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stock 2012 GS. original stock tires with 13k miles on them. I had traction control on and produced my fastest time at 2:11. I turned it off the next session but was 2 seconds slower. I think I was just scared as I have never driven anything with this much power. But I think I may keep it off since getting on the gas coming out of turns helped me rotate the car without steering input.
Looking at my vid, it looks like I don't use the entire track and that I don't get on the gas early enough (traction control interfering too?).
Anyways I know this car is capable of much faster, so all help would be appreciated.
Try not getting on the gas too soon, wait till the apex and start opening up the steering, this will let the TC know what happing and allow throttle input. AKA; brake a little earlier, trail into the apex, on exit open the steering up, and Squeeze the peddel not mashing it.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
I would run with a group that offers instructors. Outside of taking a driving/racing school 2-3 day course, HPDE instruction is probably your best method of improving lap times, car control and overall confidence. They can sit in the car and point out what you are doing in real-time.
You have gotten some good feedback, particularly regarding getting some 'real time' feedback. Also, I always ask novice students to remove, or at least turn off the display, for any timing devices - especially phones mounted on dash. You need to focus on the track ahead and the input from the car - not your times or speed. That will help you keep your eyes up, get smoother, and then built speed. Looks like your already hooked - enjoy!!
Read "ultimate speed secrets" by Ross Bentley. Agree with the above that HPDE events or driving schools with instructors would also be a big help. Other than that, more seat time with a concentration on dialing in the line and smoothness.
The least expensive way to get faster is to hire a driving coach. A good one.
HPDE instructors are a mixed bag. I've seen really good ones and some complete idiots. Ask around and see who is respected.
The worst thing you can do is to modify the car. The basic rule is do nothing to the car for the first year or two. My buddies at Chin feel you need at least 20 events before you touch the car.
You have to have some good instructors out there. Start asking around.
Another course of action would be the Bondurandt school.
The problem with the Vette is it doesn't penalize your current driving style. If you tried driving something heavier that had more body roll you would "feel" the lack of smoothness on all your inputs, braking, throttle, and steering. Learning to manage how the vehicle shifts its weight and how that effects traction would do you wonders when you then got back into the Vette...
Carry as much speed into the corner as you can or as much as you feel you should. Then input as much steering as you know is required to make the turn and hit the apexes. And then open the wheel from there is the car starts to slip. Keep doing that until the car will track out in a way that feels like its tracking out on its own. If you have to drive to the track out points, you're entering too slow
Now, Don't be afraid to brake very hard. Use the corner markers, Start a a spot you are comfortable with. #00 feet is pretty far out on most corners, even the high speed entry corners. Brake hard at the 300 foot marker, and stay on the brakes until the speed is right for the corner. Notice how far away from the turn in point you are. If there's plenty of room left, next time around brake at the 250 foot marker. and so on. By the end of the weekend you'll be relatively fast. After a few weekends of that, you'll have a good scope of the car's ability, which will be a lot more than you expected.
Things to be aware of.
Your tires aren't right for pushing too hard.
Your flexible brake lines should be upgraded to braided stainless steel. It removes sponginess and they're a lot safer
The stock rotors and pads will work well for a while. Keep an eye on the drilled holes in the rotors. That's where they will crack first. First sign of that, change rotors before continuing. You probably knew all that already
Hulk, you look like you were doing pretty well for just the second time out in the car. You'll be faster as you get more comfortable with the car. Stay on top of the safety and maintenance and you should enjoy that car for a long time.
Main thing I saw was entering corners too fast leading to missed apexes and understeer. You can see where you try adding more steering to get to the apex and you just push wide. The 'slow in fast out' adage works. You can build experience with more aggressive braking but early on you'll be faster and more consistent with early braking. This makes hitting the correct turn in speed more consistent. Once you turn in at the right speed you can carry that speed through the apex and get on throttle sooner.
