[BMoneyMan]

I got lucky enough to clear the waitlist for the SCCA event at Summit Point this past weekend. I was fortunate to have an amazing instructor, Bill - Corvette aficionado, who took me under his wing and trusted me not to crash with us in the car.

Weather was cold. Low-mid 20s in the first session but warmed up to high 40s/low 50s both days. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky. This was SCCA's largest HPDE event ever at 160 cars.

My first 2 sessions on the first day were rough as could be expected. However, I gained confidence and really focused on hitting targets along the line. By lunchtime the second day, my instructor offered to let me go solo. I didn't want to let him go - this is my first weekend and I have no ego - so I asked him to stay with me.

Outside of the driving, I learned two things: I need vinyl numbers (I used painter's tape) and I need to figure out how to use my GoPro (I didn't know about the 4gb size limit so I have these "chapters" and I'm not thrilled with how bright the outside is looking through the car).

A video from my final session is below. If I can figure out how to stitch the other videos together and cut out idle time I can post more.

 

[Si2RS]

I got lucky enough to clear the waitlist for the SCCA event at Summit Point this past weekend. I was fortunate to have an amazing instructor, Bill - Corvette aficionado, who took me under his wing and trusted me not to crash with us in the car.

Weather was cold. Low-mid 20s in the first session but warmed up to high 40s/low 50s both days. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky. This was SCCA's largest HPDE event ever at 160 cars.

My first 2 sessions on the first day were rough as could be expected. However, I gained confidence and really focused on hitting targets along the line. By lunchtime the second day, my instructor offered to let me go solo. I didn't want to let him go - this is my first weekend and I have no ego - so I asked him to stay with me.

Outside of the driving, I learned two things: I need vinyl numbers (I used painter's tape) and I need to figure out how to use my GoPro (I didn't know about the 4gb size limit so I have these "chapters" and I'm not thrilled with how bright the outside is looking through the car).

A video from my final session is below. If I can figure out how to stitch the other videos together and cut out idle time I can post more.

2nd Day, 4th Session

Edit: I also need to learn how to embed videos on here.

Regarding the GoPro, same thing happened to me at the Adrenaline Academy. Afterwards, I learned that I need to force manual exposure. After setting up the GoPro on my headrest mount, I long press on the part showing the windshield. It will adjust the brightness to the outside so you can actually see it.

Also, that video is set as private on youtube.

 

[BMoneyMan]

Also, that video is set as private on youtube.

Sorry about that. Try it now.

 

[BMoneyMan]

 

[big jim]

nice job. the borla exhaust has it's own distinct sound. 👍

I miss my cobra race kit.

 

[aheadlan]

That was great to watch, getting me excited to go back to the track. Nice driving!

 

[GmpaJimj]

When @big jim mentions Borla, is that the one thru Ford? I think it’s even stamped with the blue oval?
(sounds great!)

 

[Skidro87]

Nice!! Congrats on taking your RS on the track! I will hopefully be taking mine out again this year.

 

[BMoneyMan]

When @big jim mentions Borla, is that the one thru Ford? I think it’s even stamped with the blue oval?
(sounds great!)

Borla makes 2 exhausts. The S-type and the ATAK. From what I gathered, the S-type was the Ford Performance exhaust but I don't know if it comes with the stamp. I have the ATAK, which is louder than the S-type.

 

[gbassrace]

MoneyMan - great that you are out there and getting instruction. Please put thumbs around the wheel and below the thumb bolsters. Very surprised they didn't say anything to you. That was my very first instructor criticism back in the day after only 1 min lol and he was right. A habit now for any performance driving. Watch any Pro on in car video.

 

[Tongue Twinster]

Each instructor with his methods but mine would not accept such steering movement.
At one point your hands are so close you have minimum flexibility to correct the car if something happens.

Other than that, practice makes perfect!

/TT

 

[MorningZ]

If I can figure out how to stitch the other videos together and cut out idle time I can post more

When I had a GoPro, i found the GoPro Studio software a huge help (i think it's called "Quik" now)

Great job on getting out there, it's a deep rabbit hole to start down lol

 

[morbid]

Looks fun! My GoPro suggestion, which is just a personal preference, is to disable the "Stability". With it enabled It gives that weird side to side sloshing sensation... like someone is in the back seat, holding the camera.

For stitching them together, I first use ffmpeg to convert them from mp4 to mkv, which I do on all videos anyways. Then I use mkvmerge (part of the mkvtoolnix package) to append them.

 

[BMoneyMan]

Looks fun! My GoPro suggestion, which is just a personal preference, is to disable the "Stability". With it enabled It gives that weird side to side sloshing sensation... like someone is in the back seat, holding the camera.

For stitching them together, I first use ffmpeg to convert them from mp4 to mkv, which I do on all videos anyways. Then I use mkvmerge (part of the mkvtoolnix package) to append them.

Thanks for this. I honestly ran out of time to play with the camera before getting to the track. I'll do more testing before the second HPDE weekend.

 

[BMoneyMan]

MoneyMan - great that you are out there and getting instruction. Please put thumbs around the wheel and below the thumb bolsters. Very surprised they didn't say anything to you. That was my very first instructor criticism back in the day after only 1 min lol and he was right. A habit now for any performance driving. Watch any Pro on in car video.

That would put my hands at close to 9 and 3 on the clock, correct? Thumbs below those bumps (I learned something today - they're called bolsters)?

 

[Tongue Twinster]

This is how I hold the wheel on track and on the road.

 

[GmpaJimj]

This is how I hold the wheel on track and on the road.


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Last pic...passenger holding his nuts, means you’re going really fast!

That would put my hands at close to 9 and 3 on the clock, correct? Thumbs below those bumps (I learned something today - they're called bolsters)?

Trivia: You can thank Emerson Fittipaldi for those bumps. He was looking for an edge, added those to his wheel, and won the world championship that year.

 

[BMoneyMan]

This is how I hold the wheel on track and on the road.


View attachment 350526
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This is helpful. I've been practicing holding the wheel like that while casual driving trying to get used to it.

 

[Tongue Twinster]

In one picture there are two Focus RS MK3 vehicles *hue hue *.

@BMoneyMan practice makes perfect.
In the last picture you see my left hand at 15:00.
My right hand is positioned to pick the wheel / unseen in the photo should more lock were needed.
The video shows where my right hand was waiting.

This is my steering technique.
I started at 10:00 and 14:00 but after a few years I moved at 09:00 and 15:00.

 

[MorningZ]

I remember when I started tracking my problem was always the "death grip".... after a few events I learned that relaxing my hands helped a lot and helped with feeling the road