My last time on track was the summer of '04 and that consisted of some really slow laps in practice followed by a misshift in qual that ended my weekend. Prior to that I ran 2 weekends in '03 that consisted of a misshift one weekend and a blown clutch another weekend. I only finished 1 race of the 3 I started. (Although I did go from last to first.)

It has been a real long time since I started and finished 10 races in 02. Any input on the best way to get back up to speed? I hesitate to try to run HC at RA because I don't want to go through another expensive mistake. I put the stock shifter back in with ES shifter bushings and I hope that will solve the misshift problems. (I had some lame blingin short shifter in the car.) I guess I could run TT at RA? I think I may need some time on track where I focus more energy on driving and less on managing traffic. Anyone have a link to upcoming events in the area? I also need to make some decision on tires. I have 8 Kumhos but they are from 03 and 04. I guess I need to get hold of a durometer and see if I can even run them.

I missed the SCCA comp school so that is out for this year. Ideas? What would you do if you were me?

 

I would go out and just run some HDPE 3/4. You could use the old R-comps since you won't be competing for time. That way you can take it nice and slow with no pressure. You can feel out the tires and slow down your shifts to make sure you aren't going to hurt anything before you try to put in any fast laps. If you really feel the need to compete, then TT is a good option.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chrisb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I only finished 1 race of the 3 I started. (Although I did go from last to first.) </TD></TR></TABLE>
I still curse those tires to this day.


I think doing a TT or HPDE wouldn't be a bad idea but I really don't think you'd need much more than a day or two in the setting to "get your legs back". I had to take an entire year off once after a serious accident. I was pretty nervous about just hoping back into a car and immediately racing it but once the cars started rolling off of grid, it was business as usual. I imagine you'd find the same thing.

 

I'm right there with ya, Chris. Although I didn't get nearly the seat time I had hoped this weekend, I didn't feel quite "right" behind the wheel, either. The car's quick, but I have a long way to go before getting the speed back.

 

I'd jump back into a race or HPDE at a track you know well. After my break between racing and instructing, it took a few sessions to get back up to speed, but only the first session was uncomfortable.

 

i'm in the same boat. did just enough races last year to keep my liscense. basically, i suck donkey right now. i'm not taking a green flag until i do at least 1 full test day.

 

shifter kart

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chrisb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What would you do if you were me?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Get in car.
Start motor.
Go.

Thats what Floyd did last weekend, and he's been out of the saddle longer than you. You'll be rusty, but I promise it'll only take about 1 lap to remember what you're doing.

 

HPDE, preferably in a group with pass-anywhere.

hit the fundamentals
vision
smoothness
awareness
traction sensing

use your race tires, brakes and suspension to get re-accustomed to the limits of the car


thats what I do at the start of each season and it knocks off the rust pretty quickly

 

http://www.trackschedule.com

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bosco500 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">shifter kart </TD></TR></TABLE>

or any competitive w2w karting. i've gained a lot of respect for w2w racers now that i've been in a competitive karting league for a little while. traffic management, passing, placement, smoothness, and defensive driving are all heavily accentuated in a 6.5hp kart. that will take care of getting up to speed with regards to the w2w mindset.

if you're worried about getting up to speed in your car, hit some autocrosses and/or track days. i'd tend to lean towards an autocross though, since you'll be able to exceed the limits of the car without worrying about wadding it up. of course, i don't buy this crap that a w2w race car will automatically suck at an autocross. since autocross is 90% driver the car setup shouldn't matter much. maybe not ideal, but adapting to an ill handling car is a great way to get comfortable driving a good handling car, imo.

gl

nate

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chrisb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What would you do if you were me?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was in a similar boat. Before this past weekend at VIR, I hadn't driven on a roadcourse since last June when I stuffed the E30, and hadn't been on VIR-Full in a year. Friday I went out in an afternoon instructor session just to get my head back in the game. The first 2-3 laps I was timid, learning the new car and remembering to check my mirrors constantly and soforth. (I had completely forgotten how hard it is to get T4-5-6 right in a car that understeers, for one thing.)

Well before the end of the session it had all come back to me as if I had been there the day before. I flat-footed the uphill esses in 5th for the first time since last February and went the fastest I've ever gone through there as a result (+90whp sure helped.) Then I started to get some brake fade at the end of the straights and the session was over. But it literally felt like I'd never left.

I didn't go back out on the full course except to instruct for two sessions on Sunday and do touring laps. I simply didn't have time or desire to figure out why I was getting brake fade (I guessed that it was because of the half-worn Axxis Ultimates, not the freshly bled Ate Super Blue, but my spare pads were also Ultimates, so I didn't bother.) I did, however, do a handful of semi-quick laps on Patriot Course in the dry on Sunday, a track I have very little experience with, and even that 2 minutes at a time brought back my adrenalized instincts (the same ones that come out quickly whenever I go indoor karting.)

Long story short? I'd say go do an HPDE at your own pace, like in an advanced level group, and just take your time. Take it easy. I'm guessing you'll feel the same way I do right now... that it'll all come back to you much more quickly and comfortably than you expected.

Good luck,

Jon

 

Don't feel any pressure of doing good. Just get back to basics on hitting apex and get on the gas early.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Get in car.
Start motor.
Go.

Thats what Floyd did last weekend, and he's been out of the saddle longer than you. You'll be rusty, but I promise it'll only take about 1 lap to remember what you're doing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ditto.

You'll be amazed at how quickly it seems to come back. After being out of the seat since Sept of 2002, I got behind the wheel last weekend and it seemed like I had been just gone for the winter.

Jump in. Both feet. Deep end. You already know how to swim. Just do it.