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Need some advise from pro drivers

Need some advise from pro drivers

Old 09-25-2011, 04:24 PM
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Default Need some advise from pro drivers

Hi guys, I got some few questions to ask and I hope that you can give some advise. I start with proper race car nearly 2 years now and I starded to join some race in stock electric and nitro onroad and most of the result of my race is end up only to C or B at finals if i get lucky. I know how to setup my based on track condition but unfortunately I dont have much time to do more practice because of my family commitments, work, and the track closest to where I leave is 45 minutes drive . I'm so disappointed when viewing the result and when see the guys that enjoying the event than me and sometimes I feel that just quit and forget about joining even this is one of my passion

Heres my question:
1. How will I develope the consistency on the track?
2. how many times per week I should do practice?like when those pro started
3. Should I get much better radio?
4. If you feel nervous everytime Im going to driver stand what should I do to avoid this feeling.
5. Is it really necessary to spend more and get a better gear to increase driving performance?
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Old 09-25-2011, 05:09 PM
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See below in red.
Originally Posted by Zac Power
Hi guys, I got some few questions to ask and I hope that you can give some advise. I start with proper race car nearly 2 years now and I starded to join some race in stock electric and nitro onroad and most of the result of my race is end up only to C or B at finals if i get lucky. I know how to setup my based on track condition but unfortunately I dont have much time to do more practice because of my family commitments, work, and the track closest to where I leave is 45 minutes drive . I'm so disappointed when viewing the result and when see the guys that enjoying the event than me and sometimes I feel that just quit and forget about joining even this is one of my passion

Heres my question:
1. How will I develope the consistency on the track?
Consistency require a lot of practice driving laps over and over again. Consistency also relates to your car. It must be prepped correctly so that you can drive it well.
2. how many times per week I should do practice?like when those pro started
When I first started we raced in parking lots so once a week was the maximum. Now that there are more permanent tracks drivers will practice/race 2-3 times per week. Sometimes more. Lately I have been club racing once per week which for me is a lot. Some years I raced 5-6 events and the practice sessions for the events were the only practice I did. Some drivers need more and some need less.But once per week is what I would recommend.
3. Should I get much better radio?
It depends what you have. A mid range radio with good response should be sufficient. A good high speed/high torque servo is more important.
4. If you feel nervous everytime Im going to driver stand what should I do to avoid this feeling.
Most drivers are nervous when they drive. There is not much that you can do although I do know at least one driver (not a pro) that tried hypnosis. But being nervous is natural so I would not worry about it. Also nervousness is not as severe when you are confident in your car and driving so practice and improvement will help.
5. Is it really necessary to spend more and get a better gear to increase driving performance?
To a point, yes. But it depends on what you have. Making sure you are using the right tires/tire prep and body is important. If you feel you are driving as well as you can, can turn laps within .2-.3 of each other, and not crash, better equipment might make you go faster. But if you are not optimizing what you have, better gear won't help.
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Old 09-25-2011, 06:26 PM
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I go to the track usually once a week on Saturday, pretty much all day. Even if you think your car is set up properly, have a more experienced driver help you. Even when I think my car is set up and handling great, the shop's owner will watch me and tell me what the car is doing and what to change. Just this last week, I dropped half a second (on a 10-11 sec avg. track) and now I run one bad lap in 5 or 6 instead of the other way around.

You don't need a top of the line radio. I have a 3pk (not the super, mind you) that I picked up used. All you really need is end point adjustments and dual rate...that's really it. Depending on class, gear is not everything. I run Trans Am and run a TC5, also picked up used. If you're going to run some sort of modified class, of course you'd do best with a current chassis, but drive a class within your limits. None of the pros went for modified right off the bat.

Feeling nervous, for me, is part of the excitement! I just watch the car, get in the zone, and listen to the lap times get better! No rush quite like beating your previous "hot lap!"

Just remember, the whole point is to have fun! Even the worst day at the track is better than a good day at work, right?
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Old 09-25-2011, 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Rick Hohwart
See below in red.
Great post from one of the best in the history of the sport.

I've been doing this for 25 years. I'm not a pro, but I've made a main or two in stock classes. For what it's worth, here's my take.

1. Consistency comes from 3 areas. Experience, preparation and confidence.

Prep: If you're always prepared before you arrive at an event, any unexpected challenge is far more manageable, because you've saved lots of time by doing pre-event prep.

Confidence: Always walk up to the driver's stand KNOWING that you will do the very best with what you have for that run. If you're set-up is a bit off, do all you can to learn how to "drive around" those shortcomings. IMO, a solid run with a "good" car will build more confidence, than a "great" run with a "great" car.

