Q: “I’ve been an avid reader of your content since about 2002, and I find that you always have some new angle of providing new knowledge to us drivers. I have a question that’s a bit borderline off-topic. I don’t remember whether you’ve mentioned alpine skiing anywhere, but even as an inexperienced skier I find there are some similarities which could actually help my driving. For example, the use of vision, the importance and use of balance, and of course, the way of finding “the line.” I know that you often look into other sports to find ideas for use in car racing, and therefore I want to ask you if you know of any good alpine skiing “speed secrets” books to explore?”
A: Absolutely, there are big similarities with driving and skiing. When I had a performance/racing school years ago, if a driver came in and immediately got the hang of track driving, I’d comment, “You must be a skier.” Vision, balance, line… it’s all the same.
Have you seen The Centered Skier, by Denise McCluggage (https://www.amazon.com/Centered-Skier-Denise-McCluggage/dp/0963248448/ref=sr_1_1?crid=142RWQWD6AYZY&keywords=the+centered+skier&qid=1578962907&sprefix=the+centered%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-1). If you don’t know who Denise was, Google her. Amazing person, and someone we all miss very much. She wrote the foreword for one of my books, too. She probably got the driving-skiing thing better than anyone.
I did actually buy the book. It’s a bit more “voodoo” than what you normally write, but it’s very interesting for that sake. Thanks for the tip!
One thing that I think I will bring to my driving is the way you have to commit to a slightly scary, steep slope or technical section in skiing – just deciding and then having to go through with it. The same thing I find in mountain biking.