The biggest mistakes newer and intermediate drivers make.
12-20-2017, 08:47 PM
#16
If your rear brake pads wear out faster than your front pads, then you are guilty of this. If your rear brakes overheat, you are guilty of this.
I saw an instructor at COTA replacing his rear pads on his GT4 on Sunday morning. Front pads like new, left rear pad half worn, right rear pad completely gone.
I tried to explain this to him, but he KNEW the problem was that he was braking too hard and not accelerating enough in the turns.
Unfortunately, there are some students being taught that by him...
I saw an instructor at COTA replacing his rear pads on his GT4 on Sunday morning. Front pads like new, left rear pad half worn, right rear pad completely gone.
I tried to explain this to him, but he KNEW the problem was that he was braking too hard and not accelerating enough in the turns.
Unfortunately, there are some students being taught that by him...
12-30-2017, 11:57 AM
#17
Drifting
I think the hardest thing to learn at any level is to look beyond the nose of your car. By that I mean looking at flag stands, looking at track ahead for issues, and most importantly keeping an eye on mirrors to ensure not holding anyone up. It’s quite a mental task to control your car and be mindful of your surroundings. Once you are competent at knowing your surroundings it makes the days much easier, as you can control where you pass people and where faster cars can safely pass you.
12-30-2017, 03:28 PM
#18
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I think the hardest thing to learn at any level is to look beyond the nose of your car. By that I mean looking at flag stands, looking at track ahead for issues, and most importantly keeping an eye on mirrors to ensure not holding anyone up. It’s quite a mental task to control your car and be mindful of your surroundings. Once you are competent at knowing your surroundings it makes the days much easier, as you can control where you pass people and where faster cars can safely pass you.
The struggle is not only "eyes up and further down the road" but also to keep your eyes moving.
Like you say, the development of situational awareness, being "mindful of your surroundings" is key not only to your success, but the successful negotiation of both working through slower traffic and accommodating faster traffic getting by.
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12-30-2017, 04:14 PM
#19
Rennlist Member
Yes the Keep Your Eyes Moving is a huge concept and is critical
12-30-2017, 04:25 PM
#20
Good post!
The struggle is not only "eyes up and further down the road" but also to keep your eyes moving.
Like you say, the development of situational awareness, being "mindful of your surroundings" is key not only to your success, but the successful negotiation of both working through slower traffic and accommodating faster traffic getting by.
The struggle is not only "eyes up and further down the road" but also to keep your eyes moving.
Like you say, the development of situational awareness, being "mindful of your surroundings" is key not only to your success, but the successful negotiation of both working through slower traffic and accommodating faster traffic getting by.
At the same time, it's really cool to negotiate a wet track by looking ahead and letting your butt tell you what the car's doing so your instincts developed over years of driving take over--very rewarding.
Gary
12-30-2017, 05:10 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
Truth!
12-30-2017, 06:27 PM
#22
Rennlist Member
Number 1- They now are now solo trying to catch other cars thinking driving faster has to mean I am driving better . They end up turning in early. The worst part is they dont try an correct mis corner run out of road on the exit and then.................Yank it back on track. Most of the time that leads to 90 degrees into what ever is on the inside of the track .
Sorry guys I am just a pestamist
Oh and intermediate drivers dont feel bad this is also "1" way my advanced/instructor clients crash
Sorry guys I am just a pestamist
Oh and intermediate drivers dont feel bad this is also "1" way my advanced/instructor clients crash
12-30-2017, 06:36 PM
#23
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Number 1- They now are now solo trying to catch other cars thinking driving faster has to mean I am driving better . They end up turning in early. The worst part is they dont try an correct mis corner run out of road on the exit and then.................Yank it back on track. Most of the time that leads to 90 degrees into what ever is on the inside of the track .
