Driving Subconsciously

[SWortham]

The best and fastest Mod is Seat Time. To get to Xxxxx, Xxxx and Xxxx's (names altered so that they don't get even Bigger Heads! :-) level you need to be able to drive using your sub-conscious. YOU can't think fast enough to stay ahead of your car otherwise. Your Conscious Mind (should) look ahead for red flags, down cones, etc. ... and will intervene when necessary ... but it's only your Sub-Conscious Mind that can really drive the car fast. When you ask XXX XXXXXXXXX how he does it ... he will tell you he thinks about how nice the sky is. He isn't thinking about the corner that he's negotiating. The Analytical mind is just to slow. That's why after a run you need to take the time to review your run. It's also why it's hard for the smart engineering types to be really fast for a while. They need to give up their overt thinking and just let it happen!

But first you need a lot of SEAT TIME to imprint so your sub-conscious knows what to do. You need to get comfortable with your car and set-up. That's why it helps to settle your set-up. And you need to know the course ... otherwise your conscious mind has to take over. Experience helps with learning a course quickly, because you will recognize certain gate/corner/cone combinations ... but as you can see from last Saturdays event, all of Xxx's experience didn't help him enough to win ... after not really walking the course, nor really knowing Xxxxx's car.

The all crucial Looking Ahead becomes easier and easier as your sub-conscious learns to take over the actual driving functions. Looking Ahead gives your sub-conscious the road map to do it's thing.

So again ... Seat Time is what makes one really fast. Of course, not spending enough time with the family can also stop your auto crossing in it's tracks. :-)
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1069206

[soullesselantra]

ive found this is true with anything wether it was racing, delivering pizzas, or just everyday driving. Its all a matter of knowing the vehicle and what you can do as a driver

[OPZ]

Thats pretty much how I do driving. Just relax and "be one with the car." hahahahaha

[SWortham]

Yeah, this sort of thing can apply to all sports. But as complicated as racing is, with most autocrossers doing their own setup, there can be a lot of distractions. When it comes time to race it's all about the driving. And with experience you should be able to let your instincts take over more and more.

[jalmir]

^^^

Yeah I learned that I was reacting faster then I can think ... once in winter I took a turn a little too fast, (there was no signs and I didn't knew that road) ... the car ovesteered a LOT and my girlfriend at that time screemed like hell ... I still don't know how I got the car back on track (I was nearly 90 degrees with the road ... steered too much and went 45 degrees the other way) that was quite scary, but only afterward, when I realised what happened! From that moment on I'm like my granny when I drive on a snow covered road!

[ba_feitl]

I love the NASIOC forum... been there for a couple years now. It's gotten a little big for my taste but there's always good stuff on it.