What have you learned????

[Irrelevant]

Just thinking about what I have learnt during my first seasons sprinting and I thought I'd ask what everyone else thought on the matter.

 

I guess most of us are relatively new to sprinting - certainly most of the people I normally chat to seem to be, so hopefully you can remember how you've improved.

 

Me . ... well I think I've learnt a few things.

1. I think I have gone from being very ragged indeed to being fairly smooth - relatively speaking anyway. When I look back to how awful I was at Llandow(1st sprint), the change is quite dramatic.

2. Breaking - I now try and break as much as possible in a straight line, with only the final bit trailing into the turn in point.

3. Tyre warming - makes a big difference, not only with the 0-64' time but throughout the first few bends.

4. I know I should not let go of the wheel but I still do 😳

5. I'm getting much better at seeing lines and breaking points quickly - normally my first run will be not far off my best run. In my first sprints, I was improving about 2 seconds a run throughout the day - basically because I did not know the car or how to read a track so it was a slow learning process.

 

Target things to learn ASAP are:

1. What the twiddly bits do and how twiddling some adjuster actually changes the handling in different parts of a corner.

2. I want to experiment with left foot breaking to see if I can use it in when appropriate - I know the best drivers in the club sprints do this.

 

So what have you learned from sprinting, and how do you think your sprint driving has improved?

 

 

Accumulating bits . . .

[Brodie]

The best tip I can give to anybody is this; after each run try and find a couple of minutes on your own to concentrate on the lap or run just completed.I find it helps to mentally picture yourself driving the course and to pinpoint exactly where you feel time has been lost or gained compared to previous runs.The clearer you can think both in and out of the car ,the easier it will become to reach those 'benchmark' times!! p.s. Don,t forget to have a laugh and plenty of grub,said Jez! 😬

 

'......in yer bike!'

[robmar]

all though this is my 3rd year, what I think I have started to learn towards the end of this year is that if you are not either braking or have you foot on the gasthen you are loosing time it may sound stupid/daft/obvious to say so and I am sure if I had data loggin I would find out I still do it but by trying to reduce this I think I have got a little more competitive thorugh out the year...

 

I think it is a bad habit from too many track days when you are not really gicing 100% all of the time

 

also I have found out that I enjoy myself and get better times when I am not taking it too seriously and over drive the car

 

rob

[david nelson]

Adam

 

like you this is my 1st year. I have found looking at the vidio at the end of the day good as a refection, making notes for next year. I think I over drive and could be quicker if I took some of the entries slower on some of the courses. Wiscombe I could have been quicker if I was slower into the 1st corner, did not lift at Bunny thing and left my braking later into gateways.

 

The car still needs abit of sorting as it still understeers (this could be me going in to fast). I also am trying to think about how to be quicker in the wet/damp. The change of springs on the rear has helped but think i will get a freestyle ajustable front ARB. I also am looking for a good book to explain how changing setups effects the car.

 

My starts have been slow compared with the rest, again with the new springs and less right foot, I got good 64ft times at Curborough. I spent sometime thinking about it and watching others.

 

My hopes for next year is to be consistant and by the end of the year to understand what the car is doing in the 1st run and how to change it or my driving style for the next run.

 

David

[Jason Plato]

I found a book : "speed secrets" very good a few years ago . I still refer to it each winter .

 

Its full of good tips

 

 

C7 TOPhere

[Bilbo]

DO NOT FULLY SHUT HELMET VISOR WHEN ITS MISTY AT LYDDEN ☹️ ☹️ ☹️ 😬

 

New resolution take a note book and record changes to suspension settings. This should have suitable comments like 'THAT was a waste of time'. 😬

 

Need to diet, I have hit 19 stone. ☹️

 

Stop getting the car ready the weekend before..... this was a new syndrome in the last 2 years.

 

Tried doing as Brodie says but end up as Jez says having a laugh and plenty of grub..... 😬. Actually I do re-run the run end up thinking yes I know were I was slow but ....... what do I do next. I do know one of the major answers its just a route I do not wish to go down fuel injection. Its only a problem on some tracks and I not saying it totally = my slow times. On the road the car is great

 

Still particularly at the bottom bend at Curborough I or is that we suffer from off cam it has the same problem at Cadwell after the bottom straight.

 

A six speed box and diff change would help but... I not going to spend any more money this year. A new tin top and a lot photographic stuff has spent all my dosh. The new darkroom is nearly ready for use 😬 Have to say I may spend more time doing this next year than sprinting or sell darkroom as a waste of time. Only time will tell...

 

'Can you hear me running' ......... OH YES and its music to my ears 😬 😬 😬

1988 200 bhp, 146 ft lbs, 1700cc Cosworth BD? engineered by Roger King, on Weber's with Brooklands and Clamshell wings, Freestyle Motorsport suspension.

[ECR]

In my first season sprinting I learnt that the car was an awful lot better than I was....

Still true today

 

Brodies tip is a good one. I also try to do that in the short time before the start. It takes a bit of the panic out of the run if you have a good idea of what you are going to do before you set off. I find that if I can remove some of the tension beforehand my times improve.

 

Success at sprinting lies between the ears not at the end of your right foot.

[Bilbo]

Hi ERC

 

In my first season sprinting I learnt that the car was an awful lot better than I was.... Still true today

 

Despite what I posted...... in my case I have to totally agree with you. 😬

 

tension

 

Oily Rag claims the fact I am slow is somebody needs to wake me up at the start 😬

 

He did mention a cow prod, as it is a family site I will not state where he was going to use it Some unusual wiring of the battery terminals was also stated. *eek*

 

I will confess that sitting at the start thinking about the last run at MIRA they did walk up and point out the light had gone green 😳 .,............. or was that just daydreaming about coming second to last 😬

 

Hence the conversation....

 

A word of warning he's sent off for a Provisional ........ now I do need to worry.

 

'Can you hear me running' ......... OH YES and its music to my ears 😬 😬 😬

1988 200 bhp, 146 ft lbs, 1700cc Cosworth BD? engineered by Roger King, on Weber's with Brooklands and Clamshell wings, Freestyle Motorsport suspension.

 

Edited by - Bilbo on 21 Sep 2004 20:24:32