DaveHAT
20-10-2006, 08:22 PM
When first embarking on the circuit racing game, there are some very common mistakes that people make. Many of these require practice and patience to master. The art of going fast around a race track is acquired through practice.
Hopefully, some people may find the information provided in this simple HOW TO useful should they wish to have a go at one of our Trackchat circuit days. The information contained within is just the opinion of the writer and no reflection on Trackchat.com.au. I do not profess that this is "the best" way to attack circuit racing but I hope some may find the information I have gained through my experiences with advanced driving schools and on circuit days of some use.:)
#1: Incorrect Driving Position
The proper driving position is important because it helps you get the optimal feedback from your car whilst keeping you from becoming fatigued. Your seat should be adjusted so that you are able to depress the clutch completely and perform heel/toe braking without banging your knee on the steering column. You should also be able to use the "foot rest" and the drivers door for support through itighter turns. Your seatbelt should be tight so that you do not need to rely upon the steering wheel for support.
When seated behind the wheel you should have a 90 to 120 degree bend in your elbows with your hands in the proper 3 and 9 o’clock positions on the steering wheel. This will allow you to make a 180-degree turn of the wheel when you need to correct an oversteer slide. Ideally, your thumbs should be in contact with the 3 and 9 spokes on the steering wheel. This gives you more direct feedback from the front suspension in case of an understeer situation. Hands inside the steering wheel is a BIG NO NO !!! Should you lose control of your vehicle or hit a kerb which can jerk the steering wheel out of your hands, you can potentially break one or both of your arms.... BAD
Another little trick that may help with driver position, is before you go out onto the track pull your seat belt tight then give it a quick tug to make it lock into place, this will stay locked until you are back in the pits.
Your backside should be tucked firmly into the seat back, this will give you a better feel for what the rear end of the car is doing. Get comfortable, go faster....simple
#2: Failure to Look Ahead
The most common driving mistake in both day to day driving and circuit racing is failure to look far enough ahead. Most people become lazy and look only between the A pillars and at the tip of the bonnet. With the high speeds on a race track this is really inadequate vision. You must condition yourself not only to look much farther ahead, but out the left and right side windows as well.
Entering a corner, ALWAYS BRAKE IN A STRAIGHT LINE !!!!! On approach to a corner you must be looking ahead to the apex of the corner. This requires you to be looking out the side windows and corners of the windscreen. Before reaching the apex, you should be looking ahead to your corner exit point. Always attempt to drive ahead of where you currently are on the track and always use your peripheral vision to look further ahead.
The rule of thumb is, "The faster the car, the further you should look ahead." Failure to lift your vision and look ahead will most likely mean you go slower.
Practice looking further ahead and out side windows as you negotiate day to day traffic. You'll be amazed how useful this practice is.
#3: Incorrect Braking Technique
ALWAYS BRAKE IN A STRAIGHT LINE and NEVER pull the handbrake on after a session on the track. Heat build up in the brakes/rotors can cause the brake pads to adhere to the rotors and should be avoided at all costs. Some drivers brake hard enough in a straight line to slow their car down for the corner, but then they totally release the brake or go to the throttle before they get to the apex of the corner. They transfer the weight off the front tires and onto the rear wheels just when they need their steering the most. This can cause the car to go into an oversteer slide. Whilst this generally look impressive IT IS SLOWER !
AUTO Drivers: You have 2 feet and 2 pedals so why not use both of them ???? Some people are not comfortable with left foot braking technique but it can and does help when circuit racing. Try it out, it may work for you and studies have shown that faster braking responses can be achieved through using your left foot to brake. Once again, practice is the key here.
#4: Downshift Gears
More correctly, this should be called "Improper Brake and Downshift Technique," since it is difficult to separate the two. I would like to explain the entire sequence of heel-and-toe braking and downshifting; but it would be an epic in itself. Simply put, the theory of the heel-and-toe downshift is this: When braking and downshifting prior to a corner, you must brake in a straight line while simultaneously depressing the clutch and revving the engine to match the road speed, then selecting a lower gear and releasing the clutch.....................all without upsetting the balance of the car. Sounds easy hey??
The ball of your braking foot should be on the brake pedal whilst the heel is used to "blip" the throttle when downchanging gears.
Practice this with the car turned off.
Practiice putting pressure on the brake pedal with the ball of your foot while swinging your heel and the outside of your foot over onto the accelerator.
Matering this art takes time and practice and no explaination I can provide can adequately explain how to do it. If you are unsure of how to do it, DON'T. In certain vehicles this may be more difficult than others due to the layout of the pedalbox and pedals. Ask around and find someone who is proficient in heel/toe braking and get them to show you is probably the best advice I can give.
