[atakacs]

Ok it's like this: At my last AX I was probably 6 seconds slower than the avg for my class, ESP on what was mostly a 50-60 second course. Most cars were mid to low 50s and a Z06 even ran a 49. My best was a 60. I am literally one of the slowest drivers at the event. I'm on stock tires which I know sucks, but... even when I let a buddy drive my car, he got a better time than me the 1st time ever driving it so I know it's me, not the car. I mean... there's a guy in a lightly modified CTS-V on street tires that gets better times than me!!!

I ran a few AXs last year... 3, maybe. How can I improve or practice without spending several years doing it? We get so few runs per event and then I couldn't attend the local driver's school, and I'll miss about 4 of the AX events over the summer for work as well as the EVO school. I thought about setting up some cones in a Wal-Mart parking lot after hours but I'm sure the cops would show up in no time... so I tried something different. I got a Logitech/Momo racing wheel & pedals for the PC and a few driving games/simulators like NFS and GTR2. I'm not sure how good they are at making you a better driver... unfortunately I think they made me more cautious, not more competitive.

So what do I do? I'd like to be competitive by the end of the year and recognized as the most improved this year. Do you think there's any hope?

This post has been edited by atakacs: May 11 2007, 08:21 PM

[Blainefab]

I'll repeat a few things that have been advised here, but in a different order:

Ride with a good driver. Do this soon so you start emulating good technique rather than trying to invent your own.

Look at where the good driver is looking - it won't be straight ahead or even at the next corner - it will be at the exit of the next corner or beyond - at the entry to the corner after that.

Look ahead - DNF'ing because you are lost is likely from not looking ahead. The brain needs to know where it is going in order to plot a course. Peripheral vision will take care of knowing where the car is and what direction it's pointed. I had been street driving for 30yrs before starting autox and the looking ahead thing was the most difficult part to learn, and the most rewarding to accomplish. It took a concerted, constant effort, but improved my autox, RR track, and street driving. I also made fundamental changes to my driving position and car placement as I relearned how to drive.

At an intermediate skill level, some folks can get by pretty well with memorizing the course during the walk(s), but on some courses memory won't help much compared to the visual cues from looking ahead. A lot of emphasis is put on analyzing the course during the walks, but my hunch is that a good driver can do quite well without a walk.

Seat time - gotta go to schools. Local clubs, Evolution, whatever. Lotsa seat time. Riding in the passenger seat does count as seat time. There usually is a new driver course walk led by an experienced member - ask that person who to ask for rides, they can help hook you up.

Don't do much to the car except maintenance items and making sure brakes are working properly and tire pressure is in the ballpark. Stick with street tires till you are smooth and comfortable at and beyond their limits and can recover gracefully from sliding either or both ends. R rubber too soon can stop a drivers development cold.