...to look where you're going, not where your car is pointed.
...to look where you're going, not where your car is pointed.
Some great advice that many newbies could use, and that I wish I could have received as a newbie:
"Drive like a meth-head running from the cops"
True story.
GameboyRMH wrote: Some great advice that many newbies could use, and that I wish I could have received as a newbie: "Drive like a meth-head running from the cops"
There are definitely two categories of novices in this respect though: those who need to be more aggressive and could use this advice, and those who are too aggressive and need to focus on being smooth.
Most novices I've coached were in the first category, but I was definitely in the later category when I started (and I've coached a few others who were too). Being in the second category, you find the limits of the car/tires real quick, but then you need to reign it in and keep from going over the limit.
I actually remember thinking "dang, I'm driving this thing as hard as I can, and I'm still not the fastest - what gives?" Lol, newbie me.
I find that people who already have track experience and are doing autox for the first time focus too much on being smooth and precise (as if the autocross course is just a miniature track and that sort of thing will work just the same), and could use that advice.
The ones I've had that were too aggressive also seem to early apex. Teaching them the late apex line seems to reign in their aggression, maybe because to do it right requires hard braking.
jstein77 wrote: ...to look where you're going, not where your car is pointed.
Word y0 QFT.
We get a lot of novices and old duffers at our club events. We also get a lot of O/Cs because they just won't look past the gate they are in until they clear it. Then its too late - and all the pointer cones in the world don't help.
[edit] May I use that picture?
"Relax, have fun"
As noted many benifit from :
"drive slower to drive faster" (me included)
In reply to Duke:
Of course - go right ahead.
In reply to jstein77:
Great, thank you. I appreciate it!
Worst secret keepers ever. 
curious strategy. I prefer to look ahead at attractive women walking near the course. Could be why I hit lots of cones.
GameboyRMH wrote: "Drive like a meth-head running from the cops"
This pretty much still describes me, I don't consider myself a newb anymore. I asked a guy to ride along with me one time. After the ride his eyes were as wide as saucers, he looked at me and walked away to his car without saying a word, LOL. I usually have one or two guy's ask to ride along at each event, because it looks like I'm having the most fun
The secret? There isn't one.
...is not to play.
How about a nice game of chess?
Drive faster than the other guys, and hit fewer cones.
irish44j wrote: curious strategy. I prefer to look ahead at attractive women walking near the course. Could be why I hit lots of cones.
The attractive women at your autocrosses wear a lot more than the attractive women at Central Florida autocrosses.
^^ yeah, those look like legit driving shoes....
^^Those shoes are also great for chasing cones.
For me, a secret is to remind myself to "don't berkeleying turn-in late!" 
Not mine, but same chassis.
My buddies racing miata actually has "this car goes where the eyes go" stickered above the windshield where the drivers side sun visor would be
aircooled wrote: "Relax, have fun" As noted many benifit from : "drive slower to drive faster" (me included)
Yep. Back when I was autocrossing my MINI, the one time I won my class it was with a run that felt so freakin' slow. I think the trick there is to be looking so far ahead that nothing surprises you - then the run feels like it's in slow motion.
This applies to every form of racing. When I was racing DH, I had a fender on my bike. I often wanted to put a sticker on the leading edge: "WTF are you looking at???" since that fender should never, ever be in my field of vision. It's been hell getting back to that level.
Wrong. Bigass hats.
Ian F wrote:aircooled wrote: "Relax, have fun" As noted many benifit from : "drive slower to drive faster" (me included)Yep. Back when I was autocrossing my MINI, the one time I won my class it was with a run that felt so freakin' slow. I think the trick there is to be looking so far ahead that nothing surprises you - then the run feels like it's in slow motion.
Bingo. When looking ahead, you become proactive vs reactive. And when you are proactive, nothing should surprise you, thus everything feels like it is happening slower. This is something that is preached hard at all of the schools I teach.
I also tell my students, "Don't focus on driving fast, focus on driving well." If you do the latter, the former will happen.
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