Redhead Racing & Performace LLC in car vid... opinions wanted

[redheadracing]

Hey guys I just got one of my in car videos up and wanted everyones opinion.
It at Blackhawk Farms in Rockton IL on 5-28-06. I am driving a 95 Honda Civic with a B18C taken out to a 2.0l running skunk 2 stage 3 cams 11.5:1 compression.


Shawn

http://redheadracing.net/gallery/displayim...?album=12&pos=0

[matt batson]

Great picture quality.

I dont know you, but would guess your still learning...(who isnt )

You car is certainly not lacking in horsepower

Anyways, my very first impression from the start is that you are uncomfortable with close racing. Meaning, you are giving the other guys too much room. Lots of new guys do this, so dont feel bad.

You are probably still learning that track, so one of the first things you do is find your brake markers and turn in points. This will prevent mishaps like the turn one (I guess it is one from the video) incident. It seemed like you locked up and then forgot about brake modulation (I know, easy to benchrace...and modulating the brakes can be tough when a corner is coming and you have to turn).

But, it seemed like you were kind of afraid the silver crx would come into you on a couple of occasions, so you over-slowed (braked too much) to allow him through.
Dont worry about him so much...he needs to hold his line and be aware of you.

Some great books out there, like "Speed secrets", which is a skip barber book I think. Read...re-read...and read again. Then...bring it to the track with you and read again. Take the track corner by corner.
Meaning...experiment with one corner and one corner only, with brake markers, turn in , power application, etc.. Until you think you have it pretty good...then move to the next corner. Most of us slow too much before turn in...or dont get on the power soon enough after turn in.

Racing is a science, and a tough one at that.

You did look pretty good out there. Now it's time to deal with the little things that will gain you time on track.

I personally like to talk with more experienced racers who drive the same kind of car (FWD or RWD). I ask specific questions about specific corners...and tend to learn a lot.

[JamesB]

fast car. I agree, you are giving lots of room you dont need to. Its taken me 4 races season to change that and I am still not 100%. My last in car video I couldnt see much of the back of others cars as we raced. I stuck to their tails like glue when I could and only gave enough space to get by me when they took the corner from me.

[redheadracing]

Thanks for the input. It was my first race out in 2 years. I would agree that I do need to get better on starts. I also need to trust my brakes more. I really could go a lot deeper. On one of the other boards it was brought up to watch my hands position also.

I am getting more comfortable with the track. Our last race I was able to shave off a full second off of my times and got 2nd on the grid. But unfornatually rain came and I was cought with out rain tires and ended up 10th

Gearing up for Road America on the 29th and 30th.

[JamesB]

good luck feeling out the car. this is my rookie season and I am learning a lot and keeping it clean. I still don't know the full limits of my brakes, but I know I am pretty close.

I think if I took a hiatus it would agian take me time to be comfortable an inch away from the guy next to me.

[lateapex911]

Great vid quality? What are teh equipment specs?

What class/group/club is that car in??

[RSTPerformance]

Great idea to share your video... I give you lots of credit!!! Be sure to take any comments as freindly advise... take what you want and let the other stuff go


To be honest I did not watch the complete video, not enough time!!! I did watch the first 5 or 6 laps though

Ok my initial comments/suggestion... Jake made some very good points.

Also;

1) On the start you should have been beside and ahead of the red CRX, nevermind the silver one you let pass.

2) Drive your car, don't play follow the leader, you are in a wheel to wheel race!!! Get the car infront of you to follow your cars moves and when he/she makes a mistake make your move!!!

3) Put your foot on the gas pedle and be commit to it. No need to continue "backing off" everytime you get within 5 feet of the cars bumper infront of you.

4) That car is FWD right? do you have a quaiffe or some other sort of Diff in it? If you do then once you have turned in my experience shows that in most (not all) cases you should be full throttle until your next breaking or lifting zone. Yes I do see some place that may require a lift or a left foot brake but in genneral put the hammar down and go!!!