#5: Apexing Too Early
On most race tracks, there are far more late-apex corners than early-apex corners. So, if you want to be successful in circuit racing, it is advisable to become confident at driving There is an easy way to determine the location of the apex for a corner. Work backwards from the corner exit point, to the apex, then to the turn-in point. Ideally, you want to exit the corner in as straight a line as possible. This will help you maintain momentum and maximize straightline speed.
When dealing with corner's, this simple sentence may save you a great deal of frustration: "go in slow and come out fast". Late braking can look very "oh ahhh" but in general terms is slower. Tidy is the fast way around a racetrack.
Apexing too early is a big killer of straightline momentum. The symptoms of apexing too early are as follows: You turn into the corner where you think the apex should be, but upon exiting the corner, you find that you need excessive steering input just to stay on the track (understeer). You have major understeer and you are scrubbing off way too much speed at the exit point of the corner.
#6: Accelerating to early / power oversteer.
Some people have made a sport out of this and called it drifting however the serious circuit racer will find it annoying as it IS slower. It is not a condition you have to live with forever, but the cure takes patience and control to master.
It is not enough to brake and downshift properly and turn into the apex at the right point if you still are going to apply "give it heaps" on the exit of the corner. Be patient. Makes sure you have the car balanced before getting on the accelerator. Accelerating before the apex of a corner will just exacerbate understeer and wear out your front tyres. Get your car pointed towards the apex of the corner and then line up the exit point of the of the corner. Why accelerate before you have the car pointed in the right direction? When you transition from brake to throttle, do it smoothly without upsetting the balance of the car, but be ready to go to the throttle when you reach your last apex and the car is pointed down the straight.
#7: Use the Entire Track
Professional race drivers use every last inch of the race track, including the kerbs. Not using the entire race track can hurt your lap times. Using the whole track requires practice once again and the first time you ride over the kerbs/ripple strips can be a butt puckering event as the noise can be a little frigthening. Touching the kerbs tells you you are using the entire track. Racing is a game of inches. Inches become tenths of a second. A tenth of a second on each corner can turn into a full second per lap...... .....and no that was not calculated on a 6 degree day at a Barometric pressure of 103u4y9595u0 with relative humidity of who cares.
Here's hoping this is of some use to somebody. Enjoy you circuit racing experience, remember..... if you're not enjoying youself, you're missing the point of the whole experience.
Cheers.:D
EDIT: please add, correct or delete any parts of this that people feel are inaccurate. As said this is just my spin on the art of roundy roundy.
Hopefully, some people may find the information provided in this simple HOW TO useful should they wish to have a go at one of our Trackchat circuit days. The information contained within is just the opinion of the writer and no reflection on Trackchat.com.au. I do not profess that this is "the best" way to attack circuit racing but I hope some may find the information I have gained through my experiences with advanced driving schools and on circuit days of some use.:)
#1: Incorrect Driving Position
The proper driving position is important because it helps you get the optimal feedback from your car whilst keeping you from becoming fatigued. Your seat should be adjusted so that you are able to depress the clutch completely and perform heel/toe braking without banging your knee on the steering column. You should also be able to use the "foot rest" and the drivers door for support through itighter turns. Your seatbelt should be tight so that you do not need to rely upon the steering wheel for support.
When seated behind the wheel you should have a 90 to 120 degree bend in your elbows with your hands in the proper 3 and 9 o’clock positions on the steering wheel. This will allow you to make a 180-degree turn of the wheel when you need to correct an oversteer slide. Ideally, your thumbs should be in contact with the 3 and 9 spokes on the steering wheel. This gives you more direct feedback from the front suspension in case of an understeer situation. Hands inside the steering wheel is a BIG NO NO !!! Should you lose control of your vehicle or hit a kerb which can jerk the steering wheel out of your hands, you can potentially break one or both of your arms.... BAD
Another little trick that may help with driver position, is before you go out onto the track pull your seat belt tight then give it a quick tug to make it lock into place, this will stay locked until you are back in the pits.
Your backside should be tucked firmly into the seat back, this will give you a better feel for what the rear end of the car is doing. Get comfortable, go faster....simple
#2: Failure to Look Ahead
The most common driving mistake in both day to day driving and circuit racing is failure to look far enough ahead. Most people become lazy and look only between the A pillars and at the tip of the bonnet. With the high speeds on a race track this is really inadequate vision. You must condition yourself not only to look much farther ahead, but out the left and right side windows as well.
Entering a corner, ALWAYS BRAKE IN A STRAIGHT LINE !!!!! On approach to a corner you must be looking ahead to the apex of the corner. This requires you to be looking out the side windows and corners of the windscreen. Before reaching the apex, you should be looking ahead to your corner exit point. Always attempt to drive ahead of where you currently are on the track and always use your peripheral vision to look further ahead.
