ARPCA Welcomes You To Watkins Glen

1
ARPCAWelcomes You To Watkins Glen!

• C and D
• Classroom

2
Objectives for the Beginning Track Driver

• Safety, Safety, Safety!!!!
• How to drive the basic line of the track
• How to use turn in points, apex, and exit
• Braking, shifting, and turning techniques
• The names of the turns and straights of the track
• Being comfortable and HAVING FUN!

3
Apprehension

• Apprehension/Nervousness is good
• Nervousness and safety go together
• Shows you are thinking
• Thinking about what could happen reinforces
  safety and the 7/10 rule
• What is the 7/10 rule?

4
Getting Ready

• Empty the car (seriously)
• Be sure you are properly dressed
• Check the car before entering
• Adjust for proper feet and hand positions

5
Getting Ready

• Why is proper preparation so important?
• Driving is sensory oriented
• Site
• Hearing?
• Touch?
• Smell?

6
On the Track

• All braking and shifting should be done in a
  straight line
• Shifting - basically don't for the first session
• Remember your priorities
• The "4 C's"
• Corner Stations
• Cars
• Corners
• Cones

7
Corners

• The most important part of the track
• Straights only serve to connect the corners
• You can use the whole track!

Correct
Incorrect
8
Basics of Cornering

• A few notes on Cones
• Cones are a useful tool for learning the concepts
  of entry, apex, and exit
• Dont learn to rely on the cones
• They can be moved!
• They may not be there the next lap
• They may not be there tomorrow

9
Entering the Track
2
1

• Line up outside garages when your group is called
• Get prepared for the track
• Be careful when entering onto pit lane
• Instructor will find you there
• Pull up to starter when signaled
• Enter the track promptly when signaled
• Take a warm-up lap!
• Take it easy or the bend at the end of the pits
  will be a surprise!
• Stay to right of track on exiting the pits
• Stay right until you can watch for cars in your
  mirrors, then merge left
• Don't rely on flagger (if there)

10
Exiting the Track
11
Pit entry signal

• Take a cool down lap (or half lap)!
• Signal when entering the pits
• Track exit is immediately after turn 11
• Give Pit Entry hand signal before turn 11
• Start slowing down
• Stay to far right of track
• As you enter the pits slow WAY DOWN
• Watch for cars entering pits from paddock
• Exit Pit lane just before bleachers

11
Safety First!

• Check your car every session, ask for help if
  needed
• If you get tired, come in to rest
• If you get really tired, don't drive

12
After the Run

• Review the session with your instructor. Point
  out areas where you felt comfortable and where
  you were unsure
• Relive each turn with your eyes closed or while
  looking at the track map
• While preparing for the next run session,
  remember the previous run and try to anticipate
  what you will do this time

STOP
13
Now that you have been on trackWhat is the
"Golden Rule" of Watkins Glen?
14
Don'tApexEarly!
15
Gee, I thought I was coming to a track event,
not a mountain climbing event!
16
Turn 1 The "Ninety"

• Fairly classic right-hander
• Requires heavy braking going down hill
• Get passing done early
• Watch for cars entering the track from the pits
• Although this is one of the earlier apexes here,
  resist the urge to make it too early!
• Pivot point End of pit straight, beginning of
  back straight

The Ninety
1
17
Turns 2, 3, 4The ESSESSome of the fastest
corners you'll ever be going through!

• Turn 2 Fast Right Hander. Exit at mid-track.
  Keep eyes up. Look through 3
• Turn 3 If you had to lift before entering, you
  didn't do it right!
• Turn 4 At this point you have it made. Relax
  and enjoy the back straight

4
2
3
18
The Back Straight
Passing

• Use straight to relax, check gauges
• Watch for cars around you
• Watch passing situations
• Complete passes early. You need time to get set
  for the inner loop.
• Watch for Checker Flag. Easy to miss here

19
Turn 5 AThe Inner Loopor The Bus Stop or
the Chicane

• Busy area
• Braking
• Passing complete?
• Checkered flag?
• Now, how do I get through here
• The MOST DANGEROUS Area of the Track
• Get all your braking and shifting done well
  before entry
• Until youre comfortable with the corner, think
  of it as three corners connected by two straights.

Inner Loop (Bus Stop)
20
Turn 5The Loop

• Start turn end as a smooth transition from the
  exit of the Inner Loop
• Start turn in, but hold track center until you
  can see the apex (Will I ever get to the apex?)
• Hold inside of turn for a long apex then drift
  out to where the NASCAR course exits to the right
• Take the left hand track!

21
Turn 6The Chute

• The chute brings you very quickly down a steep
  hill. Requires significant braking attention.
• Another corner where it is easy to apex too early
  with potentially dire consequences
• Once car is set toward apex, heavy acceleration
  is possible to drift out to curbing on right side
  of track
• Passing is permitted here, but you must be
  "friendly"

6
Passing
22
Turn 7The Toe of the Boot

• Another down hill braking situation. Make sure
  passing is complete!
• Another corner where it is easy to apex too
  early. Consequences here is lost speed up the
  hill.
• A treacherous corner in the wet! Use the patch to
  your advantage in the dry. Beware of it in the
  wet.
• As you complete the corner, start you Christmas
  list by wishing for 1000 HP. Again friendly
  passing is necessary.

6
Passing
Toe
7
Passing
23
Turn 8The Heel of the Boot

• Despite the long uphill struggle you just
  completed, you will need some heavy braking for
  this corner.
• Complete passing early
• Look for extra patch at left of track.
• Complete braking and turn in just beyond the
  patch.
• Just because this corner looks a little more
  "normal", fight the urge to apex early! It is
  still more than 90º.
• Walk this corner if you have an opportunity.
  You'll be surprised

Heel
24
Turn 9 The Off-Camber Left

• Uphill braking area allows for good braking
• Another long corner that requires a late apex
• Probably flattest corner on track
• Pavement changes and short course re-entry lead
  to relatively poor adhesion, especially when wet
• Passing permitted after this turn (friendly)

25
Turn 10 The Fast Left

• End of another passing area that requires being
  "friendly"
• Well banked, high speed corner
• Normal entry and apex
• As speed picks up, notice how much faster turn 11
  comes up on you. Look and think ahead!

Passing
10
26
Turn 11

• Fairly straight-forward corner that is
  complicated by
• Pit entry Watch for cars staying right. Are they
  really entering the pits or just way off line?
• Tire wall, guard rail at exit
• Bridge
• Well banked, high speed corner
• Normal entry and apex
• Check you mirrors as you settle into the front
  straight

11
Passing
STOP
27
Getting to Know Trouble

• Two types of emergency situations
• 1. Originates from you or your car.
• 2. Someone elses actions.
• Most out of control situations Result of lack
  of CONCENTRATION / FATIGUE.
• Anticipation and proper eye technique help keep
  you from trouble. Skilled drivers become experts
  at anticipating.
• Swerving to miss someone spinning or to miss oil
  or deer on the track can be done safely if you
  are alert, are looking far enough ahead and your
  reactions are quick enough.
• First Do not use your brakes Instead lift off
  the throttle transferring weight forward giving
  you a larger tire contact patch.
• Second Turn to avoid the object Aim for where
  the object has been and put the power back on
  smoothly.
• Going off the track Most important to turn the
  wheels straight stay off the brakes and ease
  smoothly and carefully back on the track.
• Most common skid is rear of the car sliding out.
  Left or right its the same. Stay off the brakes
  and quickly steer in the direction the rear of
  the car is sliding.