Ask Ross
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Speed Secrets Merch
Got questions? I’ve got answers. This is where I post answers to the many questions I receive. You may find the answer to a question you have here (you can use the “Search” tool), but if not, you have two options:
- If you want the answer immediately, sign up for my SpeedSecrets.ai app (think of it as “Google on steroids, focused solely on performance/race driving,” or “ChatGPT trained to only pull from the 5 million+ words and content I’ve personally created”)
- If you can wait until I get to your question, email it to me.
Q: When starting with wheel-to-wheel racing, is it best to buy a car, or rent one?
Q: “I have a dumb question for you. I’m older (mid 40’s) and I am really enjoying track day events in my car. I’d like to do W2W (wheel-to-wheel) racing. Would you recommend a budget-built car and racing in local clubs, or gain experience by renting a race car and have the freedom of renting from well-funded teams locally and throughout the nation?”
Q: What’s the best way to practice my high-performance driving?
Q: “Is there a “best” way to practice and improve my high-performance driving?”
Q: What should I expect and how should I prepare for my first HPDE event?
Q: “A friend has convinced me to take my Toyota 86 to what he calls a HPDE event. What can I expect, and how should I prepare?”
Q: With a Front-Wheel-Drive car, is some rotation a good way to reduce inside wheelspin when exiting a slow corner?
Q: “With FWD in a slow corner is some rotation a good way to solve inside wheelspin on exit?”
Q: How can I improve my night driving in endurance racing?
Q: “How can I improve my night driving? I had my first endurance racing at Spa last year, and I struggled in the traffic. Especially, it was very difficult to see the position and distance of other cars in the mirrors.”
Q: What types of corners should I use trail braking on, and what types should I not?
Q: What types of corners should I use trail braking on, and which ones shouldn’t I?
Q: How do I know when to change the brake bias with my mid-engine GT car?
Q: “With a mid-engine GT car, how do you decide when to give more brake bias to the front versus the rear?”
Q: What should I do to practice using my mirrors when driving on the road that will not distract me on the track?
Q: “How can I practice using my mirrors more wisely during driving on public roads, while not losing focus from the road and while using peripheral vision?”
Q: How can braking lighter make me faster if I have to brake earlier?
Q: “If you started braking lighter at the same place entering a corner, wouldn’t that suggest that you’re not quite at the limit under braking? And wouldn’t that make you slower because you don’t have the car at the limit?”
Q: What’s the difference between a good oval racer and a great one?
Q: “What’s the difference between a good oval racer and a great one? I know that one of your best races was on an oval so you might know a lot about it.”
Got Questions?
Skills
Types
Subscriptions
Speed Secrets Merch
Got questions? I’ve got answers. This is where I post answers to the many questions I’ve received. You may find the answer to a question you have here, but if not, you have two options: If you want the answer immediately, sign up for my SpeedSecrets.ai app (think of it as “Google on steroids, focused solely on performance/race driving”), or email it to me.
Q: When starting with wheel-to-wheel racing, is it best to buy a car, or rent one?
Q: “I have a dumb question for you. I’m older (mid 40’s) and I am really enjoying track day events in my car. I’d like to do W2W (wheel-to-wheel) racing. Would you recommend a budget-built car and racing in local clubs, or gain experience by renting a race car and have the freedom of renting from well-funded teams locally and throughout the nation?”
Q: What’s the best way to practice my high-performance driving?
Q: “Is there a “best” way to practice and improve my high-performance driving?”
Q: What should I expect and how should I prepare for my first HPDE event?
Q: “A friend has convinced me to take my Toyota 86 to what he calls a HPDE event. What can I expect, and how should I prepare?”
Q: With a Front-Wheel-Drive car, is some rotation a good way to reduce inside wheelspin when exiting a slow corner?
Q: “With FWD in a slow corner is some rotation a good way to solve inside wheelspin on exit?”
Q: How can I improve my night driving in endurance racing?
Q: “How can I improve my night driving? I had my first endurance racing at Spa last year, and I struggled in the traffic. Especially, it was very difficult to see the position and distance of other cars in the mirrors.”
Q: What types of corners should I use trail braking on, and what types should I not?
Q: What types of corners should I use trail braking on, and which ones shouldn’t I?
Q: How do I know when to change the brake bias with my mid-engine GT car?
Q: “With a mid-engine GT car, how do you decide when to give more brake bias to the front versus the rear?”
Q: What should I do to practice using my mirrors when driving on the road that will not distract me on the track?
Q: “How can I practice using my mirrors more wisely during driving on public roads, while not losing focus from the road and while using peripheral vision?”
Q: How can braking lighter make me faster if I have to brake earlier?
Q: “If you started braking lighter at the same place entering a corner, wouldn’t that suggest that you’re not quite at the limit under braking? And wouldn’t that make you slower because you don’t have the car at the limit?”
Q: What’s the difference between a good oval racer and a great one?
Q: “What’s the difference between a good oval racer and a great one? I know that one of your best races was on an oval so you might know a lot about it.”
Got Questions?
Get Immediate Answers