Critique my driving

Matt Clark · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:39 am Post subject: Critique my driving

2nd time out on the track, my fastest lap starts a little before the 7 minute mark. Just looking for any tips or pointers. The tires are fairly used and almost down to the bottom of the (what I believe are) wear indicators.
http://youtu.be/83uK74hbJRg

EDIT: From watching myself, I notice sometimes on the sweeper following the straight I lift, when I can take it flat out. Also, the 90 after the sweeper, I lift and brake gradually, which I think is my mentality from DE's and not upsetting a car w/ suspension. I also believe I need to work on the turn preceding the straightaway, as I pinch the exit too much, and I can let the kart track out more.

Matthew Chin · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Posts: 31

Not bad you are fairly smooth. You need to push it harder though like you said. You need to be harder on the brakes when you are coming into a turn, which will then give you more time to accelerate before the turn. If you get a chance to follow nick N that would also be good at Ocala. Have you been to andersen yet? It is a very technical course a little lower speed and less grip. I am in tampa too if you happen to see me at the track let me know be happy to give you some pointers.

Dan Pingston · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:04 am Post subject:

Your lines look good, it just looks like you need to get a little more comfortable in the kart so you can push harder. The sweeper is definitely full gas and the quick left between the hairpin and tree turn is full gas, but that will come with more time in the seat. The left after the sweeper is just a quick stab of the brakes and then back to full gas. Like Matthew Chin said you need to be more aggressive with the kart than you were with a car. Just keep practicing and having fun. Do you ever come out the the local races? I raced in tag masters in the last series. Anyway, if you see me out there stop by and say hi. I am the #712 Red Bull kart.

Matt Clark · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:33 am Post subject:

Thanks Dan, I agree my time in cars has made me soft on throttle/brake transitions due to shifting weight. I especially noticed it on the left hand after the sweeper, I'd drag the brakes whereas you said I now feel it should be a quick stab. I'm going to start the local series now whenever the new series starts. I was going to do the July 7th race as my first one but I ended up winning tickets to the Coke Zero 400 and me and some friends who had never been to a race decided to take a trip there. Thanks for the input, getting insight from someone who's raced the track is a huge help in regards to knowing where I need to work to.

Dan Pingston · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:36 am Post subject:

Also, like Matthew said, if you can, follow Nick around there. He is not easy to follow, so you may want to stand and watch from different parts of the track to see his lines. Not sure there is anyone with more laps around that place than him. I am going to be getting a Rotax engine in August, so I will be out there practicing with it before the fall/winter series starts. I will let you know when I will be out there and maybe you can make it too. Talk to you later.

Matt Clark · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:54 am Post subject:

Yep he's been there both times I've practiced I believe, and I've tried to get behind him and follow, but it seems all the OGP guys run together in a pack to practice racing and overtaking, so the majority of the time when I see them coming up on me, I move over and let the pack through then try to hang on the tail end. I appreciate the offer, I'm always willing to learn so let me know!

Dan Pingston · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:14 am Post subject:

Alright, will do. If you are on Facebook you can find me there. I post videos of all my races on my page. I also have a YouTube channel called Pingston Racing where you can find them. The last ones I put up aren't very good. The bolt holding my GoPro mount came loose so it is real shaky.

https://www.facebook.com/daniel.pingston.3

http://www.youtube.com/user/PingstonRacing?feature=mhee

al nunley · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 3038

One thing, and it only comes with time, when I went into a corner, the thought was always in my mind that I had gone to deep and I wasn’t going to make it.
You look like a typical new comer, not going in deep enough, making it look too easy. If it’s easy, you didn’t go thru the corner fast enough. You didn’t push hard enough.
It will come to you, give yourself time. Everybody that stays with it get’s better.
I guess what I’m saying is; if it’ easy, you're not doing it right.
_________________
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
All else being equal; Compression is the Holy Grail.
45 years, in and around karting

Rob Kozakowski · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:19 pm Post subject:

1st, I hate critiquing others.

2nd, I don't know the track and it's nuances.

With those disclaimers out of the way, one thing I noticed is that you are apexing the corners "wider" than I would - you are leaving a lot more room than I would normally leave between the kerbs and the inside of the kart. I'm not talking about early/late apex. I'm talking about distance between the kerb and the kart. If you watch your best lap, you do a better job than on most of the other laps of getting closer to the kerbs.

The style of kerbing can play a big role, but generally you want to be very aggressive in attacking the kerbs in a kart - either running your inside front over the kerb, or right up to it, depending on whether or not the kerbs unsettle the kart.

As I'm sure you know, anything you can do to reduce the distance traveled while maintaining your speed should cut down your lap times. You're using most of the track on corner exit to keep your speed up, but on entry there's a lot of room to be more aggressive.

This is actually something that is pretty common. A kart will turn in so fast, that it's almost as if drivers are afraid to turn in too soon that they delay turn in just a fraction longer than they should.

Rob Kozakowski · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 3:30 pm Post subject:

al nunley · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 3038

Matt Clark · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:53 am Post subject:

From everything I've read/learned over the years, I think the line between actually being out of control and appearing out of control is a fine one. I've seen many videos in car where it seems the driver is "sawing" at the wheel, however if you look outside the car the driving is smooth. I've heard and taken this to be the driver putting in constant small corrections to keep the car on it's intended path/not upset the car. So while it may look out of control, the end result is a smooth line. This is what I've come to think.