An Approach For Improving Your Track Driving

Ross Bentley has a good article by Samir Abid on “How To Improve Your Driving.” We could all use this, as he points out, but newer drivers especially will benefit:

“First, you need to truly believe in your plan for your next session. You really need to “own” this plan, and for that, you need to be comfortable that it’s right for you.

Obviously, inexperienced drivers have different challenges than seasoned professional racing drivers. Know where you stack up.

In fact, you might argue that if you’re a brand new driver, it really doesn’t matter what track you’re on. The act of track driving is so far removed from street driving that you’re really starting from zero. Just being on track at all for your first time is overwhelming enough, and focusing on developing the core skills for performance driving is the priority. The details of the specific track you’re on is of relative little importance.

I have this great podcast you might enjoy that discusses the process of taking "The man in the street, and turning them into a racing driver … in just one week" with John Kirkpatrick, of Jim Russell Racing School fame. Their process started by simply (re-)learning to change gear!”

A key point is that you should have a list of basics (e.g. threshold braking, using all the track, controlling car at the limit, “eyes up”, line in complex corners) and make sure you have mastered those. Samir gives some tips on how to do this that are pure gold: stay connected with all thing Speed Secrets to learn more here!