performance driving help

[zdss14]

hay guys, i'v been drive'n the back roads around here in my 1g omni (hope that sounds important to those of you that don't know what that is) and i realize that i suck, do any of you know of some performance driving books that could help me improve, thanks!

[EvilPenciler]

I haven't personally read it but my friend highly recommends "The Racing Driver: The Theory and Practice of Fast Driving by Denis Jenkinson"

[Drift For Food]

Your natural interest will attract you to the knowledge in every way you can find. Books are a good source of driving techniques. Oddly, I have never read a racing book.

I've come about it in a different manner. I've always driven fast, ever since I first got my own car. I had the gift so to speak, but I had no understanding. The understanding came much, much later.

First off, experience goes a very long way. If you're young and relatively new to driving, don't expect to be good. You need seat time.

As well, you will need to gain understanding. Books will tell you what to do. If they are good, they may actually explain why and how it works. For myself, it was college physics, PC game called Live For Speed, and my new found interest(at the time) of drifting after watching Initial D. I built up the understanding from my engineering teachings and a place to practice theories and ideas both in the rear world around the back roads by my house and in a safe, virtual world in LFS. Along with discussions on this forum and others, I've come to understand the physical characteristics of cars, how various driving techniques work, and concepts behind car tuning.

When finding new techniques, try to fully understand them and their purpose. What is the technique? How does it physically work? What is it's purpose? What situations would it best work? Once you understand the technique, practice will finish off the understanding will hone the technique to something towards perfection. Don't limit yourself to drift only or grip only techniques. Everything is useable to be fast or to manipulate the car in a desired manner. There are no good or bad techniques, just situations where one would be better than the other. Learn them, understand them, apply them, and get good at them.

Always remember to be safe and drive smart.

A whole new world awaits you. Cars come into a whole new light when you start to get into the details of things.

[Mindscape]

I think a great book is "SKIP BARBER, GOING FASTER!" It covers suspension adjustments, differen't types, and actual ways of taking turns. You can't become a better driver just by reading a book though. NOTHING replaces actual experience. WORD OF CAUTION don't study a book and then expect to take a 90 deg turn at 90mph thinking that you'll look cool with long tail of smoke out of the rear of your car as you hoplessly slide straight instead of making the turn you wanted to take. I personally think you should go somewhere where you won't hurt anyone and is wide open enough that you won't hurt yourself. A big parking lot. Target centers all over have good ones. K-Mart also. Any big shopping center has large lots that you can do things in. I would start off with something simple. "J" turns. Practice doing 180's. Start off going straight, pick up some speed and then do a 180 and try not to come to a complete stop and continue in the direction you just came. You can do this in intersections also when no one is around. Get in the turning lane that'll allow you to make a "U" turn. When your light turns green, light up the rear tires and come around. Practice keeping your car from getting too far sideways. Practice the same thing but from a rolling start. Try again with some speed. Progress your way up until you can make a "J" turn confidently and consistantly with out loosing control. Usually "J" turns are made at very low speeds but need a good amount of control. Once you've got "J" turns down then you can progress up to taking actual 90 degree turns with some speed. Again, start off in some parking lot so you won't hurt yourself and then progress from there. I practice at around 3:30am. The only ones out at that time are other people like myself, people with nothing better to do, and the cops. Most importantly the people who aren't there are the kids and others that would normally get in your way of practicing.