Critique my driving: Willow Springs

[Jack Olsen]

I went back on Wednesday for another crack at Willow Springs. My goal is to be able to run consistent 1:33's there. So far, my best has been a 1:35, and on Wednesday I couln't manage better than a 1:36 flat.

One problem may have been that my tires (Yoko A032R's) were on the old side, having been last used in May. I re-mounted them for this event since there was still a lot of tread on them. Hate top waste good tires.

But the larger problem may just be me. You'll see that even in this clip, I'm sliding around too much. I don't have much instruction time at this track (aside from a couple of laps with Pelicanite MMarsh), so I suspect there are things that I'm doing qrong that will jump out at more experienced drivers, especially those familiar with Willow Springs.

I'll post the link to a Quicktime movie (9 megs), as well as an AVI version (11 megs) of the same lap.

Quicktime Willow Lap

AVI Willow Lap

[nostatic]

your url is funky...should be:

http://bender.annenberg.edu/pelican/JackOlsen/WSIRlap.mov

[Jack Olsen]

Fixed it. Thanks.

Thanks for the storage space, too.

[tight as a bull's ass]

i saw the video but...

we really need "chase" cam or "heli-cam" to critique

aside from the occasional sliding noises, it's hard to give any constructive feedback. sorry

[nostatic]

I'm having some trouble with it actually...for some reason the new files uploaded are not inheriting the permissions from the parent directory...thus new files are only readable by the owner (pelican) and not by other. I've been changing permissions manually as the files get uploaded. I'll try and sort it out...if any unix heads have a fix shoot me a pm. Something in the last OS update mucked things up.

[DANNOV]

Interesting shots. It was difficult to determine your braking and shifting points from the video. The sound was not too good and it was hard to get clues about when you were braking and shifting. Also, the camera was a bit too high to pick up your hand movements when you were shifting. But your line thru the corners looked fine. It looks like a track with a lot of wide open spaces where you can make a mistake and not pay too dearly. Seems like a lot of very late apexes on that course. I collect these videos and find them very helpful in determining the proper line thru corners. If you watch enough of these over and over again you can get some good pointers. I will probably never get my car as far west as Willow Springs but there is something to be learned from your shots that can be helpful on any track. You looked pretty good.

[Tinker]

Jack,

I wish I could see your video to critique, but I have never been able to play any of the video streams, even after downloading the free software. Any suggestions?

Our cars are fairly similar. My best out there was a high 1:32 with a borrowed set of Hoosiers for the rear. More typical is a 1:34 flat after a day or so of getting reaquainted with the track. I haven't raced there in over a year due to the great POC car classifications (Aurgh). Are you accelerating through two?. It is a LONG turn and there is always time to be made up there. Keeping it planted through eight? I usually hit somewhere in 125-130 range through eight. And of course the infamous turn nine. I am still trying to get a consistent line through there. It is the most important turn on the track. I always watch my rpms and mark them at the begining of the pit entrance to guage my speed through that turn. What I need is an in car timer (to replace the wife!) so I can get a better idea on what is working and what's not. Are you using one?

With those nice new WIDE rims, you should be at least equal to my times?

Maybe it's a gearing problem (ha ha ha, it's a joke)

Tinker

[pbs911]

All the above, but with my LIMITED experience there, with MMarsh as an instructor as well, it looks like you are entering turn one a liitle slow. Considering this is the first turn after the longest straight you could be loosing seconds by braking too early or not carring enough speed through the turn. But then its hard to tell from the pics. Mind you, I may be a Dr., but I do not claim to be even a novice DE'er.

[Tyson Schmidt]

Was it windy that day, Jack?

Dave Bouzaglou gave me a pointer or two about turns 7 through nine that might help keep you from going off while taking 8 flat out. I'll talk to you about it next time I see you.

I think PBS911 is right about turn 1. I think you brake too early there, and as you know, I brake way too late there. If we can both find a better braking point, we can carry a lot more speed through turn 1.

[Botman]

Hard to tell from the video, but I too noticed a lot of late apexes and you don't seem to be hitting the track out points for a lot of the corners. It may be that the track has quite a few displaced apex turns (I've never run there though).

Thanks for the moving pictures.

[Jack Olsen]

Turns 9, 1 and 5 are probably where the time can be made up for me. When I got 9 right, the difference in where I would grab fifth on the front straight was substantial. By the end of the day, I was hitting it with a little more consistency, but it's a tough one to get right.

