Q: What is the best way to deal with cold temperatures on track? I recently drove in the second group at a Super Tour event at Road Atlanta, with temps around 40 degrees. It took me several laps to get the tires up to temp, and in the first few laps I had to make two big corrections. The top drivers, though, were able to drive within a couple tenths of their best time from the day before (when it was warmer), by the second lap.
Q: “What is your opinion on hearing levels and controlling them? In my Radical, I usually don’t wear ear plugs. Even though I don’t think I am picking up on all the sounds available, I do notice that if I do use ear plugs, I think I’m missing something. But I do feel calmer while driving. I did say “feel,” as I don’t have anything to back that up. What is your opinion?”
Q: “I’m off to a local track for an open lapping day soon in a new GT Mustang. Being my first time, what should I focus on above everything else? I know some just want to go as fast as they can, but I’m more into learning a little each time I go to the track so that over time my speed and technique come naturally.”
Q: “I seem to do well in practice and qualifying but when it comes down to competition, I choke. The only time when I actually did well was when I was extremely dehydrated and on the point of passing out. All I wanted to do was finish the runs and get out the car. I’m guessing I was in the mindset of fight or flight and not really caring about the results. But in turn I podiumed with the best drivers/cars in my series. Do you have any tips, podcast, books or just some insight you can recommend on driver mentality? I seem to get too into my head and it’s tough to get out.”
Q: “I’m struggling with how to find reference points and maintain good vision (and stay calm!) when starting a race in the rain. I’m usually pretty far back in the pack, and the spray/mist thrown up from the other cars sometimes completely obscures my vision (regardless of windshield wipers, Rain-X, etc.). Here’s my in-car start from a recent PIR race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWwsea8PXts. In this case, I backed off way early because I just plain couldn’t tell where I was or when the chicane was coming up. Plus, I didn’t want to come in too fast if there was a pileup. Do you have any advice for how to handle this kind of situation?”
Q: “Specifically, on the entry phase, how does one determine whether it is steering (amount of steering or rate of input) or braking input (or more generally the rate of deceleration in a linear sense) that is the cause of over/understeer while turning in? More briefly, how does one know if they have applied too much linear deceleration or tried to induce too much rotation?”