[Rutkowski]

Originally Posted by Boost Creep

Your whole blooper video would be my first hot lap on any track.
Except my one lap would have ended in flat spotted tires, cooked brakes, and probably some cosmetic damage to every body panel.
And my fire suit.

haha well said, I’m glad you’re still alive

[TrackClub]

[QUOTE=Rutkowski;10403726]

Originally Posted by TrackClub

Robert, i am glad you've posted the vid albeit i will be critical of it - sorry! I hope you can take it in a positive fashion from an old dog like me

Hey Bill! Thanks for your experienced opinion Absolutely, I think there is a lot to learn and there were some critical moments. I agree on most points, like pushing with a passenger on board. They were good friends and asking for it, but that doesn't excuse it. In the end it's up to the driver to control what's happening on track.

Some things I also want to put into perspective though. Or rather give you my perspective Keep in mind, those are pretty much all hickups from well over 20 hours of pushing on track. It´s my first full year of trackdays and I need to progress by ganing experience, most of the tracks I was driving for the first time last year.

I think if I had never missed a brake point in all this time I would definitely not be pushing hard enough. In moments of going straight in a curve after misjudging the entry speed/line/brake point of another car in traffic, I always felt this is the safest bet and gives me enough room. Rather than trying to make it on the inside and miscalculate that. So it might look stupid, but I felt I could still be in control despite making a mistake.

Now the situation with the RS in the end is definitely a different story! I should have backed out as soon as the RS went in the middle (which was against the rules of the day btw, as you were only allowed to overtake left).
I got carried away because the M2 was not letting me go, even though the group of me and the GT4s heavily gained on him before (about 1 sec per lap). That's also the reason why I went inside so early. I wanted to tell him that I'm coming now and showed him the lights as well.

That's just the why: It should't happen again and I learned from that. Emotions never help, and it was a mistake to stretch it there.
Later he was telling me that he held me up on purpose because I did it to him in one of my cooldown laps earlier in the day. Needless to say that was not on purpose, I would never do that!

So all in all I get your points, but please know that I'm ambitious and want to get better as fast as I can. Sometimes this means making mistakes, and that's exactly what I wanted to show in the video. In hindsight you are right and hopefully next year this vid will be shorter

Hey Robert, i get everything you're saying and i appreciate your explanations! Yet I'd suggest that creeping on a limit is a better choice when learning new skill vs crossing it with potential consequences. Sooner or later you'll end up at a venue with a concrete wall vs a run out 20hrs is nice, but try to double it next year. And nix your friends from the R seat. And try to keep emotions out of it. Be Lewis. Not Max ))

But that aside: every late braking "blooper" bar none involves a car in front of you. Hence i am going to hazard a guess, that improved vision technique would likely benefit you in gauging your entry speed better. And avoid the offs entirely. I am going to guess you're focusing on cars in front vs apex and hence losing ability to judge speed and hence the offs. Just a hunch...
Here is a quick piece (below) i wrote for a friend. No, i am not a pro (and never will be), but have been around many good ones and still do my best to learn.

Have a read below. Hope this will help ya some. Or at least reinforce some key points. It all starts with proper vision - that much is certain.

As far as bloopers without other cars involved: it is a case of balance, or lack of it. If you carry too much brakes too deep the rear will come around every time.
If you dont balance the rear with throttle at or near an apex the same thing will likely happen. Bottom line: try to maintain a balanced car paying much attention to weight transfer at each phase of a corner. And then learn how to balance the car out. That example at Spa is a good one where you apply throttle quickly but progressively in a high speed lefthander and the car sticks real nice because it is well balanced. Bravo!
Had you hesitated, the front tires pointing left would have started scrubbing speed and cause the weight transfer to the front, which would lift the rear up...and i am sure you know what would come next

Anyhow, it is all good! Here's the vision write up. Enjoy and all the best! Bill

Proper vision is one of the key skills in high performance driving. It is vital to effective car control and being able to push a car to its limits. It is also key for safe driving on and off the track.

MIRRORS SET UP:
Effective and safe vision starts with setting up side mirrors correctly to eliminate blind spots (which exist only if mirrors are set improperly). While "rubber necking" is - at best - dangerous during regular street driving, its downsides are multipled on a track while wearing a helmet and/or 5/6 point harness, full containment seat, high speeds, etc.

TYPE OF VISION:
In simple terms, there are 2 types of vision:
1) something we *focus* on with specific purpose, and:
2) everything else around us that we should be aware of *peripherally*

VISION 101 FOR DRIVING:
We have all heard a saying: "keep your eyes on the ball" But, at the same time, a player must be fully aware of a whole playing field - peripherally. Both are a must! If one of them suffers - big mistakes happen.
The same principles apply to driving. Except the ball is replaced with apex. The playing field is replaced with traffic, mirrors, flaggers, debris, etc.

When driving on a track we travel from apex to apex. How we navigate each apex determines our pace. Getting to the apex while a car is at its limit is usually much more difficult than exiting it at the limit. Hence what we focus on while approaching a corner and when, is key. Why? Because vision is a major enabler in allowing us to gauge speed, angle of approach (or attitude) of the car, any under or oversteer, etc. But for this to work effectively we must focus our vision on where we want to go: the apex! This is crucial!
And this focus should remain there until we reach it. Once this mission is accomplished we should look beyond a track out point, at an ensuing straight. At the same time and at all times, employing peripheral vision for full awareness of what is around us.

