richap2

I am relatively new to this site, manly a lurker after owning my car for over a year. After owning an 03 miata for 3 years and being very involved in autocross, the s2000 was acquired. Of course making my way back into the autocross competition I have been urning for more. A few friends were heading down to Portland International Raceway, I tagged along for my 1st ever track day. Well this is my video from the last heat of the day. I admit I was feeling pretty good and I hope you watch passed the 1st 2 laps because I actually do some good driving, verses hazard driving. The car is bone stock other than a hard-dog roll bar and I am running Kumho Spt's which were VERY hot and slippery by this time. I hope you enjoy. oh I get talked to after for too much sliding , it was worth it.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=783...896923&hl=en-CA

ps. the camera I was using is an Oregon Scientific ATC 2k.

Hobbs5313

What setting did you use for the camcorder? I have the same one and want to use it for my next event. Thnx.

shaggy

My critique...

There were way too many places where large corrections were required. This appeared to be mainly because of aggressive use of trailbraking. The back end of the car spends too much time unsettled at mid-corner and you are not able to apply throttle as early as you should. This is costly when considering lap times. Fortunately, you seemed to have T8 and T12 pretty well figured out as these are the important turns.

Also, the line is very inconsistent. At times it is correct. At times it is miserable. I don't necessarily agree with the Alfa Club line, but you didn't consistently drive any line. While you were generally in the right place, you need to be able to place your car in nearly the exact same place every lap. This certainly was not happening.

The good: You have a keen sense of how hard you can push. With refinement and practice, you'll get to be fast.

The bad: The person that talked to you about too much sliding is correct. If you don't work on your driving technique, you'll be a coming attraction for a tire wall. Back off of the trailbraking and FOCUS on driving a consistent and smooth line. Once that becomes easy, then you can think about being agressive again.

Andy Howe

mikegarrison

I would add that the name of the track is not "Pacific International Raceway"....

mikegarrison

I agree with everything else, Andy, but I don't think he had T12 figured out. Did you notice the lap where he almost looped it there? I think he was not seeing the apex early enough, and thus having to make a correction in mid-corner.

It's been a while since I ran at PIR, but I don't remember any reason not to just turn in once for T12.

The most common error for drivers of any level is not looking far enough ahead of the car.

That will also help a lot with the quest to be able to drive a consistant line.

shaggy

Could be, Mike... There is absolutely no reason to turn in twice for T12. Pick a line, commit, accelerate.

I was just skimming the laps and didn't see anything horrid in T8 or T12. The 4 or 5 random laps I watched had at least one big bobble or gaf everywhere else, though. T4 / T5 being the worst of the wandering line theme.

richap2

I appreciate the pros and cons. One reason I posted it was to get some input from people who know. Shaggy, thanks a lot!!! I will be thinking of your advise next time I get a chance to track again. Mikegarrison, again, thank you. I think you are right I was more worried about hitting my braking point for that corner than I was looking forward in retrospect. What bothers me is I didn't get a chance to chase or follow anyone who seemed amazing, something I hope next time will change. Thanks again.

Hobbes, The cam was set at 30 fps with 640x480 res. And on a side note, awesome name. I named my chocolate lab Hobbes

rich

mikegarrison

Hitting the braking point is also mainly a matter of looking ahead. Seriously. Vision skills (and I'm talking about where you look, not whether you are 20/20 or whatever) are at least 75% of performance driving. You drive where you look, so you better look where you want to drive.

If you are looking at braking markers and such, you sometimes hit them early and sometimes hit them late. Then you have to guess at how hard to brake. But if you are looking at your turn-in point, you always know how much braking you need to get done by the time you get there, so it is your guide to both when and how hard you need to use the brake.

It's amazing as an instructor -- you can almost always tell where the driver is looking. Having to make a correction between turn-in and apex means, about 98% of the time, that the driver didn't see the apex before turning in. And the timing of when the driver makes the correction tells me exactly when they did spot the apex.

Likewise in my own driving -- whenever I get ragged I think about where I was looking. Invariably I realize that had drawn my vision in too close to the car.