I do believe that your eye level and a somewhat tall driver in a kart's eye
level, are not that different!
Pete
>From: "Pat Kelly" <lollipop487@attbi.com>
>To: Peter Mottaz <mph_16@hotmail.com>, darren@madams.com
>CC: ba-autox@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
>Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 20:35:29 -0800
>
>Thanks...I was guessing, and guessed wrong. :) Although we've been accused
>of driving a large kart. :)
>--Pat K
>
>----------
> >From: "Peter Mottaz" <mph_16@hotmail.com>
> >To: lollipop487@attbi.com, darren@madams.com
> >Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 8:29 PM
> >
>
> > Actually Pat, its just the opposite. You have to know the course so well
>so
> > you don't have to guess where the course goes next or hope that looking
> > ahead will be enough. Things happen so fast and with the line of vision
> > being limited in a shifter kart, that if you are relying on "just"
>looking
> > ahead, you'll be very behind,or lost. ;-)
> >
> > You are correct about one thing though, the perspective is very
>different
> > from the seat. Thus for critical or unclear sections that are a sea of
> > cones, its best to sit down on one's derrihre and memorize the view from
>a
> > more correct viewpoint.
> >
> > Pete
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>From: "Pat Kelly" <lollipop487@attbi.com>
> >>To: Darren Madams <darren@madams.com>, Joe Ciarcia
><veloimpreza@yahoo.com>
> >>CC: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >>Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >>Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 17:17:36 -0800
> >>
> >>Walking the course if you're driving a kart might even be a waste of
>time
> >>cept to let you know approximately where the course goes. The point of
>view
> >>at walking height is a totally different perspective than sitting in a
> >>kart.
> >>What was clear at walking height just might disappear from the kart
>seat.
> >>:)
> >>--Pat K
> >>
> >>----------
> >> >From: "Darren Madams" <darren@madams.com>
> >> >To: Joe Ciarcia <veloimpreza@yahoo.com>
> >> >Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> >> >Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
> >> >Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 5:19 PM
> >> >
> >>
> >> > An excellent question. I'll answer it in two (possibly more) ways.
> >> >
> >> > The "hardest" autox skill to learn is without a doubt left foot
>braking.
> >> > It just requires hours of practice, and development of muscles and
> >> > dexterity that you have no use for outside of racing (and even then
>it's
> >> > debatable how useful it is). Rob Luis left foot broke my Integra at
>my
> >> > first autocross school... I've been a believer ever since. Learn
> >>driving
> >> > an automatic on the street, then progress to a three pedal machine,
>then
> >> > try it autocrossing. I'm still not great at it, but damn did it work
> >>well
> >> > at the first SFR rallycross!!!
> >> >
> >> > The skill that takes the longest time to perfect, yet gives the most
> >> > reward? Maximazing (or exceeding in a manner that improves time) the
> >> > traction of the car in all directions. Read that again. This mainly
> >> > applies in my case to getting the most forward direction out of the
> >> > tires... in my understeering Integra that meant not overpowering the
> >>front
> >> > wheels when they were trying to turn as well (power-on understeer),
>and
> >>on
> >> > my kart it means not overpowering the rear tires when coming out of a
> >>slow
> >> > tight corner. However, it also means getting the most out of the
> >>lateral
> >> > capabilities in long sweepers... that's taking the right line, and
>being
> >> > smooth. It also means getting the most out of the traction under
> >>braking.
> >> > As Kevin talks about, weight transfer is a key ingredient to consider
> >>here
> >> > as well. ABS or not, there is a limit your tires can do (independent
>of
> >> > available braking force) that you need to get as close to as
>possible.
> >> >
> >> > As for your braking problems, at the school two years ago they did a
> >> > braking square exercise... that's the best way to learn. Braking in
>a
> >> > straight line teaches you nothing about loading the outside front
>tire
> >>(or
> >> > unloading the inside rear). It also teaches you nothing about trail
> >>braking.
> >> >
> >> > I'll put in the obligatory plug for Geez here. It will quickly give
>you
> >> > numbers about just how hard you are braking. You can do a baseline
> >> > straight stop to find your maximum possible braking g's, then try to
> >> > approach that in a competition environment.
> >> >
> >> > --Darren
> >> >
> >> > p.s. Katie's comment about looking ahead is also a good one! I was
>in a
> >> > rut big time and not walking the course for two events drastically
> >>improved
> >> > my driving.
> >> >
> >> > Joe Ciarcia <veloimpreza@yahoo.com> wrote ..
> >> >> I'm sure this thread title will attract some colorful
> >> >> responses from this oh so serious crowd <hehe>.
> >> >> Seriously though, what do you think is the hardest
> >> >> skill to master in autox?
> >> >>
> >> >> After reading a post on the i-club board I realized
> >> >> that the thing I have the most difficulty with is
> >> >> braking. When I think about it, just about every
> >> >> mistake that I've been making is related to braking. I
> >> >> think I'm choosing okay lines, at least I'm not making
> >> >> any HUGE mistakes about the line I'd ***LIKE*** to
> >> >> take. Proper braking seems to be an elusive skill for
> >> >> me though.
> >> >>
> >> >> How does one practice braking? Seems like a silly
> >> >> question but seriously, how do I get better at it? I
> >> >> seem to be in a rut. It would seem as if most people
> >> >> brake to late, or brake to early however I don't seem
> >> >> to discriminate between the two (maybe I lean a little
> >> >> be towards braking too early which probably makes some
> >> >> sense for my experience level). This past event I
> >> >> experienced "HOLY CRAP, I didn't know my car could
> >> >> stop that fast" and... "ummm... yeah, I'm off course
> >> >> because I really wanted to do a donut, yeah that's
> >> >> it".
> >> >>
> >> >> Cheers Joe
> >> >>
> >> >> =====
> >> >> Silly little Yahoo advert follows...
> >> >>
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> >
> >
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