Podcasts!
Conversations (& Tips) to Help You Drive Better
The Speed Secrets Podcast is taking a bit of a hiatus. For how long, I don’t know? What I do know is that it’s being replaced by something else, something very fun, entertaining, and educational (which is what I’m all about) – and I think you’ll like even more: It’s Not the Car podcast.
From the “official” description:
It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people, motorsport, choices, and how we all work under pressure. In other words, we tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver and an internationally renowned performance coach and author. Jeff Braun is a championship-winning race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning journalist and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. Together, we explore the emotion at the heart of the machine.
We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the bag of meat at the wheel.
017 – The Ten-Tenths Podcast Guys: 3 Tips to Make You a Faster Driver
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Michael Beck, Adam Nielsen and Robert Vierhout from the Ten-Tenths Podcast join me to talk about autocross, engine swaps, and why people are in this sport. And then… each tells of their Aha! moment when they learned something that made a big impact of them driving faster.
016 – James McMahon & Davin Sturdivant: Checking the Pulse of Karting
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James McMahon and Davin Surdivant of Kartpulse join me in a conversation about how to use karting to tune up your car driving skills, and even more… actually going karting as an end in itself.
015 – Jeff McKague: How to Use Your Vision on Track
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Jeff McKague and I talk about where to look when driving, how mistakes can be identified by vision errors, how to train your vision, and the advantages of being a slow learner. Yes, being a slow learner has its advantages – and can actually help you be a faster driver.
014 – Ryan Selsor: Using Sim Racing to Drive Faster on Track
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Ryan Selsor and I talk about what sim racing is, how track drivers can use simulators to improve their driving, what he’s learned from sim racing that applies directly to track driving, and what you need to get started using a sim.
013 – Dr. Mike O’Neill: Flow, Focus & Driving Fast
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Dr. Mike O’Neill and I talk about flow, or getting into the zone, and focus, and how that applies to driving faster. His research in the workplace, along with his experience as a race driver, has led to specific tactics that you can use to perform more consistently at your best – in flow – and that’s what we discuss in this conversation.
012 – Matt Covert: Is Smooth Fast & What We Learn From Mistakes
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Matt Covert and I talk about autocrossing, road racing, the steps in between; whether smooth is fast or not; and especially what he’s learned from others – from what they’ve done well, and their mistakes. In fact, it’s the mistakes that we’ve all made that we learn the most from – so let’s learn from some of the people Matt has talked to.
011 – Adam Jabaay on Club Racing on No Budget & Gridlife
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Adam Jabaay and I talk about how to club race for next to nothing, building your network and community to get people to help you, and providing value to others. We then get into what Gridlife is, and how younger people are getting into the sport, but in different ways than in the past.
010 – James Colborn: From HPDE Driver to Pro Racing & Data Guru
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James Colborn and discuss why some drivers love and use data acquisition systems, and some don’t; how he’s become a bit of a guru with data; what it is that he likes so much about using data; and whether data can be over-used. Then we switch to talking about the experience of moving from track day driver to club racer, and then to pro racing – and even back again.
009 – James Chartres: Preparing for a Fun & Successful Event
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James Chartres and I talk about how a club racer or track day driver can manage all of the things are needed before and at the track, and still allow time to really focus on one’s driving. We also talk about some specific driving techniques, including left- versus right-foot braking, trail braking, and driving a momentum car.
008 – David Ray: How to Get the Most Out of a HPDE & Track Day Event
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David Ray and I talk about how to get the most out of a HPDE or track day event; common errors and things the best drivers do; the differences between racing and non-competitive track days; and the difference between the “school line” and the “racing line” around a race track.
007 – Colin Braun: Driving Tips from a Pro Racer
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Colin Braun tells us exactly what the top pro drivers do – the techniques they use to go fast. He shares his thoughts on left-foot braking, trail braking, the use of the throttle (and how Aryton Senna used it), and how to learn the cornering line.
006 – Tom Long: Climbing the Pro Driver Ladder & Driving an Aero Car
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005 – Peter Krause on How to Learn a New Track
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Peter Krause and I talk about the most effective and efficient ways to learn to drive a race track that is new to you – providing an actual process – including the use of track maps, video, simulators, track walks, and the priorities for your driving. We also talk about driver coaching, and what makes the best coaches.
004 – Joey Todd: Low Budget Racing & HPDE
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In this episode Joey Todd and I talk about low-budget racing (if there is such a thing), what it costs to compete in budget endurance races, where the World Racing League is going and what’s new, what a new HPDE driver should focus on to be prepared for their first event, the Aha! moment that drivers (including Joey) experience, what impact technology (self-driving cars, electronic nannies) will have on our sport in the future, and advice if you’re heading to the track this coming weekend.
003 – Kevin York & The Driver’s Mind
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In this episode, Kevin York and I talk about the impact his education and background in psychology has had on his own driving, as well as his approach to coaching drivers; we talk about whether instructing can get in the way of being a fast driver; what techniques make the most difference; what question he’s asked that he doesn’t want to be asked ever again!
002 – Jeff Braun: The Engineer’s Perspective of Drivers
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Jeff and I talk about the favorite drivers he’s worked with, and why; what’s the difference between the best drivers and the rest; one technique that the best drivers focus on to be really fast; one thing that a driver can do on his own to help tune the handling of his/her car; and what the strangest question he’s ever been asked.
001: Frank Greif & The 3 Things The Best Drivers Do
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In this episode, we talk about the one thing Frank knows now that he wishes he’d known when he started racing; about his Aha! moment when something just clicked in his driving; business lessons that have applied to track driving; instructing; and the 3 things he’s seen that the best do (and the rest don’t).
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PODCAST TOPICS
While conversations dig into the details of things (like cornering lines, trail and left-foot braking, race track specific advice, data acquisition and video analysis, upshifting and downshifting, steering techniques, and the use of the throttle), the broader perspective of topics such as the following are covered:
- What specific techniques and skills the best drivers use
- The most challenging corners
- How to adapt to handling problems
- What separates the best drivers from the rest
- How to learn new techniques and tracks
- Safety tips and resources
- Handling and car setup
- Data and video analysis techniques
Plus…
- Fun and interesting stories
- Why we drive
- Passion and enthusiasm for our sport
WHY A PODCAST?
Since my first Speed Secrets book was published back in 1998, many drivers have asked about audio versions of them. They wanted to listen to them while driving to the track, to and from work, and while exercising.
Some of the most educational, and fun conversations I have are at the track with a driver, official, coach, engineer, team member, or safety expert. I often wish I’d recorded those conversations so I could share them with you.