Experience: This is all about track time, and the amount varies from person to person. A "natural wheel" like Tosolini, or Hara, will require less practice than someone who needs to "learn to feel" an RC car on-track. A club race a week is a great place to start. Just make sure to maximize the available practice you can get at these events. Show up with your car ready to run, pack charged, tires trued, and set to hit the racing surface (see Prep). Run, then analyze areas on both the car, and the track, where you can improve. Work towards improving each and every run.

2. Pretty much covered in answer 1

3. This is the one area that I disagree with what's been posted so far. Your radio gear is THE most important part of your package. I mean, the first word in Radio Controlled is RADIO. I have used the same brand of Radio for 20 years. Each time they release a new model, I try to resist the urge to upgrade. Once I give in and get the new radio, I'm usually slightly faster. Rick also makes a great point about the steering servo. The best radio on earth can be RUINED by a sub-standard servo.

4 and 5, Rick answered as well as possible.
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Old 09-25-2011, 11:09 PM
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I'm no pro, only been doing this a couple years, but have been improving steadily. Some things I've found to help are:

Don't make setup mistakes with the car. The important things aren't on the setup sheet. Make sure your bearings are good. Make sure your diff is working properly (gear diff helped me a ton, because I suck at building ball diffs). Get your droop right (I've found I do best with lots of droop, no spring preload, because the car just works more consistent). Make sure your car isn't tweaked (there's an easy method that doesn't require a tweak board). Get the right tires and prep them right. A big hint as to whether the car is working right is whether you're having trouble staying off the boards and being distracted by what the car is doing. If you're thinking about what the car is doing right now, and not where you're going to put it in the next corner, then there's probably something off in the setup that's making it handle finnicky.

Find help. Make friends with the fast guys, and don't be shy about asking for help. Watch the way they drive. Get them to drive your car and watch how they drive it. I've found that if I can't get a couple laps within a few tenths of their time with my car, it's because I did something dumb with the setup that makes it too hard to drive.

You don't need a track to get meaningful practice. I've found that just doong figure eights or other simple patterns in the parking garage at work, with super low grip, a few times a week, made good improvements in my reaction times and precision. With this type of practice, use natural features like lines, manhole covers, pavement seams, etc. Or get some small cones or track dots.

-Mike
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Old 09-26-2011, 01:31 AM
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After 16/17 years of r/c, if you need to make setup changes to the car, make only ONE at a time.

If you dont like what you have changed, change back to what you had before.

But there is no substitute to practice. Without it, you will not improve. I still get nervous when I am racing, it is natural...
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Old 09-26-2011, 05:11 AM
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Thanks to all of you guys for your very good advise and I really appreciate this and now I realize that quiting is not the option I will just take my current weakness as a challenge to learn more...

Cheers,
Zac
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Old 09-26-2011, 06:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Zac Power
Thanks to all of you guys for your very good advise and I really appreciate this and now I realize that quiting is not the option I will just take my current weakness as a challenge to learn more...

Cheers,
Zac
Zac Where in NSW are you, look don't feel like you have to be at the pointy end of the race, i've been doing it for near on 5-6 yrs now and will never be a front runner, i'm what you call a stocking filler lol, and that's fine by me, just get out there and do the best you can don't worry what the other guy's are doing, drive within your own ability and the cars, don't let anybody tell you your car is no good (cheapy), i drove for a while with a HSP pull start against Nitro tourers and was getting my ass handed to me on a plate (LOL and still do ), but in saying that it gave me confidence to get out there and give it a go and learn how to drive a car on a proper track, putting your car on the track and against others is the only way you will learn, it doesn't matter where you come, in the end it's all down to did you enjoy yourself and believe me the more racing you do the better and easier things will become, don't be in a rush, learn from meet to meet, you will surprise yourself
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Old 09-26-2011, 07:33 AM
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As a chronically inconsistent driver, I have found VRC a tremendous help. We race every two weeks with no practice time available. I have had 3 race days since I started with VRC and each one has been better and more enjoyable than the last. I am dramatically more consistent. I am sure it is due to more practice time.

This sounds like an advertisement, but I am now staying on the same lap as the faster guys and it takes the fast guys a little longer to catch me.

Regards,
Carter
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Old 09-26-2011, 08:00 AM
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Default Becoming Consistant

I started this very same thread back in May.

Becoming Consistent

Embedded within is a lot a useful feedback. Towards the end there's a link to another thread discussing "error rate" which I reccomend you read as well...
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