jmitch wrote:The last two guys have NO racing experience but have owned alot of fast cars and do really well at the local cart road course . The carts top out at only 55 mph but the guys at least know how to apex corners and race clean.
All of our drivers have HPDE experience and IMO, if that teaches you nothing but the flags you are at least one whole skill level ahead of half the people in the race.
The issue is with people who have done only HPDE is in that setting you are taught the "line", which in theory is the fastest way around the track. The problem is once you get into the race there is no "line". Apexing a corner correctly is VERY RARE, because there is another car (or two, or three, or four) sitting there. You have to learn to drive off-line, on-line, and pretty much anywhere there is not another car.
Racing clean is important, but again LOTS of the drivers have never raced before so this can be a foreign concept to some. There are "gentlemens rules" but lots of the people don't know any of them or seem to care if they do. Lots of these guys seem to be the ones who drive a BOAT or car large enough to wipe you right off the track so they won't even feel it in their car.
I'm sure each guy/gal has his/her own method to this, but this is what I did my first W2W race, which was in Lemons 2008. I pretty much took it easy about the first 30 mins of my first two hour session. I learned which car would do what and in which corners. It didn't take long to tell who was a complete idiot or a-hole that would cut me off in every corner no matter if I had the apex before them or not. Once I knew who to steer clear of I was fine.
Short version, there is no "practice" for what you are about to encounter called the 24 HOL. Just remember this is an ENDURANCE race and those who try to SPRINT usually don't even finish.
Captain
Team Super Westerfield Bros.
'93 Acura Integra - No VTEC Yo!