How do I go quicker on the track?

[Dan]

You can be quick without using reference points or data but if someone is struggling with getting faster then data can help tell them what they need to do to go faster (or what they did when they went faster in a section of the track) and reference points can help them to do it consistently (e.g. I I braked here and turned in here when I went faster so I'll brake and turn in there again).

Once you get data working for you the guesswork is removed and the challenge becomes execution.

The way I rationalise doing extra preparation for track days is that I'm not as good as a professional driver and all the way to F1 they use reference points, review data, hop on simulators and take track notes because it makes them go faster. Us amateurs can do the same things and most of it can be done when we aren't burning money at a track day making the next outing more productive.

IIRC it's John Boston that uses an old football quote which rings true to me "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect"

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[madjak]

How much data logging / analysis can help you depends on where you are as a driver. If you think you are already close to the limit of braking and corner speed, and you are trying to optimise your lap, then you need a device to help inform you if a slightly different apex is quicker or slower. I've found that running the live delta time in my car lets me experiment a little more and I can immediately gauge how much time I'm saving / loosing in realtime. Doing it afterwards in the pits I don't find very helpful.

Sometimes a slight change of corner apex can lift your exit speed slightly and give you a much faster run down the straight. It's hard to detect as a driver unless you know your shift points, but watching the time delta gives you that information straight away.

Have a look at the Race Capture https://www.race-capture.com/. Their upcoming product has dropped in price a lot (starting at $250 US) and is now far more portable, which means you can drop it into someone else's car and get some additional data to run against. If you could get 4-5 for the club, these devices would be an awesome training device, as they can upload the data to the net, and everyone can compare lap times, exit speeds, corner g-forces, braking points etc against everyone else.

[1600Dave]

Data logging is a very good tool. I used racechrono, exported the data in NMEA format, then used software from performancebox to analyse it (used to be a free download, not sure nowadays).

I found video was also good - if you datalog a session and overlay the video using one of the bits of analysis software, you can see exactly where you can improve things. Its all well and good to say "I was quicker through corner x by taking line y", but having video overlay makes it easier to see exactly what "line y" is. Or exactly where to brake, etc.

As an example, out of curiosity I compared my lap times to a mate (who was in a different car). I noticed I was only down by a few k's in corner speed on left hand corners, but was down more on speed through right handers. Next time out, I consciously worked on keeping a bit more speed on through right handers and lap times improved overall. Turns out I was just more naturally comfortable pushing harder through left handers than right

[zossy1]

When I was karting, getting a good driver trainer/coach took me from mid-field in club events to a state title in less than 12 months. It was surprising how changing just a few things, in my driving style, setup, and mental approach to driving, had such a huge effect.

Those lessons have stuck with me into the car world. I thoroughly recommend driver training.

EDIT: Cost was very reasonable too. I was paying $180 per day plus expenses. It may have helped that my coach was also building my engines at the time...

[Magpie]

This depends on the type of learner you are. If you are tactile then you will probably benefit from hands on learning. If you like the theory then maybe visual is your style or auditory if you learn via listening. Identify your learning style first and pick the method that best suits.

My default learning style is tactile as I need to understand the theory first.

[zossy1]

This depends on the type of learner you are. If you are tactile then you will probably benefit from hands on learning. If you like the theory then maybe visual is your style or auditory if you learn via listening. Identify your learning style first and pick the method that best suits.

My default learning style is tactile as I need to understand the theory first.

I good teacher will quickly identify what you need to do/hear/think to improve. In my case, my driving was fine - I was just trying far, far too hard. I also needed some help with setup strategy and learning to identify and respond to feedback coming from the car/kart.

[evil_weevil]

echo comments on driver training and seat time.

first track day in MX5 at wakie - mid 1.16's
now down to 1.11s

lost count of how many laps Ive done there.

few mods on the car but seriously, on a car with ƒü¢k all power already, adding power mods still gets you ƒü¢k all power!!

I'm also doing track school days when possible now, always room for improvement

[lightyear]

This is how you do Phillip island. Except the speeds he says, and gear shift points may differ.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ri03GFHp4

[madjak]

In that video Tander mentions that riding up the curb on the apex of a corner will help turn the car? Is it loading the outer wheel slightly more or something to do with steering geometry? On the tracks here we don't typically have curbs on the inside of the corners so I can't imagine how it would help. In fact I think in my car it would probably unsettle it more than help. I still cut the corners as much as possible and skip across curbs on corner entrances / exits but I'm doing it more to position the car to reduce curvature of the corner.

[pepejesus]

Not sure if it's what Tander is referring to in that video, but sometimes an inside kerb will 'pull' the car into the corner.

[madjak]

I can't see how the physics works... unless there is more drag / friction from the curb acting on the wheels. If anything I would expect it to unsettle the car and push it out wider. I tend to avoid the curbs on the apexes for this reason.

[davekmoore]

Yes, I've had a quick driver as my passenger at PI for quite a lot of laps and try to put into action what he taught me. Yes, I've watched videos of quick laps around PI and studied lines, brake points etc and try to copy them.

Of course, I could have simply reached the limit of my ability and bravery.

[rascal]

Of course, I could have simply reached the limit of my ability and bravery.

Hence the recommendations for driver training, as while it may not change your bravery, it will increase your abilities, allowing you to drive at a higher level

[kalt]

In that video Tander mentions that riding up the curb on the apex of a corner will help turn the car?

My guess is on a RWD car like the Falcommodores, the unsettling of the car over the curb will result in some oversteer in the corner as it loads more weight to the outside wheels, much like detonating a grenade beneath the inner rear wheel of a FWD car mid corner.

Data logging is readily accessible these days, it's virtually a crime to do a trackday and not datalog your laptimes. Unless you're just out there for fun, then you are forgiven!
I use Racechrono to get a general gist of how I'm progressing during a lap. If Time Attack racing is what you're doing then you should have a laptimer onboard, for instance, all the racing videogames have them on the screen corner, do they not? Your enemy is the stopwatch.
If it's door to door racing you're doing then you don't need a laptimer on board, your competitors are either behind or in front of you. Drive harder or ease off.

It's a good thing MX5's have been around for 25 years, so many forums and databases to draw from to find out what works, the permutations and combinations are well documented. I guess that is what davekmoore is asking really - my setup is X, Y, Z, HH, BB. What would yield me a better laptime, should I integrate E, Q and G? I'm sure the more experienced members can continue to contribute their 5c.

If it is a psychological improvement you're after, then yes update your Final Will, make sure your life insurance cover is up to date and you have hospital and ambulance cover on your health insurance, tow your racecar to the track and drive it like you stole it from a Yakuza Boss (because Japan).

[The American]

I can't see how the physics works... unless there is more drag / friction from the curb acting on the wheels. If anything I would expect it to unsettle the car and push it out wider. I tend to avoid the curbs on the apexes for this reason.

I thought it created a weight transfer to the wheels doing the most work in the corner: Wheel hits kerb, compresses Spring, energy released from Spring rebound lifts that side of the car, transferring weight to the opposite side of the car, as its turning in to the corner, more grip available to the loaded outside wheel as a result of the weight transfer?