Okay, then. :) The only place I have a real problem is Candlestick (and
Topeka's north course) where my eyeballs bounce out of their sockets, making
it hard to focus on ANY cone. :) I bet it's worse in a kart.
--Pat K
----------
>From: "Peter Mottaz" <mph_16@hotmail.com>
>To: lollipop487@attbi.com
>Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: The hardest autox skill?
>Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2002, 8:56 PM
>
> 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...
>> >> >>
>> >> >> __________________________________________________
>> >> >> Do you Yahoo!?
>> >> >> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
>> >> >> http://mailplus.yahoo.com
>> >
>> >
>> > _________________________________________________________________
>> > Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
>> > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
>> >
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
|