DON'T CRASH!

 

My '08 is still on order, so I cannot provide Mini specific tips, but I do instruct with PCA and BMWCCA so I can give you some general guidelines.

1) Tire pressure; unlike an auotcross your tires will build up a lot of pressure with the heat. Start with about 32 and measure the pressure as soon as you get off the track. You don't want to be more then about 38psi hot. Get a good pressure gauge with a release valve and let off air till you get to the right pressure.

2) Learn the line and gradually build up speed. Your instructor should be able to put you in the right spot on the track and as you gain confidence you can build speed. If you can find a track map ahead of time and memorize the names of the turns it will help you communicate with the instructor.

3) If this is a weekend event wait till the second day and then go on a ride with your instructor. It may really help to clarify a lot of what he/she has been telling you. It may not have as much of an impact on the first day.

4) Communication style is a very personal thing. If you don't feel you can communicate well with your instructor go ask for another one. Just don't rag on your first instructor, simply mention that you think someone else might be a better fit for your unique needs.

5) Don't scare your instructor and don't lift!

6) Save your pennies, this is one addictive habit

 

A friend went to the Skip Barber Racing Scool at Laguna Seca (Mazda Raceway). Before going to the first class, he got a racing video game that included Laguna Seca. He found that practicing with that game actually helped him when he got to the track. This game had a number of different tracks available. You may be able to find one that covers your track.

 

One of the best things you can do right now is practice good technique during daily driving. Always use two hands at around 10 and 2 only taking your hand off to shift and putting it right back on the wheel. Its good to drive like that all the time and if you are used to it you wont fumble at the controls when you are on the track. The next thing that you wont want to do all the time but can still practice for everyday driving is just getting used to deceleration with the clutch in. Down shifting is a relatively tough part of it all since its something you never really so everyday driving so just practicing it out even not at track revs is a good method. Keeping the car in gear when you are in a corner is important because a little jerkiness at the edge and you'll break traction and under steer. These are great techniques that you can work on away from a track. The next thing that is harder until you get to the track is make sure to keep your eyes ahead, never look at the corner you are driving through. That ones a bit weird at first but itll make sense because otherwise you wont stay on a good line. Like everyone said start out slow, you'll be overwhelmed anyways. Theres plenty of things to work on before you go fast. Definitely make sure you got a tire pressure gage that makes it easy to let out air as you read it. Your tires will generate enough heat that you might need to let some out once they warm up.

 

not to be a terd but, if you have an airbag hands should be at 9 and 3.

car companies try and make you do this by putting your steering wheel buttons where you can only reach them if your hands are at 9 and 3.

no one wants a broken wrist from an airbag.

 

Ive heard that before, but 10-2 is better for performance, plus the steering wheel has nice big grips there. Main thing is you cant be doing any hand over hand business at a track and your wrists are much more flexible going over rather than under the steering wheel and little bit of overhand bias at 10-2 really does help make it possible to keep your hands in position. Keeping your hand in position is a key point, otherwise you may look like a fool and hit you wipers

 

I thought the 10-2 thing was a 1950's myth. IIRC, the in car footage of F1 drivers shows them using a 9-3 position. It has been awhile, so my memory may be a delusion.

Googling the subject seems to show that there is quite a bit of difference in opinion. The California DMV is still saying 10-2 while the CHP is going for 9-3. This racing site also favors 9-3:

http://www.racingschools.com/rs/Steering-p-29.html

Many people seem to favor the 10-cell phone position.

 

Thank you! for the advise many of you! and Thank you Baraka for introduce me your experience at the track and your specific advise would lots help!

 

Our (professional BMW/MINI) instructor demanded the 9-3 as part of the training and would shout at anyone (over CB so everybody else was well aware) whenever he caught someone not using the 9-3 hands on steering wheel position.

Many safety driving course instructors let you get away with 10-2 also.

Interesting detail - the JCW alcantara steering wheel I've got in my MINI has leather for the 9-3 (give or take a little) and everything else is alcantara - that is exactly what the instructor said is the "allowed/disallowed zone" on our steering wheels.


One detail that was new for me during the course (and that I did differently before) was the recommendation to always push the steering wheel, rather than pull it through corners - e.g. through a right hand corner the left hand would be doing the steering (pushing) and vice versa.

About the "10-cell phone" hilarious but sad and unfortunately quite true.