Turn 1 is a problem, I agree. I think I was probably getting a little spooked by the increased speed on the front straight, and was overbraking for it. My best lines through turn 1 were when I was following another 911, and could match their braking point.

Turn 5 felt funny to me all day. Coming back up the hill after it was finished never felt as fast as I remember it. It's a turn that used to feel like a no-brainer to me, but now seemed a little fuzzy.

Here's the requisite action shot from the day, and also some carnage shots after going off in turn 8. Click on a thumbnail for a larger view.

And yes, Tyson, it was very windy. Is that why I went off doing a buck twenty?

[Tyson Schmidt]

Woo woo! Sexy! I just saw Black Beauty with her bra pulled almost completely off!

Jack, if it was very windy, that will cut speed. Even if it isn't a head wind. So it will hurt you in more places than it will help you. When you ran the 1:35, I don't remember it being very windy at all. So. Index those times accordingly for wind and poorer tires. (And the competition/adrenaline factor, which was absent yesterday.)

Feel better?

Besides, it's gotta feel damn good to be disappointed by running consistent 1:36's flat! (A little perspective, my friend. )

[racea911]

Jack,
If possible, try and get a ride with Jose Alvarez next time you do a POC event. He has turned 1:32's with 205/50/15 Kumhos front and rear in his HP 1970 2.2S. He had Cort Wagner ride along with him a couple of events ago and he immediately went from 1:34's to 1:32's.

That is crazy fast in that little 2.2S with such small rubber. I don't think Jose has any fear whatsoever, or he has big brass ones....

[Ted Stringer]

No Static

Upload all your files then through telnet (ssh or whatever) change to that directory and type "chmod 644 *" That will take care of all the files in the directory.

[jluetjen]

Jack;
Unfortunately I don't have the bandwidth do download a 9Meg file, but from the descriptions here are a couple of ideas to try which I've found useful on the tracks that I've raced on. It sounds like you've "been around the track" a few times, feel free to ignore or modify them at your discretion. None of these should be considered "Gospel", but rather different ways to look at the problem.

1) As an experiment, try releasing the brakes a little earlier before turn one and just carrying a little more speed through the entry to the corner. See how it feels? If it feels OK, move your braking zone down further but try to keep the same (increased) entry speed.

2) I know that Porsche's have great brakes, but try not to use as much of them. Or to put it differently, conciously try to brake lighter before turn one. Don't shorten the braking zone to start, just brake over the same distance, but with less force. You'll find it easier to modulate this way as you try to increase your entry speed. If it works, you can then go back and work on shortening the braking zone later.

3) It sounds from the descriptions like you are only braking with no downchanges going into turn one. (If my memory is correct from seeing it on TV, I think it's a fast 90 degree sweeping left. Am I right?) Rather then taking your foot off of the gas to right foot brake, try using your left foot to brake. With a little practice you should be able to play both the gas and the throttle like a kart and possibly improve your entry. If you are unsure about trying this at 130 mph, rent a kart for about 20 minutes and try it there.

4) On the straight leading up to turn 1, try lifting earlier, and coasting a little before you start to apply the brakes. This is an old trick which I read folks like D. Bell used at Le Mans to save the car and fuel. It costs only a fraction of a second and it might give you an extra second to adjust your braking and try to carry more speed into the corner. I've used it and the brief breath before going into the turn often helps me focus. If the corner is fast enough, dispense with the brakes entirely and just use the "confidence lift" to settle the car before rolling into the corner.

5) As an experiment -- (With a nod to Jackie Stewart's driving book --) let up on the straight so that you can take turn one without braking or lifting. You should then be able to focus on using minute throttle adjustments to balance the car through the corner. While doing this try to avoid all/nothing throttle inputs. Picture balancing the car on the edge of adhesion. How close to the edge can you get? Can you keep the car "on the edge" all the way around the corner from beginning to end? Kind of like a skid pad. Once you have that down, start to pick up the speed on the straight again while conciously slowing down to just that premeasured speed. After awhile you'll get the feel and won't need to be so mechanical about it.

6) Finally (after driving has been maximized) - what is limiting the car's performance in the turn? Front end grip? Back end grip? etc. etc.

