High Performance & Race Driving Tips
Speed Secrets Driving Tips to Help You be an Even Better Driver
Know Your Tires
Every time you finish a session, think about how the tires behaved. Did they have good grip to begin with and then began to fade? Did they gain grip with more laps? Did they give you lots of feel for the limit, or not? Could you feel them flex; was the ride over the bumps harsh?
Make Mistakes: The Key to Driving Faster
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. We cannot not think about something. If we think, “Don’t make a mistake,” our mind only hears, “make a mistake.” It doesn’t register the “don’t.” The harder you try to avoid making a mistake, the more likely it is that you’ll make it. How many times have you felt yourself heading for the edge of the track – and a little beyond – and tried to avoid it by steering away from the edge… only to have the car hook up and spin towards the inside of the track?
Striving For Perfection In Your Track Driving
There is a very fine line between being a perfectionist, and constantly working towards improving. Perfectionists are so focused on doing everything just right that they often lose sight of what can be learned from making small errors. In driving, they’re so caught up in driving the perfect line through a turn that they drive too slow.
When Smooth Is NOT Fast
“You’re so smooth… except when you apply the brakes. You really hit them hard.” That’s a comment I’ve heard more than once after giving a sport/track day/HPDE driver a ride around the track. I’ve also heard a variation on the comment from these same sort of people after riding with anyone that I’ll call here a “pro driver.”
High Performance Braking Technique
Speed Secret: Carry entry speed by looking into the turn and focusing on your release of the brakes. Focus on the End-of-Braking point. One of the most important driving techniques that has led to the biggest gains from the most drivers I’ve worked with is covered in this Speed Secret.
Minimize Your Change Of Speed To Drive Faster
Speed Secret: The less change in speed through a corner, the faster you will be. Minimize your Change-of-Speed.
Be A Team-Builder – A Key To Being Fast
Speed Secret: No matter what the level or type of motorsport you participate in, you are a team-builder.
Your Mind’s Potential Is Limitless – Use It To Drive Faster
Speed Secret: Although your skill level may have physical limits, your mind’s potential is limitless.
How To Make Your Car Handle Better
The Handling Debrief – Want to help your car handle better? A couple of tips ago I suggested that you start by asking yourself the Big Question: If I could have the car do just one thing better, what would it be? That’s where you should start, especially if you don’t have much time before the next track session. But then, ask yourself these 5 questions…
Drive Faster By Focusing On Your Potential
Speed Secret: Don’t set expectations – focus on the possibilities & your potential.
How To Decide What Your Car Needs To Handle Better
Use The One Big Question – Each time you get out of the car, ask yourself, “If I could have the car do just one thing better, what would it be?”
Race & Performance Driving: Vision & Speed
Speed Secret: Vision leads to speed. “The ability to fit is directly proportionate to the speed of entry.”
Race & Performance Driving: Trigger A “Fast” State of Mind
Speed Secret: Replay your successes. Here’s your homework: Make a list of all the things you did well this past year, in and out of the car (but only to do with driving!!!).
Have Fun Driving Fast!
Speed Secret: Have fun! That may sound simplistic and unneeded, but it never hurts to be reminded of it.
Drive The Car, Not The Track – Key To Driving Fast
Speed Secret: Drive the car, not the track. Learning A New Track…
Drive Faster: Off-Season Preparation
Off-Season Preparation – What are you doing this off-season to prepare for the 2016 season? Anything different from last year, or the year before that?
Racing In The Rain: How to Drive Fast
Racing in the rain, or performance driving on a wet race track, is tricky business, whether you’re a performance driver, race driver, club racer, HPDE student, track day driver, or HPDE instructor. As I explain in this Speed Secrets Quick Tip, the keys to being a fast rain driver are partially your mental approach – your beliefs about your abilities on a wet track, and your state of mind – and partially a few advanced driving techniques.
The Late Apex Explained
To late apex, or early apex? First you need a clear definition of what a late apex really is, so read on…
“Breathe The Throttle” Explained
You can lift your foot off the throttle – the gas pedal – or you can “breathe” it. The term “breathe the throttle” relates to a gentle easing off of the throttle, rather than a complete and relatively quick lift of it.
Contact Patch Explained
What is a contact patch – and why should you care? Learn more by reading on…