scars_of_carma
11-20-2009, 06:52 PM
I think its wise to think about what your purpose and pace is going to be before you go out for a drive. A fun-run is not the same as practice, testing or touge-time-attack.
Fun Run
Fun-runs are what touge is all about. They are supposed to be enjoyable and exciting. That does not mean you should be full-throttle and white-knuckled holding your breath around every turn. The touge is all about 7/10th's driving. If 7/10th's is not fun anymore see below and practice. Then try again.
Practice
If you are going out for practice decide what you want to learn and focus on one thing at a time. That's the same thing I tell driving students at the racetrack... You take the biggest risk when you decide to drive as fast as possible just to find out what might happen... Start at 7/10th's and very carefully push the limit of 7/10th's until you feel challenged but not overwhelmed. Stay there until it ceases to become a challenge. Then pat yourself on the back because your 7/10th's limit has been increased. 7/10th's should now be good enough for fun-runs again.
Testing
When going out for testing don't assume any changes you make are for the better until you test them safely first. In other words don't immediately drive at a pace that will put yourself in a bad situation if there's something wrong with an untested setup. If you feel safe enough to go for a fun run after that go ahead. However If your changes actually do make your car faster don't increase your 7/10th's limit yet and do not immediately attempt a time-attack. Stop. Pat yourself on the back and start practicing again. Go for fun-runs later and when you are really comfortable with the new setup maybe go for a time-attack.
Touge Time Attack
A touge time-attack isn't against the spirit of the sport if you take it very seriously. That means...
- Do not attempt a time attack unless you are supremely confident in your cars performance and safety. Ideally your 10/10th's should be significantly less then your cars 10/10th's.
- Do not attempt a time attack on a course that overwhelms your car. It's not worth your life to prove your Hachi can achieve the same pace as an FD if you have to drive it like Takumi...
- Scout the course first. Then go for a practice run. Then try a fun run. Yes that means you should drive the course 3 times before you attempt a time attack just to be sure you're ready and willing.
- You should do your time-attack run solo with minimal distractions.
- Have a safety car follow you at a safe distance. (That means a car with 4 seats occupied by 2 people who are capable of pulling you out of a burning vehicle and carrying you to safety)
- The reason for the time attack is to prove to yourself that you have mastered a course by achieving your best pace. NOT to prove that you achieved the best pace humanly possible. If you want to prove that go to a racetrack to get your speed fix.
- Time your run somehow. You do not want to have to do this again to quantify what your best pace is. If you do it again later on it's because you want to try it in a different vehicle or becuase you think you can do much better. The only way you can prove that is knowing exactly how fast you are in the present.
- Have your priorities in order. If you aren't willing to crash go to a racetrack for time attack.
7/10th's
99% of the time I drive alone so I admit I haven't followed most of ^ these rules. 7/10th's driving is done mostly because you don't want to put others in danger. However the question I end up asking myself after a while is am I really increasing my 7/10th's or am I just comfortable driving at 8/10th's more often?
When you drive the touge every single day you get bored and complacent with 7/10th's quickly. I even worry that 7/10ths on my home course is too fast and I will have to stop practicing here altogether or end up with a deer in my windshield...
That being said, I think a good rule of thumb is when 7/10th's becomes felony-speeding/wreckless driving you need to start over somewhere else. However when 7/10th's in general becomes wreckless what are you supposed to do?
I am starting to think that the 7/10ths rule is only wise for beginners... I might have to start thinking of practice sessions like time attack and I might have to avoid time attack altogether unless I ignore my own rules of safety.
Honestly I worry about all of us. It doesn't matter if you're really good or you're just trying to be really good the risks we end up taking for a thrill are just crazy...
Fun Run
Fun-runs are what touge is all about. They are supposed to be enjoyable and exciting. That does not mean you should be full-throttle and white-knuckled holding your breath around every turn. The touge is all about 7/10th's driving. If 7/10th's is not fun anymore see below and practice. Then try again.
Practice
If you are going out for practice decide what you want to learn and focus on one thing at a time. That's the same thing I tell driving students at the racetrack... You take the biggest risk when you decide to drive as fast as possible just to find out what might happen... Start at 7/10th's and very carefully push the limit of 7/10th's until you feel challenged but not overwhelmed. Stay there until it ceases to become a challenge. Then pat yourself on the back because your 7/10th's limit has been increased. 7/10th's should now be good enough for fun-runs again.
Testing
When going out for testing don't assume any changes you make are for the better until you test them safely first. In other words don't immediately drive at a pace that will put yourself in a bad situation if there's something wrong with an untested setup. If you feel safe enough to go for a fun run after that go ahead. However If your changes actually do make your car faster don't increase your 7/10th's limit yet and do not immediately attempt a time-attack. Stop. Pat yourself on the back and start practicing again. Go for fun-runs later and when you are really comfortable with the new setup maybe go for a time-attack.
Touge Time Attack
A touge time-attack isn't against the spirit of the sport if you take it very seriously. That means...
- Do not attempt a time attack unless you are supremely confident in your cars performance and safety. Ideally your 10/10th's should be significantly less then your cars 10/10th's.
- Do not attempt a time attack on a course that overwhelms your car. It's not worth your life to prove your Hachi can achieve the same pace as an FD if you have to drive it like Takumi...
- Scout the course first. Then go for a practice run. Then try a fun run. Yes that means you should drive the course 3 times before you attempt a time attack just to be sure you're ready and willing.
- You should do your time-attack run solo with minimal distractions.
- Have a safety car follow you at a safe distance. (That means a car with 4 seats occupied by 2 people who are capable of pulling you out of a burning vehicle and carrying you to safety)
- The reason for the time attack is to prove to yourself that you have mastered a course by achieving your best pace. NOT to prove that you achieved the best pace humanly possible. If you want to prove that go to a racetrack to get your speed fix.
- Time your run somehow. You do not want to have to do this again to quantify what your best pace is. If you do it again later on it's because you want to try it in a different vehicle or becuase you think you can do much better. The only way you can prove that is knowing exactly how fast you are in the present.
- Have your priorities in order. If you aren't willing to crash go to a racetrack for time attack.
7/10th's
99% of the time I drive alone so I admit I haven't followed most of ^ these rules. 7/10th's driving is done mostly because you don't want to put others in danger. However the question I end up asking myself after a while is am I really increasing my 7/10th's or am I just comfortable driving at 8/10th's more often?
When you drive the touge every single day you get bored and complacent with 7/10th's quickly. I even worry that 7/10ths on my home course is too fast and I will have to stop practicing here altogether or end up with a deer in my windshield...
That being said, I think a good rule of thumb is when 7/10th's becomes felony-speeding/wreckless driving you need to start over somewhere else. However when 7/10th's in general becomes wreckless what are you supposed to do?
I am starting to think that the 7/10ths rule is only wise for beginners... I might have to start thinking of practice sessions like time attack and I might have to avoid time attack altogether unless I ignore my own rules of safety.
Honestly I worry about all of us. It doesn't matter if you're really good or you're just trying to be really good the risks we end up taking for a thrill are just crazy...