This is something one of our front-runners sent to my dad to help him drive faster. I don't know where he got it but I've never seen it before. For all I know, he made it up or even saw it here on HT. In any event, I thought it was cool... and I know I could certainly benefit following these. Enjoy.

Ø It is not a sin or morally reprehensible to drive faster around the track.
Ø I will not be thought less of or create problems within my series (or family) if I drive faster.
Ø Driving faster is also fun and I want to have more fun by moving to the middle or front of the pack.
Ø There is no such thing as being “slightly off-line” – I am either on-line or I am driving slower than I could be.
Ø I will not drive beyond the limits of my car, my confidence, my experience, or my faith.
Ø Driving faster may not be the same as taking a greater risk (it could be safer depending on your line).
Ø I will learn with my hips and feel the car through my finger tips and toes – I will get in touch with what the car is doing sooner than ever before.
Ø I will examine my brakes prior to the race weekend so I can use them without worry later (this eliminates one reasonable excuse).
Ø I will get on the brake pedal without gliding.
Ø I will apply the brakes quickly but not suddenly.
Ø I will pretend there is an egg on the brake pedal and increase my pressure so as to not break the egg.
Ø I will leave the car in gear under braking to eliminate rear wheel lock up.
Ø I will learn to heel and toe simply because it is great fun and gives me something to do while driving straight and slowing down.
Ø I will control the steering wheel smoothly and precisely with decisiveness.
Ø I will not jerk the wheel but turn in carefully to not upset the car.
Ø I will attempt to make smooth turns and refrain from working the wheel back and forth in a single turn.
Ø I will push the gear shift all the way toward the passenger seat to make sure I have 5th and not 3rd.
Ø I will drive as if I have a throttle position sensor recording the throttle position (faster = more time floored).
Ø My car will always be faster than me, but that is no reason to not try my hardest to catch up with it.
Ø Breathing is a good thing; I will be aware of my body’s reaction so that I have maximum use of my faculties.
Ø <U>I will trust the car.</U>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Apocalypse &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ø I will leave the car in gear under braking to eliminate rear wheel lock up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Now THAT's a trick I'd like to see most Hondas accomplish.

 

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

Ø There is no such thing as being “slightly off-line” – I am either on-line or I am driving slower than I could be.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Driving well is about how you drive on line. Racing well is about how you drive off line. Also, your car will change and you will need to adjust this. If you trap yourself into thinking there is only one line.. you will not always be as fast as you can.

most of the notes are good, its basically a lot of the basics, put in a "thou-shalt" list.

Jon K
http://www.seat-time.com

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I will leave the car in gear under braking to eliminate rear wheel lock up.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

With proper brake bias you can take the car out of gear, not lock up the rear, and stop faster. ...in a RWD car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Apocalypse &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I will leave the car in gear under braking to eliminate rear wheel lock up.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is what heel toe is for!

 

how about 'respect the corner workers because they make it safer for me to race'

 

So help me God I will somehow learn to shift carefully and not go from the top of 3rd into 2nd so that I might be able to afford to race and not constantly be pulling my head and replacing valves.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerjon1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Driving well is about how you drive on line. Racing well is about how you drive off line. Also, your car will change and you will need to adjust this. If you trap yourself into thinking there is only one line.. you will not always be as fast as you can. http://www.seat-time.com</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm sure we all interpret this differently, but also I usually think that there is only one line out there. This does not mean that there is and will always be one fixed line. When I think of there being only one, I see it as the optimal line given a certain set of circumstances. Depending on what car you're driving, or track conditions, there is usually only one line through any given section of the track that is ever so slightly more favorable to you than any other. The fun part is trying to always find exactly where that is as variables change, and then consistently driving on it. Like the quote says, if you are not on the line you are driving slower than you could be. All this of course assuming that there are no other cars in the picture.

 

There is ONLY one FASTEST line around the course.

It however changes each lap of the race. The excellent drivers are capable of finding that line each lap of the race.

Traffic, dirt, rain, changing conditions of YOUR car, fuel load, brake cooling, tires overheating, are just a few of the items that affect the RACING line EACH LAP around the course.

The "one car on the course" line is totally different.


Modified by Grumpy at 9:06 AM 7/23/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Grumpy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There is ONLY one FASTEST line around the course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think that's more the spirit of it.