Sorry guys I am just a pestamist
Oh and intermediate drivers dont feel bad this is also "1" way my advanced/instructor clients crash
Sorry guys I am just a pestamist
Oh and intermediate drivers dont feel bad this is also "1" way my advanced/instructor clients crash
12-30-2017, 07:43 PM
#24
OK I have to call time-out on this gross generalization. Heck, isn't Skip Barber's motto "Going Faster", I think it's even the title of one of the most famous racing books out there. Turning quicker lap times (driving faster) without incident IS driving better, especially if electronic nannies aren't being triggered. I appreciate that there are numerous techniques that, we as drivers, need to master and these can take years to perfect. To generalize that newly solo drivers are somehow overly reckless or unskilled frankly, if true, says more about their instructors than the drivers. It may come as a surprise to you that over 50% of the on-track incidents that are reported to the DE safety chiefs occur in the Instructor groups!! I have no doubt that some newly solo drivers may overdrive their cars, fail to make correct adjustments and then go off, however I posit that this behavior is not exclusive to newly solo'ed drivers!!
12-30-2017, 08:12 PM
#25
Originally Posted by Akunob
OK I have to call time-out on this gross generalization. Heck, isn't Skip Barber's motto "Going Faster", I think it's even the title of one of the most famous racing books out there. Turning quicker lap times (driving faster) without incident IS driving better, especially if electronic nannies aren't being triggered. I appreciate that there are numerous techniques that, we as drivers, need to master and these can take years to perfect. To generalize that newly solo drivers are somehow overly reckless or unskilled frankly, if true, says more about their instructors than the drivers. It may come as a surprise to you that over 50% of the on-track incidents that are reported to the DE safety chiefs occur in the Instructor groups!! I have no doubt that some newly solo drivers may overdrive their cars, fail to make correct adjustments and then go off, however I posit that this behavior is not exclusive to newly solo'ed drivers!!
12-30-2017, 08:23 PM
#26
Fair enough, the post appeared to focus on solo drivers. I believe the correct term the poster should have used, if I understand your point, is newly SIGNED OFF drivers (I.e., beginner and intermediate INSTRUCTED drivers signed off to ride without an instructor). I make a distinction between signed off drivers and solo drivers (usually intermediate advanced drivers). Semantics I know but an important distinction, at least for me. Didn't mean to rant. Oh and I agree, 'red mist' is a common mistake.
01-01-2018, 10:21 PM
#28
Burning Brakes
01-02-2018, 01:59 PM
#30
Burning Brakes
We left ESC/TC on in the Cayman GT4 MR at the 25 Hours this year (w/ DOT Toyo tires). Never had any problems with brakes in the race as far as I knew (we swapped rotors/pads on all 4 corners once, and at the same time.. after around 14 hours I think) and we had a pretty wide spectrum of driving style and pace in the car. But we did overheat the gearbox (I did a stint in auto -- it wasn't fun.). We tried running the car with it all off, but it didn't really make any difference. If we had full slicks I'd imagine we'd have run with it off...
And to add to the topic of conversation, I agree "looking ahead" is an issue that all drivers at all levels have. The difference is the "Pros" automatically remind themselves to keep looking ahead and us slower guys sometimes realize it after we get out of the car and try to fix it for the next run. Things happen slower the farther you look ahead. If you find yourself overwhelmed, it's a good chance you're not looking far enough ahead -- this is literally and figuratively. i.e.; you obviously have to look farther in front of your car than rite over your hood 99.9% of the time -- but you also need to be confident in what everyone else around you (in front, behind, and on the sides) is planning to do but hasn't done yet. The farther you look ahead, the easier all this becomes and the more time you have to react (defend/attack/yield).
IMO only of course.
-mike
And to add to the topic of conversation, I agree "looking ahead" is an issue that all drivers at all levels have. The difference is the "Pros" automatically remind themselves to keep looking ahead and us slower guys sometimes realize it after we get out of the car and try to fix it for the next run. Things happen slower the farther you look ahead. If you find yourself overwhelmed, it's a good chance you're not looking far enough ahead -- this is literally and figuratively. i.e.; you obviously have to look farther in front of your car than rite over your hood 99.9% of the time -- but you also need to be confident in what everyone else around you (in front, behind, and on the sides) is planning to do but hasn't done yet. The farther you look ahead, the easier all this becomes and the more time you have to react (defend/attack/yield).
IMO only of course.
-mike