The other tip would be to romance the throttle more. Squeeze it to the floor, not stomp. As you come out of corners, the throttle input in the video is very abrupt.
Last edited by spearfish25; 02-18-2017 at 08:10 PM.
Get your eyes up..........I noticed you were "hunting" with the steering wheel on every turn. Usually this is because your eyes were not looking at where you want to go. If you look ahead to where you want to go, you'll be more precise, less drama. I always tell my students that one steering movement for each turn is max, then one for the exit.
Seat time is important, and as others have said, work on being smooth, speed will come afterwards without any effort.
Main thing I saw was entering corners too fast leading to missed apexes and understeer. You can see where you try adding more steering to get to the apex and you just push wide. The 'slow in fast out' adage works. You can build experience with more aggressive braking but early on you'll be faster and more consistent with early braking. This makes hitting the correct turn in speed more consistent. Once you turn in at the right speed you can carry that speed through the apex and get on throttle sooner.
The other tip would be to romance the throttle more. Squeeze it to the floor, not stomp. As you come out of corners, the throttle input in the video is very abrupt.
There is one left turn where the front tires are squealing way to much. They have lost grip and are understeering and the car is going wide and ruining any chance you have at a good exit. The only way to stop that is to slow down more before corner entry so you can get the car down to the apex of the turn and start unwinding the steering and then start rolling onto the throttle.
Another way to think about it is you didn't use the brakes enough going in so the tires took the place of the brakes and are dissipating the speed by sliding sideways. Once that happens you have lost steering control in addition to heating/wearing the tires which makes them lose more grip.
If you do get into a corner too fast the right way to correct is to lift off the gas so weight transfers forward off the rear wheels and onto the front wheels. That will give the front wheels more grip while lessening grip on the rear wheels. That will cause the car to pivot in the direction you want. As it comes around to the heading you want for the turn you can start adding throttle to rebalance the car so you can exit properly.
Your throttle inputs aren't smooth enough but the transmission is also downshifting at the wrong point in several turns. You don't want a downshift while under throttle exiting the turn. That sudden change in torque delivery to the rear wheels can shock them to the point they lose grip and the car spins. If you want a lower gear on exit get the car in that gear while braking. I don't know whether you were manually shifting the transmission or just had it in Auto mode but shifting at the wrong time needs to be addressed.
You are missing your apices by quite a bit. Need to work on that.
As others have said, get some better tires.
This looks like a very safe race track with very little to hit. Time to turn off the nannies. You will be surprised at how much they slow you down. Spinning the car here looks like a pretty benign thing to do.
What are you're alignment specs? If you bought the car used and the PO set the car up to be easy on the tires on the street, you'll pick up a lot of time with even a moderately aggressive (but still street friendly) alignment.
Others have mentioned tires....if those are the originals, you're way overdue to replace them. Nitto NT05, or Michelin Pilot Super Sports are nice street tires to use.
Lots of good advice from the others regarding actual driving.
Do you also run (or plan to run) Streets of Willow? I'll be out there towards the end of March with ExtremeSpeed. PM me if you want to meet up. I live near Beverly Hills
The two most important things are getting more seat time and using instructors. I would not recommend a driving coach as they are way too expensive ($1000 and up) and you do not need their level of expertise. Just a regular instructor at a track day is all you need, and they are usually free or very low cost.
Don't modify your car. Save your money to get more track time.
I always like meeting other Corvette owners, so PM me if you ever want to go to big Willow. I'll be there this Friday the 24th in fact.
Or, in the words of Mario Andretti "If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
Richard Newton
Terrible advice. For every hamfisted driver that that thinks spinning the car off the track is a result of how fast they are, there are just as many actual race car drivers that say the exact opposite.
I realize what you're attempting to say, but it's absolutely terrible advice to give anyone...especially a new driver.
02-13-2017, 02:57 PM
2nd time on track with the Grand Sport, pls help me get faster.
