Q: What tips and advice do you have for an aspiring driver coach/data analyst?
Q: “What tips and advice do you have for an aspiring driver coach/data analyst?”
Q: How do I get faster when I feel like I’ve plateaued with my driving?
Q: “My question is this: I’m kinda at a plateau where the improvement curve has seemed to flatten. I really don’t have resources for a $1500 per day coach… well, my wife says I don’t! I want to improve my times with better driving and not HP, and I do enjoy chasing down GT3s! So, Ross what do you suggest for a 58-year-old guy who loves the track and wants to be smoother and faster?”
Q: What’s the best way to drive corners with high / steep banking?
Q: “My question is about the best line and speed through banked corners. The two I have been on are Turns One and Tunnel at Pocono, and as well as the Carousel on the Summit Shenandoah circuit. I’m not sure if I should be taking a traditional line and hitting the apex, or just travel parallel to the corner and hold a steady speed? Also, do I just keep adding speed to find my limit like a traditional corner? Especially at Pocono, the speeds are high and a mistake ends with a trip to the wall, so any input would be helpful.”
Q: How do I know when to trail brake into a corner, and when to be on the throttle at turn-in?
Q: “I’ve heard the general wisdom that for high speed corners, you want to be on the gas – at least a little – to settle the car and have equal weight across all four tires. My question is how can a driver determine when a corner is fast enough to require that technique, versus trail-braking to the apex? Is it more about speed per se, or track surface, bumps and camber, or do you just try a conservative technique and see how the car behaves?”
Q: What’s the best way to save fuel while racing?
Q: “I was having a discussion with a buddy about fuel management while racing. I know that if things are getting dicey, drivers will start to coast at the very end of a straight, for example. But how common are other techniques, especially in long endurance races? Is short shifting common? Will people be running 90% throttle down the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans if they’re not feeling threatened? FWIW, this conversation was born from laughing at the number of times in movies that two cars will he racing down a straight and the drivers will then do something (downshift, upshift, more throttle) to jockey for position instead of simply being wide open to redline in the first place.”
Q: What’s the best way to practice when lap timing is not allowed?
Q: “What is the best way to practice driving when lap timing is not allowed? My club has open lapping days, but timing isn’t allowed for insurance reasons. I’m trying to find out the most efficient way to practice and make use of these sessions so I’m more prepared for the time attack competition days.”