Ask Ross
Skills
Types
Subscriptions
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 to the right, or just scroll through the pages and pages…), but if not, you can email it to me (use the big red button to the right).
Q: What’s best to improve my driving, a driver/pro coach or pro school?
Q: “What do you think is the better way to go about things for someone who is running mid-pack average lap times for his racing class? A driver/pro coach or a pro school?”
Q: Will brain training apps help my track driving?
Q: “I have a question about a topic in your Speed Secrets book. In the book you talk a lot about the mental side of racing and a lot of the specific cognitive abilities that race car drivers need. I’ve been using brain training apps like Lumosity and Peak and I was wondering if doing brain training to improve in areas such as processing speed, mental agility, focus, coordination and others would be helpful.”
Q: How close should my lap time be to the data system’s theoretical best?
Q: “I just finished re-watching a couple of your webinars as I work to step up to the next level and go to the Runoffs this season. Reviewing data I see my typical best lap is 1 to 1.3 seconds slower than the theoretical best lap from my data system. No one does the perfect lap, but should my goal be to close that gap to 0.5 seconds? That seems a reasonable goal. Thanks for all your books and webinars! They’ve really helped me improve and consistently run with the leaders.”
Q: Why do I get slower with more laps?
Q: “When I am in qualifying, or even just a test or practice session, I often post my fastest time within the first 3 flying laps. This happens despite trying different approaches to certain corners and segments that ‘feel’ faster. Many times I seem to try multiple things within a session, but always come out 1-3 tenths slower than that first fast lap. Could this be from over-driving the car?”
Q: What advice do you have for heel-toe downshifting, comp school prep & racing on a budget?
Q: “I have three questions for you. First, while listening to Podcast #99 (Driving with 3 Pedals), it made me think about my heel-toe downshifting. I had thought I was pretty decent at it, however when looking at my data and watching video of my feet I not only realized that I was lessening my brake pressure while downshifting but I was also pretty slow and sloppy with my footwork. Any advice beyond keeping your heels planted?…
Q: How do I know if I’m using the “right” gear for a corner?
Q: What gears should I be using on the race track? I’ve been thinking about a comment you made about “trying one gear taller.” You mention the sound of the car can make us think we are going faster than we really are. I get that but, I’m now driving a 2007 Cayman S and it is a total “momentum” car!
Q: What causes numbness/tingling in my hands when driving on a race track?
Q: “I have a question I was hoping you can help answer. I have been getting numbness and tingling in my hands, most recently after doing the 25 hours of Thunderhill it was really bad. Have you seen this before? Anything I can do?”
Q: Why does Nico Rosberg make such violent steering movements?
Q: “I have a burning question about a video of Nico Rosberg blasting around Silverstone in a Porsche 918 (https://youtu.be/7nEp8fHCGGU ). His counter steering is so immediate, quick, and almost violent. The question is: are these almost full-opposite lock “twitches” managing potential oversteer, or are the front tires being driven just over the limit and “letting go.” Any analysis would be much appreciated, Ross.”
Q: Why do some drivers pump/tap the brakes prior to a corner?
Q: “Why do some drivers pump/tap the brakes prior to a corner? I love watching footwork and how great drivers use their feet and work with their hands. I notice that some drivers tap the brake pedal on most straights. Is this just testing to make sure the brakes are still working?
Q: Where do I divide up sectors when analyzing data?
Q: “When using a data logger, is there a philosophy you use to decide where to divide up your sectors?”
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: What’s best to improve my driving, a driver/pro coach or pro school?
Q: “What do you think is the better way to go about things for someone who is running mid-pack average lap times for his racing class? A driver/pro coach or a pro school?”
Q: Will brain training apps help my track driving?
Q: “I have a question about a topic in your Speed Secrets book. In the book you talk a lot about the mental side of racing and a lot of the specific cognitive abilities that race car drivers need. I’ve been using brain training apps like Lumosity and Peak and I was wondering if doing brain training to improve in areas such as processing speed, mental agility, focus, coordination and others would be helpful.”
Q: How close should my lap time be to the data system’s theoretical best?
Q: “I just finished re-watching a couple of your webinars as I work to step up to the next level and go to the Runoffs this season. Reviewing data I see my typical best lap is 1 to 1.3 seconds slower than the theoretical best lap from my data system. No one does the perfect lap, but should my goal be to close that gap to 0.5 seconds? That seems a reasonable goal. Thanks for all your books and webinars! They’ve really helped me improve and consistently run with the leaders.”
Q: Why do I get slower with more laps?
Q: “When I am in qualifying, or even just a test or practice session, I often post my fastest time within the first 3 flying laps. This happens despite trying different approaches to certain corners and segments that ‘feel’ faster. Many times I seem to try multiple things within a session, but always come out 1-3 tenths slower than that first fast lap. Could this be from over-driving the car?”
Q: What advice do you have for heel-toe downshifting, comp school prep & racing on a budget?
Q: “I have three questions for you. First, while listening to Podcast #99 (Driving with 3 Pedals), it made me think about my heel-toe downshifting. I had thought I was pretty decent at it, however when looking at my data and watching video of my feet I not only realized that I was lessening my brake pressure while downshifting but I was also pretty slow and sloppy with my footwork. Any advice beyond keeping your heels planted?…
Q: How do I know if I’m using the “right” gear for a corner?
Q: What gears should I be using on the race track? I’ve been thinking about a comment you made about “trying one gear taller.” You mention the sound of the car can make us think we are going faster than we really are. I get that but, I’m now driving a 2007 Cayman S and it is a total “momentum” car!
Q: What causes numbness/tingling in my hands when driving on a race track?
Q: “I have a question I was hoping you can help answer. I have been getting numbness and tingling in my hands, most recently after doing the 25 hours of Thunderhill it was really bad. Have you seen this before? Anything I can do?”
Q: Why does Nico Rosberg make such violent steering movements?
Q: “I have a burning question about a video of Nico Rosberg blasting around Silverstone in a Porsche 918 (https://youtu.be/7nEp8fHCGGU ). His counter steering is so immediate, quick, and almost violent. The question is: are these almost full-opposite lock “twitches” managing potential oversteer, or are the front tires being driven just over the limit and “letting go.” Any analysis would be much appreciated, Ross.”
Q: Why do some drivers pump/tap the brakes prior to a corner?
Q: “Why do some drivers pump/tap the brakes prior to a corner? I love watching footwork and how great drivers use their feet and work with their hands. I notice that some drivers tap the brake pedal on most straights. Is this just testing to make sure the brakes are still working?
Q: Where do I divide up sectors when analyzing data?
Q: “When using a data logger, is there a philosophy you use to decide where to divide up your sectors?”
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