First HP Driving class

[cmack]

Some footage of my first HP driving class with Apex driving school at Motorsports ranch in Cresson TX (running clockwise on the 1.7 course). This was session #4. Hell of alot of fun. Long way to go to understand the correct racing lines.
Lap 5 was best of day.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-B...6bP5fjWJLPEKRr

[Norm Peterson]

What I think you need to do is learn to imagine the path the car will need to take through the entire corner (or through a sequence of closely-spaced corners), not just what it takes to steer it over toward the inside curbing when the road is about to bend out of straight. This is something that very few people ever pick up from their street driving, as there's normally so much margin of grip remaining at street speeds that almost any line can be made to work - and it doesn't much matter "how well" it works as long as it works at all.

Learn how to think where you want the car to be, and where you want it pointed, further down the track than what normal street driving tends to teach you is "far enough ahead" (it isn't, or at least it won't be as you get faster). Actually, this is something that you can still practice in your street driving, subject to the limitations of lane width rather than total pavement width. Nobody teaches that in driver ed, either.

Put "squeezing into the throttle" into your street driving, too. When it's second-nature to use the throttle that way, you'll be far less likely to use too much too quickly on the track. Or in the wet anywhere.


I also thought it poor-ish etiquette on the part of the driver of the blue car (at about 2:50) to move back on line that close to you in an instructed novice session (advanced or experienced intermediate run groups, sure, have at it). If he was that concerned about not being able to make the corner from a slightly off line entry after passing you he should have just postponed his pass. Something that you can take away from his driving (I'm assuming that he was also a novice) is that he gave up an opportunity to feel what it might take to be off line through at least the early part of a corner.


Norm

[Norm Peterson]

FWIW, it took several times to see that driver give you a point-by . . . a barely visible hand-only out the window barely above the mirror at 11:00. Kind of a "how not to give a point-by".


Norm

[cmack]

Thank you for the feedback Norm.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Learn how to think where you want the car to be, and where you want it pointed, further down the track than what normal street driving tends to teach you is "far enough ahead" (it isn't, or at least it won't be as you get faster). Actually, this is something that you can still practice in your street driving, subject to the limitations of lane width rather than total pavement width. Nobody teaches that in driver ed, either.

We spend quite a bit of time in classroom and in first few sessions with looking ahead and how far to look ahead. Looking through the corner. I found that the most difficult lesson to (try) and put into practice. It was the deep corners that was hard. Going 90+ into corner and trying to look past it and my mind did not want to comply. It wanted to look at the corner curbs.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Put "squeezing into the throttle" into your street driving, too. When it's second-nature to use the throttle that way, you'll be far less likely to use too much too quickly on the track

I believe the turbos are adding a layer of complexity. There were times I was trying to be smooth with acceleration but still got dinged by instructor. There are points in video where I am on and off the gas out of corner, turbos are giving me more than I want. I have to learn how to squeeze my throttle, which seems to be trigger happy.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I also thought it poor-ish etiquette on the part of the driver of the blue car (at about 2:50) to move back on line that close to you in an instructed novice session

I am glad you noticed. I pointed to mirror, then pointed him over and only maintained throttle. I did not accelerate that portion. I felt he could have given me more room and still made his line.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Something that you can take away from his driving (I'm assuming that he was also a novice) is that he gave up an opportunity to feel what it might take to be off line through at least the early part of a corner.

Understood!

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by cmack

Thank you for the feedback Norm.


We spend quite a bit of time in classroom and in first few sessions with looking ahead and how far to look ahead. Looking through the corner. I found that the most difficult lesson to (try) and put into practice. It was the deep corners that was hard. Going 90+ into corner and trying to look past it and my mind did not want to comply. It wanted to look at the corner curbs.

That's why I think it helps to work a little from the track day side of driving a corner into your daily driving. Not having to put as much conscious thought into it sure helps, and comes with continued practice.

I believe the turbos are adding a layer of complexity. There were times I was trying to be smooth with acceleration but still got dinged by instructor. There are points in video where I am on and off the gas out of corner, turbos are giving me more than I want. I have to learn how to squeeze my throttle, which seems to be trigger happy.

I'm sure the turbos are introducing a little extra difficulty - one of the cars in my sig is a turbo, and there always seems to be a little uncertainty about when the power (and how much of it) is going to kick in on corner exit. If you can dial the boost back a bit, that'd probably help.



Norm
full disclosure - I'm not an instructor, just an ordinary guy who happens to have had a corner-carving approach to driving for a rather long time

[cmack]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

That's why I think it helps to work a little from the track day side of driving a corner into your daily driving. Not having to put as much conscious thought into it sure helps, and comes with continued practice.

It will be several months before next one, this gives me some skills to work on.

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I'm sure the turbos are introducing a little extra difficulty - one of the cars in my sig is a turbo, and there always seems to be a little uncertainty about when the power (and how much of it) is going to kick in on corner exit. If you can dial the boost back a bit, that'd probably help.

Over boost was turned off and ran only wastegates. Before the event, I wanted to drop the springs from 8.7 to 7lbs. One pesky bolt head is stripped in wastgate. Always something

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Norm
full disclosure - I'm not an instructor, just an ordinary guy who happens to have had a corner-carving approach to driving for a rather long time

Thanks Norm, I appreciate all the help I can get

[wakespeak]

I was last at Cresson in March running the opposite direction in 3.1 config so a bit apple and oranges. FFWD the video to 1:35 to get to the 1.7 part of the track.

The main differences I saw were corners Tombstone and Big Bend. Assuming the direction is not a big factor, you can do 75+ through Big Bend and 70+ through Tombstone.

I have done the track twice and my times weren't great, so there is even more headroom. The usual stuff: use all of the track, unwind your wheel on exit more.

My friend's lap in a Fiesta no less in same direction on the 1.7.

[cmack]

wakespeak Thanks very much for the link to your video. I appreciate seeing your corner speeds, this will help for next time!

[h018871]

cmack are you registered for 23-24 Mar?

[cmack]

Geoff , no for 23/24. I am pretty sure I will be doing the Apex school for 03/02

[h018871]

Not familiar with apex school, need to look them up. I’ve enjoyed DE, especially with the 3.1
Hope to see you at a track soon!

[cmack]

If you are out to Cresson please let me know. I am pretty close and can stop by just to watch and say hi.

[h018871]

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