5) On your "breaking mistake" in the begining (lap 3 maybe?) get right back into it, the silver car should not have passed you. It looked like you hesitated because you were caught off guard and you might not have been aware of your suroundings? Be ready to adapt, make a mistake and quickly move on...

Thats enough for now Overall you have a great line and you improved A LOT as the race went on. I think that with a little confidence will come some comfortability with the cars capabilities and you will be fast.... very fast!!!

be sure to post another video after your next race and we shall see how you have improved


**** EDIT: I watched further and wow what an improvement once you got past the other cars and you had clear track... Drive like that all the time and just alter your line to adapt to other cars. Be aware of your surounding and race side by side in all the turns!!!

One other thing you might be doing, when you are following someone at a much slower rate remember to drive your car and not theirs. Your line may change along with acceleration points, lifting points, and braking points - IE: don't slow down and just follow them, make a clean pass and be done with it!!!

This was not a long detailed cretique but I hope it helps get you started;

Raymond

[gran racing]

Very cool stuff!

Like previously said, read or re-read some of the racing books out there such as Speed Secrets and Going Faster (this is the one by the Skippy School). It seems that no matter how many times you go through these books, you’ll pick-up something new and of value. I make it a point to go through them at least once a season.

The biggest thing I noticed is your hand positions and how you took the turns (not the lines, but again your hands). Again, as others stated this is not to pick on you but just some friendly advice. When you are holding the steering wheel, your hands are very close together and very high on the steering wheel. Those “thumb notches” on your steering wheel…your thumbs should be down towards them when on the straight. When approaching a turn, you need to set it up (again, talking about your hand positioning). There are a couple of different techniques of doing this. I personally adjust my hand positioning before the turn. Kinda hard to explain in writing. By adjusting your hand positioning, you’ll find that you have much more control through the turns. Watch the video again and just focus on where your hands are; you’ll see what I mean.

[ITA_CRX]

Warm up your tires more on the pace lap.

[matt batson]

your getting more then you asked for? he he

Anyways...
On the hand position thing...
I also immediately noticed that your hands were kinda high. But...I didnt mention it because there are so many different theories on hand positioning.

I personally subscribe to the ackerman method. This method is where my hands are on a horizontal plane (9 and 3 o'clock), with thumbs resting in thumb tabs on the wheel. I can take the vast majority of the corners with my hands in this position. Occasionally you run into a really tight corner, like at CMP, where you have to pull one hand off...but the thumb of the other hand stays in it's spot on the wheel. This way you always know the degree that the wheel is turned. It's kinda hard to explain....I would have to show or draw a picture.

This method is used by some very fast pro drivers.

But, I have seen what gran is talking about with the shifting of the hands to set up for the corner.

And some very fast pro drivers use this method also.

I personally dont feel comfortable with this. I grew up driving RWD, and driving the car loose. So, I prefer to have my hands in a fixed position when I need to make small corrections, or large corrections, in the countersteering department. It just seems more natural to me.

I used the ackerman dealeo for many years autocrossing, which has very tight corners.

The general consensus I think is to use one hand to pull the wheel down and the other to push the wheel up, with about equal force between them. This gives the best feel and control.

I would think that having your hands so high on the wheel gives less control...but I am guessing.

I would say if you can find some very fast drivers who use this high hand position, then it is probably okay.

I have been thinking about doing this...getting a passenger seat and going to a NASA event to get an instructor ride along. This way the instructor can point out specific things as we go, giving constant feedback. We can even work on a corner, and experiment together on the fastest way through.

[lateapex911]

Many of the NASCAR guys use the "Hanging" method.

I think it's better for the work they do....they work one "range" of the steering almost exclusively. Road racers tend to be all over the map steeringwise, so to speak.

