I'll never forget the time Soebie Soekamto co drove Darren Madams' kart. He
took his first run, came in and duct taped his glasses to his face because
they were bouncing around so much. For those that know Soebi, you can
imagine his mannerisms when he gets excited and was explaining to us his run
and how his glasses where flying all over and he couldn't see and almost
spun and...and...and. Then seeing his glasses taped to his face...I almost
fell to the ground I was laughing so hard.
Pete
>
>Okay, then. :) The only place I have a real problem is Candlestick (and
>Topeka's north course) where my eyeballs bounce out of their sockets,
>making
>it hard to focus on ANY cone. :) I bet it's worse in a kart.
>--Pat K
>
>----------
> >From: "Peter Mottaz" <mph_16@hotmail.com>
> >To: lollipop487@attbi.com
> >Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 8:56 PM
> >
>
> > I do believe that your eye level and a somewhat tall driver in a kart's
>eye
> > level, are not that different!
> >
> > Pete
> >
> >
> >
> >>From: "Pat Kelly" <lollipop487@attbi.com>
> >>To: Peter Mottaz <mph_16@hotmail.com>, darren@madams.com
> >>CC: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >>Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >>Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 20:35:29 -0800
> >>
> >>Thanks...I was guessing, and guessed wrong. :) Although we've been
>accused
> >>of driving a large kart. :)
> >>--Pat K
> >>
> >>----------
> >> >From: "Peter Mottaz" <mph_16@hotmail.com>
> >> >To: lollipop487@attbi.com, darren@madams.com
> >> >Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >> >Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >> >Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 8:29 PM
> >> >
> >>
> >> > Actually Pat, its just the opposite. You have to know the course so
>well
> >>so
> >> > you don't have to guess where the course goes next or hope that
>looking
> >> > ahead will be enough. Things happen so fast and with the line of
>vision
> >> > being limited in a shifter kart, that if you are relying on "just"
> >>looking
> >> > ahead, you'll be very behind,or lost. ;-)
> >> >
> >> > You are correct about one thing though, the perspective is very
> >>different
> >> > from the seat. Thus for critical or unclear sections that are a sea
>of
> >> > cones, its best to sit down on one's derrihre and memorize the view
>from
> >>a
> >> > more correct viewpoint.
> >> >
> >> > Pete
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>From: "Pat Kelly" <lollipop487@attbi.com>
> >> >>To: Darren Madams <darren@madams.com>, Joe Ciarcia
> >><veloimpreza@yahoo.com>
> >> >>CC: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >> >>Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >> >>Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 17:17:36 -0800
> >> >>
> >> >>Walking the course if you're driving a kart might even be a waste of
> >>time
> >> >>cept to let you know approximately where the course goes. The point
>of
> >>view
> >> >>at walking height is a totally different perspective than sitting in
>a
> >> >>kart.
> >> >>What was clear at walking height just might disappear from the kart
> >>seat.
> >> >>:)
> >> >>--Pat K
> >> >>
> >> >>----------
> >> >> >From: "Darren Madams" <darren@madams.com>
> >> >> >To: Joe Ciarcia <veloimpreza@yahoo.com>
> >> >> >Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >> >> >Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >> >> >Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 5:19 PM
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >> > An excellent question. I'll answer it in two (possibly more)
>ways.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The "hardest" autox skill to learn is without a doubt left foot
> >>braking.
> >> >> > It just requires hours of practice, and development of muscles and
> >> >> > dexterity that you have no use for outside of racing (and even
>then
> >>it's
> >> >> > debatable how useful it is). Rob Luis left foot broke my Integra
>at
> >>my
> >> >> > first autocross school... I've been a believer ever since. Learn
> >> >>driving
> >> >> > an automatic on the street, then progress to a three pedal
>machine,
> >>then
> >> >> > try it autocrossing. I'm still not great at it, but damn did it
>work
> >> >>well
> >> >> > at the first SFR rallycross!!!
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The skill that takes the longest time to perfect, yet gives the
>most
> >> >> > reward? Maximazing (or exceeding in a manner that improves time)
>the
> >> >> > traction of the car in all directions. Read that again. This
>mainly
> >> >> > applies in my case to getting the most forward direction out of
>the
> >> >> > tires... in my understeering Integra that meant not overpowering
>the
> >> >>front
> >> >> > wheels when they were trying to turn as well (power-on
>understeer),
> >>and
> >> >>on
> >> >> > my kart it means not overpowering the rear tires when coming out
>of a
> >> >>slow
> >> >> > tight corner. However, it also means getting the most out of the
> >> >>lateral
> >> >> > capabilities in long sweepers... that's taking the right line, and
> >>being
> >> >> > smooth. It also means getting the most out of the traction under
> >> >>braking.
> >> >> > As Kevin talks about, weight transfer is a key ingredient to
>consider
> >> >>here
> >> >> > as well. ABS or not, there is a limit your tires can do
>(independent
> >>of
> >> >> > available braking force) that you need to get as close to as
> >>possible.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > As for your braking problems, at the school two years ago they did
>a
> >> >> > braking square exercise... that's the best way to learn. Braking
>in
> >>a
> >> >> > straight line teaches you nothing about loading the outside front
> >>tire
> >> >>(or
> >> >> > unloading the inside rear). It also teaches you nothing about
>trail
> >> >>braking.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I'll put in the obligatory plug for Geez here. It will quickly
>give
> >>you
> >> >> > numbers about just how hard you are braking. You can do a
>baseline
> >> >> > straight stop to find your maximum possible braking g's, then try
>to
> >> >> > approach that in a competition environment.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > --Darren
> >> >> >
> >> >> > p.s. Katie's comment about looking ahead is also a good one! I
>was
> >>in a
> >> >> > rut big time and not walking the course for two events drastically
> >> >>improved
> >> >> > my driving.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Joe Ciarcia <veloimpreza@yahoo.com> wrote ..
> >> >> >> I'm sure this thread title will attract some colorful
> >> >> >> responses from this oh so serious crowd <hehe>.
> >> >> >> Seriously though, what do you think is the hardest
> >> >> >> skill to master in autox?
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> After reading a post on the i-club board I realized
> >> >> >> that the thing I have the most difficulty with is
> >> >> >> braking. When I think about it, just about every
> >> >> >> mistake that I've been making is related to braking. I
> >> >> >> think I'm choosing okay lines, at least I'm not making
> >> >> >> any HUGE mistakes about the line I'd ***LIKE*** to
> >> >> >> take. Proper braking seems to be an elusive skill for
> >> >> >> me though.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> How does one practice braking? Seems like a silly
> >> >> >> question but seriously, how do I get better at it? I
> >> >> >> seem to be in a rut. It would seem as if most people
> >> >> >> brake to late, or brake to early however I don't seem
> >> >> >> to discriminate between the two (maybe I lean a little
> >> >> >> be towards braking too early which probably makes some
> >> >> >> sense for my experience level). This past event I
> >> >> >> experienced "HOLY CRAP, I didn't know my car could
> >> >> >> stop that fast" and... "ummm... yeah, I'm off course
> >> >> >> because I really wanted to do a donut, yeah that's
> >> >> >> it".
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Cheers Joe
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> =====
> >> >> >> Silly little Yahoo advert follows...
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> __________________________________________________
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> >> >
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