finding 9/10ths

[thad]

I've come up with quite a few excuses for my driving, one of my latest cop-outs got me considering a saying (can't remember the source and I can only paraphrase it) It's easier for a driver at 11/10ths to reel it in than it is for a someone who drives at 9/10ths to find the extra 10th. I'd always regarded this as a positive affirmation for those who tend to push a vehicle to and perhaps past its limits. I'm not sure how well this saying applies to me though, I remember my first time auto crossing, i was putting around the course without the slightest tire squeal, Ian Lewis took a lap in my driver seat and showed me what my car had in it. The very next lap i took was 2-3 seconds faster and on pace. its was one of my biggest shifts as a driver and probably the easiest lesson I've ever learned. the other edge of that sword has been my inability to back off what i erroneously consider a good pace. I can start a lap knowing the areas that have given me trouble, but I just can't seem to convince myself to smooth it out.
maybe I'm too young and eager, maybe I need more time behind the wheel, maybe I'm just more afraid of under driving than over driving a course.

thoughts?

[Justin]

If I don't knock down any cones on the first 2 laps, I am not getting close enough to them. ;)

[dbratten]

Having another faster driver drive your car is the best way I know of to find out if throwing more money at your vehicle is needed to make it faster. Or if tweaking your settings will help. If others can get in your car cold and within a run or two be going faster -- then it's not the car. That doesn't mean that your car is set up well but it indicates that you're not getting everything out of what you have.

A friend/competitor of mine who runs AAS with a well prepared C5 Z06 M6 swapped cars with me and my well enough prepared C6 A6 for two out of five runs at one event last year. We each drove our own cars with the other as a passenger to get a feel for each other's car prior to racing it. We then switched cars -- driving each other's -- and went along as a passenger. We both beat the owner's time for the first run. We went back to our own cars and ran solo -- beating the car's fastest time again. On the fourth run, we were back in each other's car and ran around the same times. Finally, on the fifth run and back in our own cars we ran close times again. He ended up beating me with a better clean run. I beat him on scratch time but not clean. We had a total blast and created quite a bit of interest once people saw what we were doing. We each gained respect for the other in how we each drove our cars as they were quite different but both very capable in their own way. We discovered that we also have very different driving styles that somehow worked in both cars. But, I think we each learned from the other and I feel that I am driving better now from this experience.

Smoothing it out is not only a problem for the "young and eager" as most any of us will confirm. It's a constant struggle as I display at each event. Don't be concerned with "under driving the course." That's something you are putting on yourself as no one else will notice. Make sure you know where the course goes so that your first run can be at race speeds. You should have it memorized and be able to draw it in the air before running. Beyond that, seat time matters as does knowing the limits of your car and tires. If you haven't "lost it" you aren't trying hard enough. That's that 11/10ths thing you were talking about. :D

--Dan



I remember my first time auto crossing, i was putting around the course without the slightest tire squeal, Ian Lewis took a lap in my driver seat and showed me what my car had in it. The very next lap i took was 2-3 seconds faster and on pace. its was one of my biggest shifts as a driver and probably the easiest lesson I've ever learned. the other edge of that sword has been my inability to back off what i erroneously consider a good pace. I can start a lap knowing the areas that have given me trouble, but I just can't seem to convince myself to smooth it out.
maybe I'm too young and eager, maybe I need more time behind the wheel, maybe I'm just more afraid of under driving than over driving a course.

thoughts?

[bgriggs]

We discovered that we also have very different driving styles that somehow worked in both cars. But, I think we each learned from the other and I feel that I am driving better now from this experience.

I think this a testament to the awesome engineering in the Corvette as well.

[bgriggs]

Thad, I haven't been living the crazy autocrosser's life long but I feel that I know two things that helped me that could help you. One, less distance is always faster. I always try to keep this in the back of my mind. This is what makes those runs that 'feel' slow become your fastest times. I think in some cases, especilally for new drivers, that driving at 8/10 might be faster than 10/10. Two, walk the course, repeat if necessary. I also try to walk the course alone, so conversation doesn't distract. I always walk the course at least twice. I like the feeling of not having to remember a course, but knowing it. At the regional solo last year, I walked that course about 10 times before running it, and twice after. Looking for windows between cones, surface changes, and the like is much easier done while walking.




If I don't knock down any cones on the first 2 laps, I am not getting close enough to them. ;)

Exactly

[racinric95]

Hi Thad,
I've been doing auto-x since 1975. Everytime I go out on course I learn something new. I still rely on my mentors for coaching and encouragement.
Only a very few drivers have a natural talent for what we do. The rest of us
like me have to work on our skills almost daily. No matter what car you have or what level of prep your car is at, you the driver will have the greatest influence on how the car will react. When you start out in this sport consistency will be your greatest enemy. You already know that you lack patience. The "slower" you go the faster you become. At the last event we had a driver who had to do a "burn-out" at the start. When I told him to be less aggressive his time improved. Keep an open mind and keep asking questions. Continue to work on your skills. Stay consistent on the things you do well and work on the things you have difficulty with.

Ric

[miatacrosser]

It may be easier for someone to reel-it-in than to go from 9 to 10/10ths but I guarantee that the 9/10s guy will be faster than the 11/10s guy every lap.

Newbies tend to overdrive the entrance to corners thus making them spend their time in the corner gathering the car back up instead of concentrating on exiting. The idea is to not have to struggle with gathering the car up after you turn the wheel. Once the tires break loose. You are no longer driving the car

A guy named Newton is.;)

[Mister2]

Hey Dan, want to try that car swap thing with me? I think I can learn a lot from driving the vette. :D

BTW That ride-along you gave me last time really blew me away. Having HP, grip, brakes, and a good driver = something special.

[thad]

Thanks for all the input guys i appreciate it.


Newbies tend to overdrive the entrance to corners ... The idea is to not have to struggle with gathering the car up after you turn the wheel.
Yep, that's one of my bad habits, that an missed turn in points, i suppose I really ought to focus on my entries.


Make sure you know where the course goes so that your first run can be at race speeds. You should have it memorized and be able to draw it in the air before running.


Two, walk the course, repeat if necessary. I also try to walk the course alone, so conversation doesn't distract. I always walk the course at least twice. I like the feeling of not having to remember a course, but knowing it.
this has been an issue for me as well, though its becoming esier as i attend more events and help with course setup. when i started all i could see was an endless orange ocean, but as time goes by I've found it easier to recognize a course. My short term memory is not as sharp as some of you guys', so i really have to give myself some extra time to memorize it.


Only a very few drivers have a natural talent for what we do. The rest of us
like me have to work on our skills almost daily.
i have a good deal of natural talent in quite a few areas, car control is not one of them. i think its one of the reasons i'm so attracted to racing, its so challenging and so frustrating for me, that when I can get it right, its so much more rewarding.
i can get a bit jealous in the preresence of truly talented drivers, but I do admire them.
one of my goals for next year is to co-drive with Brian H. or at least get him to drive my car.

[schrotacular]

I remember one event in particular I was struggling breaking under the 1:02.xxx mark. In between runs we pulled a plug to check to see if we were running rich or not, and so I went out for my next run, instantly knowing I was running on seven cylinders (we left the spark plug wire off). I came in with a time of 1:01.xxx very humbling that it was my right foot that was slowing me down! :o

[JFine]

Yeah Aaron I know what you mean but I have never taken it to that extreme. :p
I have told myself "I will just cool off on this lap and take it easy and I either came in faster or the same as when I am GOING FOR IT."