Glad I was able to help - I sure hope you enjoy your day on the race track as much as I did!
Let us know how you did and what you felt.

 

Just keep your hands someplace consistent - don't "shuffle" the steering wheel through your hands.

And the airbag is not going to break your wrist if it goes off. Mythbusters did a story on it, and I have some first hand experience. I crashed, setting off the front airbags, with my right hand at around 11:30 (cause I was turning the steering wheel)... no arm / hand / wrist damage.

 

thanks for the 9-3 conformation. It is what i do for a living.

the broken wrist thing usually happens with females that have lower upper body strenth and reach inside the wheel for tight turns and pull the wheel down instead of push the wheel up. The typical scenario is in a parking lot at slower speeds and turning and getting hit. This would spin the steering wheel (broken carples) that your hand is on the inside of and break your wrist because with you hand on the inside of the wheel when you let go your hand is pinned on the inside of the wheel.

http://www.1800bepetty.com/SafeDriving.aspx

 

Also don't set your parking brake right after a session and bring something to put behind your wheels to keep your car from rolling back

 

Airbags should not really deploy in any parking lot incidences to begin with, so breaking of the wrists would have to be impact only, which can still happen with normal positioning if you tense up.

I probably don't go strictly 10-2, I just go for the big grips on the mini wheel which is still bias of straight across. I find that the mini doesn't really have quite a tight enough ratio for my tastes and prefer offsetting a bit up. Anything like a go-kart or purpose built racing car is going to be setup for 9-3 because that will usually optimize your strength. Biggest thing is just not moving your hands out of position in a corner, and just put your hands where you can accomplish that comfortably.

 

Over-thinking alert.
Put your hands on the wheel where it feels good and you can yoke down on the bastid firmly.
Two speeds; floored and brakes.
You'll probably only need 3rd gear with an R56.
Drink plenty of water and pee before each run. Or else you'll giggle so much you'll **** yourself in the turns...

It's a fun thing that evolves into part of your reflexes, not an anxiety-producing event to stress you out.

 

If you are going to hit anything with enough force to set off the airbags, you should not have your hands on the wheel AT ALL at the moment of impact. Nor should you have your feet hard on the pedals. Let the seatbelt stop you. Not your hands and feet.

 

I second the handbrake advice. The rear pads will stick to the rotors if they are hot enough. Pop the bonnet when you come in from a session to speed cooling of the engine compartment. Also, you'll need to remove all loose items from the car before you can go out on the track.

 

This thread might be of interest.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=102273

 

My breaks got really hot (as in that you could not touch the rims any more) and I did use my handbrake (didn't pull hard though) and I had no problems. Still worth thinking of, in order to avoid it being stuck, when the breaks coold down.

Especially when you have one of the first R56 with the bonnet scoop totally closed off. There have been reports of the hood scoop deforming due to extensive heat. Directly underneath is a very hot metal "thinggy" (I'm no car mechanic).
My R56 has the partially open hood scoop and was fine heat-wise, even without popping the hood. I could feel hot air coming from out of the hood scoop though.

Now that is some extremely useful advice, as loose objects flying left and right, forward and backward are not only very annoying, but dangerous or even hazardous (imagine something rolling underneath the brake pedal).
Extremely annoying to notice some loose objects in the door compartments, the glove compartment, the abck seat or trunk ... banging back and forward while you are out on the track...

 

Thank you!! All!! I'm safe back from 5/11/08 track event!!

It was realy! Excited! and chilling!! during the event!

This car is totaly easy to control! support the driver perfect!

I turned off DSC and Yes! I turned on SPORT Mode!! Flying!

sad part after track was my right fornt rim is bent.

I hit dame pot hole before cornor apex..

well anyway I'm gonna buy new set of rim so it won't matter much..

There is one thing I disappoint was interrior. while I was driving at the track the upper light housing (which is where are airbag turned on/off light located) Fall down right in to me and while I was shifting the gear.. shift **** come off... wow.eccecpt that everything was fine~

Here is the video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoLVrdPCmSA

(from the video you will see the light housing fall right into me )

 

Great! Glad to see you had so much fun in your MINI.

So when are you going to do the Phil Wicks series and compete for a trip to Europe to race a MINI there?

 

Nice video. How did you mount your camera?

 

Go to www.cruisecam.com It will work out for you!