My First Track Experience

MightyBobo · 06-17-2012, 12:35 AM

You were getting a good bit of tire talk by about your halfway point, and I think your instructor realized that much more would be pushing it. When you talk of "drifting" coming INTO a corner, were you talking about the front end plowing forward and the actual turning didn't happen til you slowed down? Or was it happening after you began your turn, and the car would begin to slide?

In the end, he kept you safe, and the shiny side up. And you still learned something and gained confidence. Sounds like he did his job

b1adesofcha0s · 06-17-2012, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MightyBobo

You were getting a good bit of tire talk by about your halfway point, and I think your instructor realized that much more would be pushing it. When you talk of "drifting" coming INTO a corner, were you talking about the front end plowing forward and the actual turning didn't happen til you slowed down? Or was it happening after you began your turn, and the car would begin to slide?

In the end, he kept you safe, and the shiny side up. And you still learned something and gained confidence. Sounds like he did his job

It was definitely happening right after I began to turn. I was still able to control and direct the car where I wanted it, just a lot of tire talk like you said.

MightyBobo · 06-17-2012, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1adesofcha0s

It was definitely happening right after I began to turn. I was still able to control and direct the car where I wanted it, just a lot of tire talk like you said.

Then you were finding your limit - the tires were likely kinda "greasy", being all-seasons and all, and all that heat was pushing them.

I know you wanted to go faster, but learning the corners is easily the most important part...

How was the braking?

b1adesofcha0s · 06-17-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MightyBobo

Then you were finding your limit - the tires were likely kinda "greasy", being all-seasons and all, and all that heat was pushing them.

I know you wanted to go faster, but learning the corners is easily the most important part...

How was the braking?

Yeah I thought that was it. I know that learning corners was the most important part, but I was having a bit too much fun drifting it around

I should have my summer tires installed tomorrow and the cruise next Saturday should be a good way to get a feel of how it's like to drive on them.

Brakes were good, but I feel like I was braking way early and not hard enough (that's what she said) instead of waiting and then braking hard. That is one thing I need to work on. Not used to carrying that much speed into a turn and then braking hard to get to the proper speed and I need more practice with that.

Another thing I want to do is drive a more high speed course with faster turns. I guess the main course at Summit Point would be better with this than the Jefferson circuit. Though the Jefferson circuit is the one where I'll be driving the Lamborghini next month.

MightyBobo · 06-17-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b1adesofcha0s

Brakes were good, but I feel like I was braking way early and not hard enough (that's what she said) instead of waiting and then braking hard. That is one thing I need to work on. Not used to carrying that much speed into a turn and then braking hard to get to the proper speed and I need more practice with that. Reference points are VERY important for threshold braking - use those distance markers.

Another thing I want to do is drive a more high speed course with faster turns. I guess the main course at Summit Point would be better with this than the Jefferson circuit. Though the Jefferson circuit is the one where I'll be driving the Lamborghini next month.

Very common to do this as a beginner. Threshold braking is definitely a skill that takes practice. But look at it this way: early braking is a LOT better than late braking. It takes time to learn a track, and you always early brake into corners until you know it better. And you make MINOR adjustments (5-10 feet at a time), slowly working your way to the limit of when you can brake hard, and as soon as you start taking your foot off the brake, your turn-in is beginning or already begun (trail-braking).

Main course at Summit is definitely the faster course, but I feel Shenandoah is much better at learning driving than Main. There are a LOT of varied corners at Shenandoah.

So did you get a feel for using your throttle to steer around the corners? Did he make sure you didn't alter your steering angle at all, and only used the gas?

06-17-2012, 12:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
MightyBobo A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 8,465 Drives: No cars; only bikes Rep Power: 53	You were getting a good bit of tire talk by about your halfway point, and I think your instructor realized that much more would be pushing it. When you talk of "drifting" coming INTO a corner, were you talking about the front end plowing forward and the actual turning didn't happen til you slowed down? Or was it happening after you began your turn, and the car would begin to slide? In the end, he kept you safe, and the shiny side up. And you still learned something and gained confidence. Sounds like he did his job __________________ I don't own a car anymore.

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