The rule of thumb is, "The faster the car, the further you should look ahead." Failure to lift your vision and look ahead will most likely mean you go slower.
Practice looking further ahead and out side windows as you negotiate day to day traffic. You'll be amazed how useful this practice is.
#3: Incorrect Braking Technique
ALWAYS BRAKE IN A STRAIGHT LINE and NEVER pull the handbrake on after a session on the track. Heat build up in the brakes/rotors can cause the brake pads to adhere to the rotors and should be avoided at all costs. Some drivers brake hard enough in a straight line to slow their car down for the corner, but then they totally release the brake or go to the throttle before they get to the apex of the corner. They transfer the weight off the front tires and onto the rear wheels just when they need their steering the most. This can cause the car to go into an oversteer slide. Whilst this generally look impressive IT IS SLOWER !
AUTO Drivers: You have 2 feet and 2 pedals so why not use both of them ???? Some people are not comfortable with left foot braking technique but it can and does help when circuit racing. Try it out, it may work for you and studies have shown that faster braking responses can be achieved through using your left foot to brake. Once again, practice is the key here.
#4: Downshift Gears
More correctly, this should be called "Improper Brake and Downshift Technique," since it is difficult to separate the two. I would like to explain the entire sequence of heel-and-toe braking and downshifting; but it would be an epic in itself. Simply put, the theory of the heel-and-toe downshift is this: When braking and downshifting prior to a corner, you must brake in a straight line while simultaneously depressing the clutch and revving the engine to match the road speed, then selecting a lower gear and releasing the clutch.....................all without upsetting the balance of the car. Sounds easy hey??
The ball of your braking foot should be on the brake pedal whilst the heel is used to "blip" the throttle when downchanging gears.
Practice this with the car turned off.
Practiice putting pressure on the brake pedal with the ball of your foot while swinging your heel and the outside of your foot over onto the accelerator.
Matering this art takes time and practice and no explaination I can provide can adequately explain how to do it. If you are unsure of how to do it, DON'T. In certain vehicles this may be more difficult than others due to the layout of the pedalbox and pedals. Ask around and find someone who is proficient in heel/toe braking and get them to show you is probably the best advice I can give.
#5: Apexing Too Early
On most race tracks, there are far more late-apex corners than early-apex corners. So, if you want to be successful in circuit racing, it is advisable to become confident at driving There is an easy way to determine the location of the apex for a corner. Work backwards from the corner exit point, to the apex, then to the turn-in point. Ideally, you want to exit the corner in as straight a line as possible. This will help you maintain momentum and maximize straightline speed.
When dealing with corner's, this simple sentence may save you a great deal of frustration: "go in slow and come out fast". Late braking can look very "oh ahhh" but in general terms is slower. Tidy is the fast way around a racetrack.
Apexing too early is a big killer of straightline momentum. The symptoms of apexing too early are as follows: You turn into the corner where you think the apex should be, but upon exiting the corner, you find that you need excessive steering input just to stay on the track (understeer). You have major understeer and you are scrubbing off way too much speed at the exit point of the corner.
#6: Accelerating to early / power oversteer.
Some people have made a sport out of this and called it drifting however the serious circuit racer will find it annoying as it IS slower. It is not a condition you have to live with forever, but the cure takes patience and control to master.
It is not enough to brake and downshift properly and turn into the apex at the right point if you still are going to apply "give it heaps" on the exit of the corner. Be patient. Makes sure you have the car balanced before getting on the accelerator. Accelerating before the apex of a corner will just exacerbate understeer and wear out your front tyres. Get your car pointed towards the apex of the corner and then line up the exit point of the of the corner. Why accelerate before you have the car pointed in the right direction? When you transition from brake to throttle, do it smoothly without upsetting the balance of the car, but be ready to go to the throttle when you reach your last apex and the car is pointed down the straight.
#7: Use the Entire Track
Professional race drivers use every last inch of the race track, including the kerbs. Not using the entire race track can hurt your lap times. Using the whole track requires practice once again and the first time you ride over the kerbs/ripple strips can be a butt puckering event as the noise can be a little frigthening. Touching the kerbs tells you you are using the entire track. Racing is a game of inches. Inches become tenths of a second. A tenth of a second on each corner can turn into a full second per lap...... .....and no that was not calculated on a 6 degree day at a Barometric pressure of 103u4y9595u0 with relative humidity of who cares.
Here's hoping this is of some use to somebody. Enjoy you circuit racing experience, remember..... if you're not enjoying youself, you're missing the point of the whole experience.
Cheers.:D
EDIT: please add, correct or delete any parts of this that people feel are inaccurate. As said this is just my spin on the art of roundy roundy.