybe play a song that gets you to concentrate
or relax, focus on the cones or whatever works.
That's what I do I empty my mind (yeah I know... :^) )
and focus only on the cones and the gates I'll be going through.
I don't know if it helps but if you get a lot of anxiety on the last
run you might need to get your mind off of how important the
run is and relax.
Easier said than done but if you are too anxious that could be
causing you to overdrive.
Of course I'm a Novice and this is all merely speculation on my
part.
> It does help feel out the limits, but without another run to go on
> it can be frustrating. We are putting on a fresh set of tires for this
> weekend, hoping it helps. This is also very psycological, if you
believe it will
> help, it just might ;-) When I put the camber bolts in, I was so sure
it was
Maybe you need to run at an unimportant event points wise
and get some more runs in or take the Evolution Phase 1 school.
You'll lose all that anxiety after 20 or so runs.
I get about 2 hours of sleep before an event.
It's very psychological. Miata's have Voodoo knobs that add
at least 15 psychological horses to the engine.
Fresh tires are like fresh Pasta much better the next day. :)
> Being able to pull off that 10/10ths run every time is everyones
> goal, and
> there are many ways to try for it, but even the best mis from time
> to time.
Well it's a good thing they do or I wouldn't stand a chance. :)
> I can think of a coules names right off. Mark Dadio probably tops
> the list.
> Jeff Cashmore is also one of my targets, especially since I run
> against him
Yeah nothing like aspiring to beat Mark Daddio or
how about Bill Gendron or Bill Goodale or Andy Bettencourt
or Nick Leverone or Chang. The list goes on and on.
The NER region has some really good drivers but they aren't
untouchable and they didn't get good overnight.
I've finally gotten my tire pressures where I'm happy with them
and the year is half over. I am about 5 seconds off the pace from
the Open class cars in B-stock sometimes it's only 2 seconds.
But each time that we are a little bit closer we make them work
a bit harder and then we work a bit more.
Steel sharpens steel and all that.
> fairly often, and we drive the same car. Being beat by almost 2
> seconds on
> the first run can be discouraging. I usually improve more than Jeff,
> but the
> last time out, he even chopped off a good chunk on his last run.
I don't recall Jeff what class are you in FS?
Let them run in your car and see how well they do.
I've done that, it can be embarrassing but I also learn that
it's me that needs to improve.
> Once again I
> over cooked the last one. It was still clean, but the tire scrubbing
> in a long sweeper sure slowed the overall time.
I do that all the time, I know where I fouled up and if you know that
you can clean it up a bit the next time.
Also Mass Miata and the BMW club have events where you can get
more runs in. Mass Miata you'll get 6 runs in. I've heard 5 runs in
the BMW club but I am not running with them.
> At local events, it is wherever you line up in the grid.
Really? They gave me a number and that's where I'm at now
for the year. So I'm usually the first one off in Novice Stock.
As long as it isn't #13 I'm fine. :)
> At the big events, I run mid pack with 42. Maybe I should ask for
> 90's ;-)
Better yet run a single digit and see how well you do.
Praying might help, it sure can't hurt. :)
GOD! Please I need 2 more seconds on this Run!
Just 2 seconds! AMEN! :)
> Some of our local "Hot Shoes" go out and run a crazy first run
> whacking a
> bunch of cones and all just to feel out where the limits are on the
> course.
Hey now I don't hit all THAT many cones. :^)
I try to start slow and speed up versus tearing hell bent
through the course the first run. That is one of my big
accomplishments for the year. Last run is hell bent
usually.
> Then they slow down just enough to not go over the edge. It sure is
> funny to look at the results and se them move from 40th in class to a
top 5
> on the final run at Nationals. I have tried to do that, but it does not
> work for me. I usually run all my runs clean. Obviously not pushing
hard enough.
I run all my runs clean very few DNF's and very few cones.
Have someone ride with you and see where you can improve.
I had Bill Gendron ride with me and he wanted to know why
I was leaving so much room next to the cones (5-6 inches)
It's only a cone if you hit it, it can't hit back.
> My wife and I are both taking another Evolution/McKamey school again
> this year just before nationals. I always come out of them alot faster,
> but if you
> don't keep working on what they teach, you do lose some of the edge.
> I know after my runs when I do something wrong. Too late of course.
You have a lot more seat time that I do at least it sounds like it.
You might actually be better than you think. I will forget most of
what I learned at the Phase 1 school. They teach you a lot and
i can only absorb so much. I will take Phase 1 again next year
and I will get a lot more out of it.
But maybe running some smaller events with more runs would help.
That's why I like Mass Miata so much lots of runs even if I am running
on street tires for their events. I smoothed out quite a bit over 6 runs
from a 121.??? seconds to a 116.??? seconds, R compound guys were
running 108.??? seconds.
I agree with you 100% you have to keep practicing.
> When I took my first Phase 1 a couple years back, I went from an
> also ran to
> a top 20 runner. Compared to some very consistent drivers, I chopped
> off over
> 2 seconds after the Phase 1. The first 2 seconds were reletively
That's really good! :) I was fairly consistant in my times at the school.
No radical improvements but I felt more confident. I'd go up in one
area and down in another, but that's ok because someday my
transitions will all link up and I'll be much faster.
But 2 seconds is really decent!
> easy, I have
> been spending the better part of 3 years to get one more second to
> be a Top 5
> driver. So far I have done it just once with the 3rd a few weeks
> ago.
You have 3 times the seat time I do, but what class do you run in?
Must be a tough class, although most of them are.
At least it's a lot of fun to practice.
You are running in the NER region right?
Steve Bernard
Red '99 Miata (B-Stock)
NER Region (Novice Class)
mailto:Solo-2@juno.com
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