Beginner to racing question about coming out of corners

Hello!

I'm new to racing, specifically I am running a stock 74 cutlass on a quarter mile asphalt oval. We don't use spotters in our division, so my question is, because of the restrictive mobility/sight I have due to the helmet and HANS device, how do racers gauge if a car is on either side of them? I find it particularly challenging coming out of corner to see if someone is to my outside or not when deciding if I can move up to the wall on the straight. I have a side view mirror but I guess I am not used to it enough yet to just quickly glance over and see if someone is there. I was told to look straight and not move my head as much as I can. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

First, sound is your friend. Learn what is sounds like when other cars are close to you. 

Second, just like in a street car, it's important to have a mirror properly adjusted to see important stuff. You may not actually care what's right behind you, but you need to know when a car's in a spot that you will hit it if you move over. In a circle track situation, I may even want a small mirror adjusted in such a way that there is *only* a car in the mirror if I'm gonna hit it, so that a quick glance in that mirror is all that's required to know if I can move over. That way, you don't have to waste a bunch of valuable bandwidth trying to judge distances and stuff. 
 

scm495 said:

Hello!

I'm new to racing, specifically I am running a stock 74 cutlass on a quarter mile asphalt oval. We don't use spotters in our division, so my question is, because of the restrictive mobility/sight I have due to the helmet and HANS device, how do racers gauge if a car is on either side of them? I find it particularly challenging coming out of corner to see if someone is to my outside or not when deciding if I can move up to the wall on the straight. I have a side view mirror but I guess I am not used to it enough yet to just quickly glance over and see if someone is there. I was told to look straight and not move my head as much as I can. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Odd that you all don't use spotters. The last oval Kart series I ran in highly recommended spotters.

You need a wink mirror. See all things, mirror stays intact.

In reply to scm495 :

Don't move move your head?  I've been racing  now for a few years short of 60 years. My head is on a swivel.  Up the track, then to the right rear view mirror, over to the left,   Heck you're gushes, Up the track, repeat. Keep a mental picture of where everybody is so you can make a move without looking if a sudden opening  ( or anything else) happens. 
It's too late to look around and see if you can move, you need to know and keeping that mental picture updated is what is required.  
Your mirror has to be adjusted do a glance tells you what you need to know. you don't have time to stare and figure things out. 
 

In the Navy flight training, they trained us to develop a scan pattern. Approaching that moving tilting twisting carrier deck on rough stormy weather at night  you have to get that big picture and keep it updated while you monitor air speed, decent rate, angle of attack, wings level, flap position, direction, LSO, what the waves are doing, what the deck is doing, the ball, stack gas ( old Essex class carriers  so you get a sudden elevator ride up and down 50+ ft. a moment prior to touch down).  And probably another dozen things I'm forgetting about since the last time I landed on a carrier was 1970 

My point is there is plenty of time to get and keep the big picture. Don't forget to keep track of your own car too.  Tach, temps, pressures, etc etc. if you see something going wrong reacting properly may save you from a messy expensive lost engine, and others from oil on the track. 
Your scan pattern will discipline you enough so you won't be driving into a developing problem  or causing problems for others.  

I can appreciate the lack of head movement caused by the HANS device.   I don't know anything about ovals, but we have one of those big curved rear view mirrors, and I rely on that mostly, always aware of who is behind me, and thus who might be coming up along side.  The rollcage blocks the right mirror where I sit, so I can't use that, but the left mirror works as a double check if I missed anything in the rear view.

Some guys have started using rearview mirror cameras, so they get a full picture using screens at the dash.   Seems like this might be a good setup.

If you run without spotters, the responsibility for making a safe pass falls more on the passer.  If I had my fender up where the other driver should see it in his peripheral vision, I figured the spot was mine.  If not, it wasn't.  If you are leaving an opening whenever someone is near you, your opponents will quickly learn that you can be intimidated out of he way.

I hate hate hate wink mirrors. Panoramic rear view mirrors is where it's at. I could never get a feel for where cars actually were in the wink. 

frenchyd said:

In reply to scm495 :

Don't move move your head?  I've been racing  now for a few years short of 60 years. My head is on a swivel.  

There is very little head movement available in a car with a containment seat, HANS, inner/outer nets. 

I race ovals and the problem seems to sort itself out as you gain seat time. Anyway, if he has position on you(has your door we say) you will know he is there, and if he is farther back than that then it doesn't matter, but always be prepared for contact and counter steer accordingly. Also in circle track you tend to race in lanes or grooves. Not good for anyone to go from one groove to another multiple times a lap as that is just blocking. Pick a lane, leave the other guy some racing room and outdrive them. And on the straights you should get a good look at who is behind you and where, and you will know where to expect them on the turns.

z31maniac said:

frenchyd said:

In reply to scm495 :

Don't move move your head?  I've been racing  now for a few years short of 60 years. My head is on a swivel.  

There is very little head movement available in a car with a containment seat, HANS, inner/outer nets. 

You don't have to move your head a lot on the race track.  It's not like there are intersections you're going through but you do have to keep looking. 
Can you see you mirrors?  I've only raced a sedan once but my mirror in the drivers door required a slight drop of my head and a left shift of my eyes. The rear  mirror  a slight rise of my head and a slight eye shift. Passenger  door mirror required the head shift to the right and down slightly. 
  Driving the Blackjack at 150+ mph speeds really forced me to lock my head pretty much because at those speed the air blast  would really snap my head around if I turned my helmet too much. 

Some tracks don't allow mirrors, say it promotes blocking.

But they race quite well.

You need some basic eye exercises to train your brain; You can do this while sitting on the sofa while watching tv. While look at the TV take your right hand and put it where the mirror would be or more importantly where the car would be in your mirror if it where on the outside of your car. Then simply hold up your index finger and wiggle it around while still looking ahead at the TV. After hold that up your left and and repeat the process, after that do both hands at once. 

You don't have recognize the car, you just need to register that there is something moving around there.

It will take a little time but eventually you'll open up your field of vision and be able to do this subconsciously.

Awesome, great advice everyone, I appreciate it !