Getting rid of gauges is a big one, that's why I datalog and only glance at my tach during a race. The datalog gets played back after I'm finished.
I also listen to this song and get motivated...yes, I actually do.

 

Deep breathing when sitting on the grid, and visualization of laps while waiting to be released onto the track. That and a pelt of fur glued to the roof for rubbing, animal of your choosing.

 

Let go of everything except the sensory feedback from the car.

 

After talking to quite a few people on this, here a list of things I'm going to change and hopefully go faster next time:

• Let go of the wheel. I've been holding the wheel so tight that even when it was in the 50s and 60s a couple weeks ago at the track, I was pouring sweat as usual from gripping the wheel and gritting my teeth. I'm going to relax my grip and not lock my thumbs on the wheel, instead I'll hold it lightly which I'm trying to make a habit on the street. I'm going to drive with my palms and fingers, not my thumbs.
• I'm going to brake earlier to keep the car settled. I can go deep as hell on the brakes and trail brake pretty well, but I'm so far in sometimes that I'm afraid. I think this will help me with corner speed.
• I will only care about corner speed for most of the day.
• I will no longer force the car on the line and hold animosity in my heart over bumps. I'm going to take them in and take-in "the sensory feedback from the car."
• I'm going to write a note telling me to breathe and place it on the instrument cluster.

I've had my head wrong the entire time I've been doing this. I've been angry with every single corner on every track. I really feel like each corner is a jab or hook rather than like I'm surfing the car. I think changing my perspective might free up some time.

 

Sounds like you have thought things thru and have a plan. Good man. Let us know how it goes. Best of luck.

Sidenote: More people should take the time to analyze their behavior behind the wheel like you just did. I find it funny how some people are ready to spend heavy money on new stuff for the car (and still complaining about the car when it doesn't help) but not be willing to "waste" track time on methodical training.

 

I totally agree. People always say seat time is the best money spent. I agree with that if you're focusing on improving something the right way, and taking video with data. I haven't been gripping the steeringwheel properly, which is a symptom of the wrong state of mind.

I know this sounds totally dumb, but I'm driving my street car using my hands with more precision and no muscle behind it. The car is free-er and suddenly it has too much swaybar in the rear. I think I'm on to something.

 

I'm glad my idea made the list. Don't forget to shift early too, that'll help ease your mind too.

 

I have this weird habit, where i just relax my grip and tap my fingers on the steering wheel. watch at 12:00.

 

I'm telling you, fur on the inside of the hard top. They had that figured out back in the 70s.

 

Man or animal fur?

 

Curly female fur. I gathered mine from when I used to shoot **** back in the day. Those newbie chicks would show up with a chia pet between their legs and I would have to break out the clippers.

 

lol

 

Cover your body in vaseline under your race suit, and no underwear. Thats how you go fast.

 

^ interesting - that just might replace my Boudreaux's butt paste


You'll know when you're there...

 

And here you sit. Thinking. Well, Hustler is not a thinker. Hustler is a driver. He is a doer, and that's what you need to do. You don't need to think. You need to drive. You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to rev your engine. You need to fire it up. You need to grab ahold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra. And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell, and then you win, Hustler. You WIN! And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all. And you're a man, aren't you? Aren't you?

Some say that he carries around a demon cobra in his driving suit. And that Talladega Nights is actually his unauthorized biography. All we know is, he is called the Hustler.

 

lol

 

Blow Job?

 

Speaking of mental focus, the kink at CMP owns me. I'll get you next time kink, NEXT TIIIIME!

 

I've only tracked 2 wheels, and because of that, I have far fewer gauges. My biggest fear is a front brake problem, and the only time I even glance at the gauges is soely for the entertainment of checking my speed near the end of the straight. A lot of guys tape over their speedometer so that they don't mindfuck themselves (okay, if I had a fast bike, "205 mph" might freak me out a little bit as I'm quickly approaching the end of the straight), but it represents nothing more than a number to me.

Get rid of/cover the gauges, and get warning lights instead. You won't have to look at your gauges, and if there are any problems, the lights will ***** you in the eyeballs. The only thing that catches my eye on the motorcycle is the fuel warning light. It just flashes steadily when the tank starts running low - I have to look down and out of my way to see the gauges, but when that fuel light starts flashing, I know it in a matter of seconds. The engine light is on the other side of the cluster - I've never seen it come on.

There's only one problem... you wouldn't trust warning lights, would you?

 

The kink at CMP is one of those things that should not be hard, but you make it far worse in your mind then it actually is. I know my car can take it at 100+mph fine, actually doing it is the problem.