Push the envelope or use it to send a thank you card in?
Discussion
What I am getting at is when you are on track, what is your agenda - are you there to push you and your ride to the limit of capability or are you happy to circulate at a rate well within the realms of safety all be it exploring the ability of your motor in a way that you never could on the road?
Hi Wayne , morning for me is all about learning the track but after lunch i push on and see where the edge is without scaring the crap out of myself !! monday i had a steady morning but after lunch pushed on ended up with a couple of lockups and a bit of tail out but all good fun !! learned that the Noble on the edge is very neutral with just a even slide if i go in too quick and a bit oversteery when on the power :-)
Depends a lot on the circuit, the conditions and how well I know it.
For example the Nordschleife I never drive at more than about 13/16 Whitworth ...
..., even on track days, however, a clear lap at Brands GP on a dry day, I'd probably be happy to drive at 9/10ths plus.
Fortunately 9/10ths for the driver is only about 6/10ths for the car ...
For example the Nordschleife I never drive at more than about 13/16 Whitworth ...
..., even on track days, however, a clear lap at Brands GP on a dry day, I'd probably be happy to drive at 9/10ths plus.Fortunately 9/10ths for the driver is only about 6/10ths for the car ...
Reviewing my Oulton video (first time there) my first flying lap was 13 seconds slower than my fastest which was in the last session. I quickly got down to within a 5 seconds of my fastest then spent the rest of the day slowly getting quicker. Im sure I could have gone quicker but I was happy with what I felt was 9/10ths (probably only 6/10ths really 
)
)Thanks for all your comments peeps'.
The reason I ask the question is because although I have participated in over 25 track days over the last few years I just never seem to be able to drive at anything less than my maximum. The problem is after wrecking a BMW Z4MC ( the car was far more capable than I and inspired confidence in using ability I did not have at that time; lesson learned all be it the hard way! )in the early days and more recently an old 325i track dog at a wet Goodwood on 888's ( I took my eye off of the track and was just not able to concentrate because of the situation I was involved in at that time of my life; second lesson learned, hopefully all done now ).
If I crash again I will give it all up even though I really don't want to but I don't know how to do 9/10 ths or less? HELP!
I realise this all sounds a bit melodramatic but it really is that simple and sad
The reason I ask the question is because although I have participated in over 25 track days over the last few years I just never seem to be able to drive at anything less than my maximum. The problem is after wrecking a BMW Z4MC ( the car was far more capable than I and inspired confidence in using ability I did not have at that time; lesson learned all be it the hard way! )in the early days and more recently an old 325i track dog at a wet Goodwood on 888's ( I took my eye off of the track and was just not able to concentrate because of the situation I was involved in at that time of my life; second lesson learned, hopefully all done now ).
If I crash again I will give it all up even though I really don't want to but I don't know how to do 9/10 ths or less? HELP!
I realise this all sounds a bit melodramatic but it really is that simple and sad
^^^Hello Simon, how are you mate, good I hope.
Yes I have done all of that and more.
Without wishing to give it the large one I have been told ( by a very reputable and well respected instructor ) that I have good car control and am at a level where I could enter Clubman racing if I had a mind to, which incidentally I don't.
There is still stuff to learn of course but it is not my ability that is causing a problem here, it is a lack of discipline and I don't know how to acquire it.
Yes I have done all of that and more.
Without wishing to give it the large one I have been told ( by a very reputable and well respected instructor ) that I have good car control and am at a level where I could enter Clubman racing if I had a mind to, which incidentally I don't.
There is still stuff to learn of course but it is not my ability that is causing a problem here, it is a lack of discipline and I don't know how to acquire it.
Buy a slower car? Seriously.
Maybe a cheap classic.... smallish engine, RWD, something you have to work hard at keeping the speed up, especially through the corners, and when it does go wrong, maybe a bit less drastically! Huge tail slides at low speed Lots of scrubbing, less ohmygod.
Maybe a cheap classic.... smallish engine, RWD, something you have to work hard at keeping the speed up, especially through the corners, and when it does go wrong, maybe a bit less drastically! Huge tail slides at low speed
Lots of scrubbing, less ohmygod.What about setting yourself a new target when doing these days, like trying to keep tred on the tyres for X number of laps/sessions or trying to use less fuel so approaching the drive differently, or setting a target time to try and keep hitting that is above what you/the car can really get round in. More a consistency thing that a best of them all target. Anything really to think about to keep you off the Banzi approach you are suffering from just now.
ALY77 said:
What about setting yourself a new target... Anything really to think about to keep you off the Banzi approach you are suffering from just now.
That sounds like a good idea but my brain just doesn't/wont work like that.I feel I need to stress the point here that I am not driving in a frantic or dangerous way, just that I can only go flat out or stop - no modulation.
defblade said:
Buy a slower car?
I have gone from BMW Z4MC to 3.0ltr M3 to e36 325i and now I am using an e36 318is so I am now about as slow as I can be (well the car is at least 
)I can corner as well as some Caterfields/Lotarse but get bored between corners because of the apparent age it seems to take to get from one to another
Well I reckon your not the first and def not the last person who loves the adrenaline rush you get when driving on the edge, Whats important is that you stay within your driving standard however high or low it is.
I am pretty much the same its addictive thats why I do track days, but I will drive quick and sometimes make mistakes but not ones that endanger other track users or my car. As has been said I like to drive my car home again
I am pretty much the same its addictive thats why I do track days, but I will drive quick and sometimes make mistakes but not ones that endanger other track users or my car. As has been said I like to drive my car home again
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