Ways to Become a Better Driver

Autocross is a great way to learn car control skills and vehicle dynamics in a safe and structured way and its cheap. Autocross is a timed course set up with cones in large parking lots. The speeds are usally 30-60mph and focuses on car control and handling rather than out right top speed.  Almost all clubs have a novice program that will take the beginners on course walk through before the event starts, discuss how the event is run and what is expected of you, as well as make sure that there is an instructor in the car with you while out on course, and allow you to ride with other instructors to allow you to see the course when you are not driving, see different lines, and see what it feels like at the limit.  Definitely take advantage of riding with instructors as much as possible.  Seat time is the key to learning to be fast and seat time is seat time, even if it is in the passenger seat. Since autocross courses change from event to event, you will quickly learn how to read a track and figure out the fastest way around.  This will translate to being able to pick up new tracks much faster than those without autox experience.  Autocross events usually cost around $40 for the day.  BMW, Porsche, SCCA, and other local clubs may hold autocross events in your area.   In the NorthEast, check out http://www.AutoX4U.com  for a consolidated schedule of all events in the area.   Here is a video of an Autocross run.

A track event with an instructor giving you feedback is great way to rapidly improve your skills and isn't as expensive as you think.  Most BMW, Porsche, and NASA clubs have events that cost around $300-400 for 2 days and offer around 2 hours of track time a day plus classroom instruction.  You'll also be able to ride with the instructors to get even more seat time, which is very valuable.  Try to get as many rides as you can.  

You should set goals for the weekend and for each session.  Setting goals is the only way to ensure that you keep progressing and learning, and that challenge and improvement will keep you coming back.  Simply circulating the track will not help you improve.  Practice does not make perfect, only perfect practice makes perfect.  

HPDE is also a great way to learn a new track before racing on it.  Considering seats for a race are usually around $500-$1000 for 2-4 hours of track time, a HPDE is actually very cost effective.  You can check out http://www.MyTrackSchedule.com  for a consolidated schedule of track events in the country.  

Consider hiring a professional coach during a DE or test day.  Prices range from $250-$1500.  Check out http://www.ProFormanceCoaching.com  or http://www.DriveFasterNow.com  or http://www.NextLevelDriving.com

Karting is also a great way to learn how to drive fast.  Want to learn how to drive fast, ask to go out with someone who works there or the local hot shoe.  Talk to them about how they drive the track, how they take turns and ask them for some feedback on your driving.  

For some, simulators work very well, for others, not so much as it doesn't provide the seat of the pants feedback needed to drive fast.   iRacing.com  is a great tool.  PC simulators are cheap.   GTR Evolution($7) , rFactor ($20) , GTR-2: Game of the Year ($20) , are good ones.  You can download cars and tracks as well as other mods for free for these simulators.  The tracks are very realistic and can help tremendously when trying to learn a new track.   http://www.SimRacingWorld.com , http://www.NoGripRacing.com , and http://www.rFactorCentral.com  are great online resources for finding tracks, cars, and mods for these racing sims.  

You should have a good force feedback steering wheel and pedals.  The best bang for the buck is the Logitech G27 ($250, but sometimes on sale for $199 or less) .  The G27 works with PC and PS3.  

Video is a great tool for learning.  Review your videos right after your event as well as right before your next event.  Review your videos and figure out what you did right and what you did wrong.  Use that to figure out what you should work on for next time.  Video cameras are cheap.  You can get excellent HD ones for $100-$250 these days.  The ContourRoam   is on sale now for $109 (normally $199). Other good video cameras for the track are the GoPro HD ($230) , and the Aiptek HD GVS ($250) .

Data Analysis is also a great learning tool, but you need to know what to look for.  You should atleast have the basics down, and understand the friction circle.  You can check out Competition Car Data Logging  by Simon McBeath for advanced data logging techniques.  Data loggers are getting cheap these days.   TraqMate  is a very popular data logger. It is easy to use, easy to install and swap into different cars, and allows you to easily compare laps from different drivers.  The TraqMate basic sells for $699.  The AiM Solo  is the newest entry and is only $399.

Combining video and data makes learning a lot faster.   Aim SmartyCam automatically overays your data onto the video as it records. TraqStudio  and TrackVision  allows you to overlay your data on your video so you can see speed, g-forces, track map, track location, lap times, RPM, braking, and other data.  Also very cool when sharing your video with others.  See here for an idea of what video with data overlay  can do.  

Keep a log book or journal.  Make notes about each session, and write down the goals for that session, what you did right, what you need to work on and what your goals for next session will be.  After the event, do a complete turn by turn writeup of a lap at the track.  Review this next time you go to the track. Reviewing video and/or data can also help you find what you need to work on as well as set goals.  

Read some books.  There are a lot of great books.  Try to read them all. The Speed Secrets  series by Ross Bently, Drive to Win  by Carroll Smith (anything by Carroll Smith is good), Going Faster  by Skip Barber,   Secrets of Solo Racing  by Henry Watts.  In addition to learning the basics, inputs, anatomy of a corner, braking points, turn-in, apex, track out, under steer, oversteer, etc, try to really understand the concept of the friction/traction circle and how your inputs effect it.  

Also books on suspension setup will also teach you about vehicle dynamics and give you better understanding of how your inputs affect the car.   Tune to Win  by Carroll Smith, How to make your car Handle  by Fred Puhn, High Performance Handling  by Don Alexander, Competition Car Suspension  by Allan Staniforth.