There was something really whack about Chris' post about mental prep. It was never turning to "read" for both Rex and I and I was unable to make any new posts after replying to it (saying I was trying too soon)... I deleted the thread and all seems normal again...
Chris, you'll have to say what you said again 
I said I don't mentally prep and .RJ said to get Ross Bentley's Inner Speed Secrets book.
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that error happened to be before as well.
I don't really mentally prep, other than try to relax and get a good night's sleep. I do prep the car and make sure all the logistics are going to flow well (ie: expenditure funds - gas/food, directions to the place, sleeping space, etc). I check the brake pads/rotors/fluid, tires, throttle cable, lights, clutch fluid level, and other misc tech stuff. I also make sure i have enough clothes for the trip.
If it's a course i'm unfamiliar with (ie: VIR this Feb): i plan on looking at the map, watching video's and seeing where i should brake and what general line i 'should' take. Obviously i want to leave that up to the instructor and i before i start the session. I don't know myself or my car well enough to plan too far in advance. Hopefully that'll improve this year.
For auto-x's i just tech the car and walk the course. Usually try to relax and get a good rest before the day, try to remember to bring everything, and watch the people that go before me.
Karting, i'm just having fun, no prep. :wink:
Mental prep is the most important thing you can do to get faster on track.
For a long time I didnt put much stock in it, probably because I was lazy, and I also really thought the only learning could be done with actual seat time. ("seat time seat time seat time" is how you get faster everyone says)
When I reached the point where my skills were not increasing linearly is when I started to think more about the mental game, but it didnt really *click* in my mind until I had a student at VIR last year. I know her pretty well, and have instructed her several times. This particular event I knew that she hadnt been on track in over a year and I knew that she would be really rusty. Hell, Im rusty for a session or 2 if I hadnt driven that month, let alone year.
She came out and nailed it. Was killing corners from the first session on, smooth, eyes up, etc. After a couple sessions I asked her "you really prepared for this event didnt you" and she said "Every morning I ride the train an hour to work, and I drive VIR in my head over and over"
My first race in october I was off pace a bit in T3 and T10 (which was expected, no reason to push those corners in HPDE)
I tried "pushing" harder in the corner, but that just didnt work. So I went home saturday night, and visualized over and over braking less, carrying more speed, and getting on the gas earlier. Visualize the slide that you feel from the tires, how the car reacts, how it sounds, everything. In the sunday race I was a LOT faster in T3 and T10, laptimes dropped, and in fact I was closing on people in T3, and carried enough speed through 10 to pull and get alongside a sunbelt engined car on the straight repeatedly.
One thing is for sure, it takes a lot of discipline to do it right. It is flat out HARD to visualize an entire lap. Personally, my mind gets distracted very easily so I usually just do a corner or 2 at a time, but the more you do it the better you get at it.
and lastly, buy Inner Speed Secrets, and read it. Then read it again.
Im on my 3rd time through it.
well said Evan. after my first round of karting i started to mentally "drive" during the break period. it took all my concentration to do it but it helped a ton...almost like i programmed my mind to autopilot the course when i went back out.
also, hydrate yourself ALOT. be it winter or summer. if your piss ain't clear, drink more water til it is. drink even if you don't want to. hydration helps every aspect of your physique. being hydrated will also help you avoid headaches from dehydration.
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anyways, yeah I was just curious as to what you guys do to prepare mentally for track, autox, karting, racing, etc. I had said I relieve some of the stress by knowing my equipment and car are prepped. I go over everything several times and plan my packing weeks before. This way I try to eliminate forgetting something important, which can cause you to not have full focus when out on track. I also watch videos, look at maps, and envision a lap around a certain track when I have free time. The few minutes before going out, I like to sit in the drivers seat un-interupted and collect my thoughts, think about shift points, braking points, hand and eye position, etc. Oh and a couple red bulls never hurt either!
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Chris Wrote:I had said I relieve some of the stress by knowing my equipment and car are prepped. I go over everything several times and plan my packing weeks before.
I attempt to do the same. However, generally it ends up with my entire front and rear suspension on the garage floor the night before I leave for road atlanta.
We solute you, mr get-your-car-ready-for-the-track-at-the-last-minute-man.....
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
.RJ Wrote:We solute you, mr get-your-car-ready-for-the-track-at-the-last-minute-man.....
That would be hilarious!! :lol: :lol:
You know, I used to do mental stuff a lot when autocrossing, now that I don't take it very seriously, I do very little. Couple of course walks, thinking about turns, identifying camber, surface changes, going over the track map in my head, but not really visualizing DRIVING it better anymore.
At the track, I talk about and think about turns, series of turns, try to identify what could be done to find more speed, but again, I don't really visualize the drive. The only time I do any visualization is when I'm riding along. I sometimes picture myself as the driver and send the signals to my feet and hands as if they were in control.
BLINGMW Wrote:I do very little
And chan still manages to kick our asses in go karts and autox.....
Damn you!
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
We salute you, Mr. Get-Your-Car-Ready-For-A-Track-Event-At-The-Last-Minute-Man. Lesser men would postpone their track endeavors. Women deride your impossible folly. Most people would give up. But not you, Mr. Get-Your-Car-Ready-For-A-Track-Event-At-The-Last-Minute-Man. Undeterred, you toil ceaselessly to get more boost, higher cornering speed, or to simply get your busted pile running at marginal functionality to make it through the weekend. You possibly could have had your car ready weeks ago, but that's about as much fun as a race that's won on the first lap. You understand what drama is, you value true glory, and you Mr. Get-Your-Car-Ready-For-A-Track-Event-At-The-Last-Minute-Man, understand what a true hero is. While few attempt to emulate your brilliance, you are an inspiration to us all.
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I laugh every time I read that.
:thumbup:
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
never saw that! Or forgot. :oops:
.RJ Wrote:And chan still manages to kick our asses in go karts and autox.....
I'm sure you guys are lightyears ahead of me on track though. And hell, I wasn't shit up in that Charlotte kart place the other weekend
for an autoX, I try to look over the car I'm taking to make sure I won't launch off too many parts during the event. I reall don't try to compete, and really look to it to hone my skills for road racing either. Really, I just do it for cheap fun and getting to know how a car reacts or how it has changed due to modifications I've done.
karting I just do for fun, end of story.
I haven't done a whole lot of mental prep for road racing, but I will start doing it more this upcoming season. I noticed toward the end of this year that my learning curve was starting to plateau a bit, but I'm still learning. I always take some red bulls, but I only drink them before the last session of the day, b/c that is really the only time that I feel that I may be having any form of exhaustion. I keep my track backpack pretty much packed for the next event within a week or two of getting back from one (I've pretty much retired a certain set of clothes to strictly track gear) and I've consolidated almost all of my tools into a backpack and a toolbox. I give the car a throrough check right before the event and make sure all of my regular maintenance is taken care of, and try (though usually fail) to do any major work a few weeks before the event.
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