The biggest issue is that having both hands on the wheel so close to each other is that when both hands are on one or the other side of the 12 O'clock position, gravity is pulling them down. So your perception of what the front wheels are doing is affected. Less sensitivity. Having your hands positioned in opposing positions avoids gravity adding, or subtracting to steeering effort, making feedback more consistant, which leads to the ability to "read" the front wheels through the steering wheel better.

IMHO....

[gran racing]

The hand positioning most definately impacts car control. To help support my racing habbit, I instruct for an advanced driving course. It is very interesting to hear students reaction who hold the steering wheel up high after they first go through the slamon with their hands up high, then again with their hands down a bit lower. It's always better for the person to experience it themselves than just be told.

[MIKEGTR]

What class was that???

Mike

[redheadracing]

Great vid quality? What are teh equipment specs?

What class/group/club is that car in??
[/b]

Here are the specs on the car.

1995 Honda civic si
1999 Integra type R motor
sleeved to take it from a 1.8 to a 2.0l
Skunk2 valve train and Stage 3 cams
11.5:1 compression
Hondata ecu
Intake header and exhaust

I am currently running with Midwestern Council on a Novice licence. After I get my full comp licence I will be moving to SCCA and NASA also.

I am racing in an unrestricted group right now because of the motor swap. But am running with the IT group.

As for the camera it is a Mini DV camera from Canon a ZR50. Just picked up an HD camera so i will have the next race in HD. Going to Road America next weekend

Great idea to share your video... I give you lots of credit!!! Be sure to take any comments as freindly advise... take what you want and let the other stuff go
To be honest I did not watch the complete video, not enough time!!! I did watch the first 5 or 6 laps though

Ok my initial comments/suggestion... Jake made some very good points.

Also;

1) On the start you should have been beside and ahead of the red CRX, nevermind the silver one you let pass.

2) Drive your car, don't play follow the leader, you are in a wheel to wheel race!!! Get the car infront of you to follow your cars moves and when he/she makes a mistake make your move!!!

3) Put your foot on the gas pedle and be commit to it. No need to continue "backing off" everytime you get within 5 feet of the cars bumper infront of you.

4) That car is FWD right? do you have a quaiffe or some other sort of Diff in it? If you do then once you have turned in my experience shows that in most (not all) cases you should be full throttle until your next breaking or lifting zone. Yes I do see some place that may require a lift or a left foot brake but in genneral put the hammar down and go!!!

5) On your "breaking mistake" in the begining (lap 3 maybe?) get right back into it, the silver car should not have passed you. It looked like you hesitated because you were caught off guard and you might not have been aware of your suroundings? Be ready to adapt, make a mistake and quickly move on...

Thats enough for now Overall you have a great line and you improved A LOT as the race went on. I think that with a little confidence will come some comfortability with the cars capabilities and you will be fast.... very fast!!!

be sure to post another video after your next race and we shall see how you have improved
**** EDIT: I watched further and wow what an improvement once you got past the other cars and you had clear track... Drive like that all the time and just alter your line to adapt to other cars. Be aware of your surounding and race side by side in all the turns!!!

One other thing you might be doing, when you are following someone at a much slower rate remember to drive your car and not theirs. Your line may change along with acceleration points, lifting points, and braking points - IE: don't slow down and just follow them, make a clean pass and be done with it!!!

This was not a long detailed cretique but I hope it helps get you started;

Raymond
[/b]

Thank you for the comments. I welcome them. The only way to get better is to work on the things that are being done incorrect. I have a race comming up at Road America next weekend and will work on alot of this stuff. I would agree that I am very concervitive driver and I need to be more agressive. Like I did say before it was the first race back on the track in 2 years.

Thanks again for the comments they are truly a big help!

I will get some more races up. I have one at at the same track in the rain. I really sucked at that one. I did not have rain tires..... qualifyed 2nd ended up 10th but lerned alot about the cars handeling in the rain.

I will work on my hand position and get back to you all!