This is an article I came across when I first started racing. There's lots of good tips here. Most of them are common sense but I know from experience, that flies out the window in "the heat of the moment," especially when you're new to the racing scene. I still get nervous and jittery when on the stand but that's just part of the "game."
Good Racing Practices
by Glenn Cauley
By “good racing practices” I do not mean doing well in the practice sessions before the qualifiers, but rather the things you do during heats that allow you to perform at your best.
Some of the things that I will describe here may seem very obvious, but it is surprising how many times you may forget.
First of All… RELAX!
Almost everyone gets hyped during a heat, more so during a qualifier because you only have a limited time during which you are trying to get a pole-position run.
Here are a few things that will help you to get you through qualifiers and mains physically and mentally.
1. Don’t forget to breathe. Even though you may not notice it, you probably hold your breathe periodically during a heat. This is especially true when battling with someone for position. During each qualifier, pick a certain spot on the track and remind yourself to take a deep breath when you get there; do this each and every lap. During a main, do this each and every lap AND when you come in for a pitstop. You will find that your head will remain clear, and you will be a little more focused.
2. Blink your eyes. Because we are concentrating so intensely during a heat, we tend to stare at our cars without blinking for longer than normal. Again, this is especially true when battling with someone for position. Staring at something without blinking for extended periods will tend to dry out your eyes, and will have a negative effect on your concentration. While not so pronounced during a 5-minute qualifier, it will take its toll during a main event. Try this… every pitstop, forcibly squint your eyes several times to refresh your eyes by getting the blood circulating. This only takes a second or so but help immensely.
3. Bend your knees. If you tend to lock your legs and knees during a heat or main, this will put alot of strain on your leg muscles and will reduce bloodflow a bit. This won't have a pronounced effect during a 5-minute qualifier, but moreso during a main event. To stop your legs from cramping during a main, at each pitstop bend your legs, or even kick them up behind you once or twice. Your calves will love you for it, and your legs won't collapse like rubber at the end of the race.
4. This one is a personal favourite that I learned during a few years' of motorcycle roadracing... wear earplugs during your heat or main. It will cut down on the amount of distracting noise around you, and help you to concentrate. On the other hand, you will not be able to hear your car as well... that's when a good pitman is invaluable. Give it a try.
Beat the Heat
If you are lucky, your main event will be during a sunny, warm time during the day. If you are unlucky, your main event will be during a sunny, warm time during the day. A contradiction? Not at all. The first means that you will (hopefully) have abundant traction for your main and won’t have to fight with the car. The second means that you may suffer from the effects of too much sunshine if you are not careful.
Here are a few things to help you battle the sun:
1. Wear a hat. This one is kinda obvious.
2. Put a damp towel on the back of your neck. This will help you avoid sunburn on your neck, and will help to lower your internal temperature; thus helping you keep your concentration.
3. Never EVER put sunblock on your forehead. I did this once or twice, and the results were almost disastrous. Figure that if it is hot enough to put on sunblock, it is hot enough to make you sweat. And if you put sunblock on your forehead, sure as anything it is going to trickle down right into your eyes. Sunblock in your eyes is very painful, trust me. The first time this happened to me, I had to pull into the pits and use a towel to rub my eyes because I could not see. The second time this happened, I was able to keep racing, albeit with only one eye open at a time. Don't learn this lesson the hard way.
4. In keeping with #3 above, try washing your face with cool water before a heat. This will ensure that there is nothing that can blind you during the heat, and also helps to refresh you on a hot day.
5. Shared from Tony Vredenberg (NL):
"Here's one I learned during the 1994 1:12th Worlds in France. It was over 40°C in the building that contained the track, so you can imagine how difficult it was to keep a clear head... Apart from drinking enough water (and water only, no cola, Fanta, etc.!), I found it helped to put my wrists into streaming cold water. As your veins run very near the surface in your wrists, your blood will cool at this spot and be transported through your whole body very quickly. This cools your whole body down, albeit for a couple of minutes only...
The Pitman
This is one of the things that will either make or break your racing experience. A good pitman is hard to find, but once you find one, don’t let him go! While being able to give you a good pitstop, a good pitman will do much more than that. I have been very fortunate to have had great pitmen during my years of racing, those who bring me in at the right time, get me out ahead of the pack, and definitely help me to keep my head on straight. Thanks to Mike K, John S, and others.
Here are a few things that will help you and your pitman form a good relationship:
1. Trust your pitman. He may have a better idea of what’s going on in the race than you do.
2. Carry on a dialog. Your pitman should relay such things as: what position you are in, when you have a clear track ahead of you, when you are coming up on an accident, when the accident has been cleared, and when faster drivers or leaders are coming up on you. He should also tell you things like when to calm down when you start driving squirrelly, when to pick up the pace if they see you are off your regular pace, and give you positive reinforcement when you are doing well.
3. Since pitting is a pivotal duty of the pitman, pitstops should be quick and clean (with the emphasis on quick). A good pitman will not be scared of your car, and not be so dainty that he is afraid of a little spillage. Remember, the whole idea is to get your car in and out in as short a time as possible, with the least amount of fuss.
4. If you need an adjustment on your car, such as brake or carb settings, tell your pitman what you want, and then they should repeat it back to you. This will ensure that your pitman heard you, and more importantly ensure that he understands exactly what you want him to do. (We have all seen those nautical movies where the captain tells the helmsman an order, and the helmsman repeats it right back... this really does work!) When your pitman has done what you ask, he should again repeat back to you exactly he did.
5. When it is time for your pitman to bring you in for fuel, have your pitman tap you on the foot. This will avoid everyone yelling everyone else’s name, and will avoid confusion as to who should be coming in. (Imagine if there are 2 or 3 Michaels on the stand, and all the pitmen started yelling, “Michael, time to come in!!” at around the 5-minute mark.) Again, when your pitman taps you on the foot, confirm with them that you understand.
Not the Whole Story
These are not things that I just dreamed up and jotted down on e-paper... they are things that are tried and true, and have helped me get through many races in one piece and with my sanity intact. Some may sound silly and obvious, but you really have to try them to appreciate them.
Here is a great article written by Antonio Garza of Texas, USA...
http://www.mytsn.com/publ/publmem.asp?pid=2720
Please share your experiences with the rest of the racing community, and help us all enjoy our sport that much more.
Just use plaid's advise and finish the race. Once you get the feel of racing against other cars, maybe try and be more aggresive in the main, etc. Good Luck!