[Randy W]

Hi Jack, I finally had some time to spend view your lap. First let me say that watching you drive this course looks like fun, and any criticism I give is meant to be constructive and hopefully will help you have even more fun the next time out.

The overall impression after watching this video a few times is that you are smoother in right hand turns than in left hand turns, especially the tighter more technical infield ones. I'm not sure if this is the car (toe, weight balance) or maybe some extra tension you carry in your shoulders here. You may try thinking about relaxing/lowering your shoulders while driving. This can help you to be aware of any stress you may be carrying here. The other thing that jumps out is your hand position and movement. On the left hand turns 1, 3 and 5, you can see that your initial input is a bit abrupt and then you hold this input in slightly too long and then need to make a recovery move on exit. By gently increasing that initial steering input into a smooth arc and then letting the car smoothly track out after the apex (just release some tension in your fingers here), any recovery that you have to make on exit can be kept to the minimum. Your hands should stay at 9/3 or 10/2 if at all possible. I think you are just forcing the car a bit more than you need to - yeah, I know it got lot's of rubber and at that speed it's a handful, but you need to let the car go where it wants to just a bit - not alot.

The other thing I noticed was the shift in your hand position to 11 and 4 way early on the straight before entering the left at Turn 1. I don't think this is necessary, Jack - maybe getting closer to the steering wheel with your seating position will allow you better leverage in turn 1 (and 8/9). Now, before you think I'm being too hard on you, let me say that Turns 2, 4, 7, 8 and 9 look great, and I truly mean that! Note that these are mostly right hand turns.

Turns 4/5 are really a great barometer of how smooth you are with braking, steering and gas. With that dip and camber going on, any mistakes are amplified here. Jack, you are doing great, your results in the Multi-track Challenge attest to that. I hope that in some small way my comments will help you to continue achieving great success.

[Chuck Miller]

Qualifying this as someone who's best has been a 1:44.24 …

After viewing your video I would agree with Randy, it looks to me like your 'overdriving' or as Randy put it, 'forcing' the car. My mechanic calls it 'hustling' … he would say "stop hustling the car.. slow it down sooner, let it go where it wants in the turn, and then get on it faster". With that bit of advice I lowered my times a bunch.

Mind you mid :30's is somewhere I could only dream of… your doin GREAT Jack

Chuck

[Randy W]

At the risk of breaking into "self-congratulatory" R Gruppe behavior, I must note that Chuck is a really great driver (as well as a genuine good guy) and posts his times with a "tired" 2.4S engine. Thanks for those Topanga Canyon lessons, Chuck!

[Superman]

Ummm, more effective use of the gas and brake pedals, as well as the clutch. Carry more speed around the track and try to lower your ET times. Do this by going faster. Hope this helps.

Heck, Jack, you've forgotten more about performance driving than I know. But I will say this: Whether it is racing cars or making toast, champions have a special way of thinking. They look at EVERYTHING that MIGHT have an impact on performance, and even some stuff that is patently unrelated. Major league pitchers will each liver for breakfast if they think it might have helped them once before. Their minds are just bent toward a single goal, and nothing, not pride, not anything, will get in the way of tilting variables in their favor. Anybody know anyone like this? I do. Jack Olsen is one. Randy Wells is another. I'm hoping Randy will drive to an SCCA championship one of these years....so that he can relax and enjoy autocrossing again.

Good luck to both of you.

[Efrain68912]

I've gone 1:39 in the Sprite a Willow, and while I'm not an expert, I did notice a couple of things from the videotape;

- In Turn 1, you are turning in too late and "pinching" the car midcorner, hence your quick moment of opposite lock. You also are not using all of the track at the exit of 1. Its hard to tell where you brake point is, but the turn in looks too late.

- Remember, Turn 2 is uphill, and is pretty well banked. I think your car has more left in it heading up that hill. However, as you crest the hill at the corner exit I would expect it gets a little tail happy. I would try to carry more speed through the corner by using a double apex. This would also keep the car towards the right of the track at corner exit so it would be less affected by being unweighted as you crest the hill at the exit of 2.

- Heading down to turn 5, I would stay farther right before I turned into the corner. It looks like the car gets pinched again midcorner before you head over the rise of turn 6.

- In Turn 9 I believe you apex too early again. I like to take as late an apex as possible, which puts me using a bit of the pit entry lane when I track out.