When should we start looking at an apex?
In long braking zones focus on a marker first then the apex as soon as brakes are applied. For short braking zones, focus on apex before braking. NOTE: Never focus on cars in front of you as your speed gauging ability will be adversely affected (they are moving, yet an apex is stationary!), plus if they make a mistake you'll likely replicate it.

MYTHS AND TALES:
The most frequent advice offered when teaching new drivers is to "look far", "eyes up" and other similar phrases. As much as they are helpful in preventing novice drivers from looking just a few feet beyond a car's hood, they fall short of providing any clear instructions. And hence such terms often lead to eventual confusion. Where exactly is "far"? How high is "up"? Clearly, there is no purpose on focusing on something 2 or 3 corners down the track, as the only thing that matters is an apex immediately in front of us. And until we successfully navigate it: nothing else should matter as a goal.

Michael Krumm addresses it in his excellent book Driving on the Edge. The only book that provides driver's POV illustrations of where to look when approaching and leaving a corner.

Hulkenburg's video on YouTube, assisted by special vision high tech, clearly shows where his focus is during a lap in an F1 car. Apex!

HOW TO TRAIN VISION:
Vision is a skill that needs to be developed until it becomes subconscious. With this in mind, here are some simple suggestions of what to keep reminding oneself, before each and every stint. Better yet, try to visualize it before each stint:

- Long braking zones: once marker reached, brakes on and eyes on apex.
- Short braking zones: eyes on apex before braking.
- Eyes stay on apex until you get there, nothing else matters.
- On exits look far at a middle of ensuing straight, while keeping track out (and all else) in your peripheral vision.
- Use peripheral vision to be aware of everything around you at all times: traffic, mirrors, flaggers, debris, rodents, etc.
- Never look at cars in front, as your speed gauging ability will be affected, plus if they go off you'll follow them.
- Always get your mental focus on. Driving at high speeds is serious biz.

[Rutkowski]

[QUOTE=TrackClub;10403784]

Originally Posted by Rutkowski

every late braking "blooper" involves a car in front of you. Hence i am going to hazard a guess, that improved vision technique would likely benefit you in gauging your entry speed better. And avoid the offs entirely.

Got me there great write up, I'll focus on it next year, especially with other cars "distracting" my vision. Apex, apex apex!

[TrackClub]

[QUOTE=Rutkowski;10403793]

Originally Posted by TrackClub

Got me there great write up, I'll focus on it next year, especially with other cars "distracting" my vision. Apex, apex apex!

Hehehe it may seem somewhat counterintuitive at first. And it requires *mental focus* to focus your vision on one thing yet maintain your peripheral vision active and wide open, at all times. But it works! And after a while it becomes a subconscious habit. And i will guarantee your pace will improve while offs will become a distant memory

All the best and have bags of fun!

[FNxR3DNECK]

Quick video from this Sunday out at Summit Point in West Virginia, went to a track-cross event that was good fun. Haven't run this circuit since 2017 and it's safe to say that the Karussell is just as intimidating and fun as I remembered it being 2 years ago haha

[Rutkowski]

[QUOTE=FNxR3DNECK;10404454]Quick video from this Sunday out at Summit Point in West Virginia, went to a track-cross event that was good fun. Haven't run this circuit since 2017 and it's safe to say that the Karussell is just as intimidating and fun as I remembered it being 2 years ago haha

Wow that really looks exactly like the original at Nordschleife! I had no idea you guys had that in the states. Cool idea, and intimidating for sure
I’ve heard that there is a Porsche test track in Germany that also copied a ton of famous curves, including Laguna’s cork screw... Why not?
How does the rest of the track look like, do you have a longer video?

[samr350]

First picture is from autocross on the track at Canaan Motor Club although it was pretty much an open track with a couple cones. The others are from autocross in Devens MA.

[FNxR3DNECK]

[QUOTE=Rutkowski;10404655]

Originally Posted by FNxR3DNECK

Quick video from this Sunday out at Summit Point in West Virginia, went to a track-cross event that was good fun. Haven't run this circuit since 2017 and it's safe to say that the Karussell is just as intimidating and fun as I remembered it being 2 years ago haha

Wow that really looks exactly like the original at Nordschleife! I had no idea you guys had that in the states. Cool idea, and intimidating for sure
I’ve heard that there is a Porsche test track in Germany that also copied a ton of famous curves, including Laguna’s cork screw... Why not?
How does the rest of the track look like, do you have a longer video?

It's a fun track for sure, though it has a very distinct lack of runoffs and concrete walls everywhere! I deleted my PDR footage from when I ran the full layout back in 2017 (it was my very first track day every and I was embarrassingly slow lol), but here's a pretty decent lap from a Z06.

[carguy55]

[Boost Creep]

Originally Posted by carguy55

LMAO


I will be showing this to Mustang fanboi at work today after lunch.

Thanks for making my day!

[Rutkowski]

Originally Posted by carguy55

Amazing video what a coincidence you catch two of those!
Definitely a good idea to set up the cam in the back

[jpdaugherty]

Hahaha that's great

[Rutkowski]

Hey guys! Here is part 2 of the highlight videos. My 3 best laptimes of last season. Obviously still room to improve, but the best I could do after 1,5 years of trackdays Next season I'll push again and also try to get some good times with less traffic in the other nice tracks like Hockenheim.
Enjoy your weekend!

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by Rutkowski

Hey guys! Here is part 2 of the highlight videos. My 3 best laptimes of last season. Obviously still room to improve, but the best I could do after 1,5 years of trackdays Next season I'll push again and also try to get some good times with less traffic in the other nice tracks like Hockenheim.
Enjoy your weekend!

Awesome! Loved that lap around Spa especially. What a track....