Actually I am driving one of our FSAE cars later this year, but have driven formula dodges, Shifter karts, etc. What I think the best thing is, and this is kind of obvious is that we need to practice IN the car. I have already got my hands on some data acquistion hardware to further enhance and develop our skills. I also have planned semi-pro and pro drivers I know to come and talk with us, and go over the collected data, and help us see our flaws, and correct them. Also making sure we dont develop bad habits. The best thing is to just get seat team in the Fsae car. Anything else is just supplemantary that will just provide more experience and to develop techniques, however its very specific to each fsae car how it needs to be driven, and how to drive it correctly to get the most out of it.

obviously sex is the most important key before racing the endurance! i'm kidding.

seat time. that's what it's all about. and a guy who doesn't get nervous.

nervous drivers = cone eating

University of Toronto Formula SAE Racing Team
www.fsae.utoronto.ca

Yea, the most important thing I try to emphasize is seat time. However just driving around in a parking lot only does so much. you need proper instruction, and proper critiqueing so you dont develop bad habits. What you may think is the fastest line, may not be, etc...

Either way, Karting requries as much and most of the time quicker reactions then a FSAE car. You are correct in that since the fsae cars have suspension, it handles different... no two cars hanelte the same. However how you control the car, and the instincts you use... Karts are in my mind the closest. Since most people dont race Van Diemens, they can only judge the fsae car compared to thier car, or maybe even some karts. Not many guys have raced well prepared shifter karts, considering an 80cc entry level shifter feels nothing like a 47hp prepped 125 shifter. I raced a couple of these last summer at a friends track. I used a 33hp 80cc that had a great chassis setup, and he had his 46hp Motoriseven 125. Considering he owns the track, and has raced there 8 years, and with the power difference (we weigh the same) it took him about 7 laps to lap me on a 1/2 mile very technical course.

Anyways back to the topic at hand. If you can becomer a successful and skilled Karter (mainly shifter karting) I can almost garuntee you'll be able to handle a fsae car and get used to it very quickly. Since the dynamics and characteristics of each car is different, depending on design, and how its intended to handle, the driver must compensate and learn the car.

Once a team decides on who will be driving the most, or for the say the endurance, they should then proceed to the next level of training. Considering how much the endurance is worth at competition its important you can first have a car that can be reliable and last the entire event, and above that have drivers who can consistently run fast laps. Setting a fast lap here and there wont win. Consistency and making sure you reduce the number of human errors is key for driving success.

I hope I can start something once it gets warmer out so we can start preparing our drivers asap for competition and Autox. I got some cool events coming up i am planning and some great tools to use.

Do any of you guys use any tools to help you determine how your drivers are performing and how they can get better?

Have fun on the track Keep the shiny side up

Happy Holidays (you should all be in the shop )

quote:

---

Have fun on the track Keep the shiny side up

Happy Holidays (you should all be in the shop )

---

I *usually* do!! (And usually am...)

This year, lets put the engine back up front where it belongs!!

This is a little off subject, but I am trying to find the official times from last year's US competition (all events). All times for the F-SAE Australasia competition are posted on
http://www.racetime.com.au/?event=f0201

Is there a similar site for the US comp?

I'm pretty sure that Detroit's competition doesn't even try to collect individual endurance lap times. Way too confusing - we tried the last couple of years to do a similar unofficial tally with 4-5 people and it's hectic. The sample lap times announced are sampled, which itself would be interesting data to have available.

All the resources are there to collect lap times, if SAE just used the data they could have all of them. They keep track of total times, and total laps. That's a lot of info though.

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE 1999-present

Kevin,

You'll find the 2002 results posted on the SAE site here: http://www.sae.org/students/fsaeresu.htm

Courtney Waters
UCD Formula SAE

Well in regards to learning how to drive the car, its different for EVERY car. And obviously, as you mentioned, the best way, and only way really, is to have as much seat time as possible. Also a good aid in becoming a better driver in that specific car and in general, is to use data acquisition and analyze it with experienced drivers (preferably pro) and have them help you distinguish what was good, what was bad, what can be done better, faster, more efficient, to help you drive the car faster, longer grip life, manage fuel better, etc. Then and only then will you be prepared to compete in the car, and be comfident you have an edge over anyone who steps in the car for the first time.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ericwort:
Repeat to yourself over and over that "Cornell will go down this year" j/k

---

Hey, that's what we've been thinking while we build every part of our car...

Andris Kanins
McGill Racing Team - Body Design

Driver preparation is very simple. Get them lots and lots of seat time, and just when you think they have had enough seat time, make them compete in high pressure situations. Then get them more seat time. A drivers driving ability is secondary to the driver's mindset the day of the race. If the driver is feeling pressured and uncomfortable, he will be more likely to make a mistake.

The drivers should be able to draw a very good representation of the track they are about to race, this not only helps with the drivers ability to recognize upcoming corners, but also mentally prepares them by calming them.

Drivers should not drink before the night of the race, unless they are going to be up all night, all excited and whatnot, then, maybe there is an argument. Being well rested is very important.

In the morning, go through your normal routine.

At the start of the race, when waiting in the staging area I usually tried to relax my drivers, in an attempt to take their mind off the task at hand. When they go out onto the track, they should just be going through the motions.

Physical conditioning is not all that important... I mean, they have to be in some reasonable shape, but we are not running a 6 hour endurance race.. were talking 12 to 15 minutes in the car. Again, the driver's attitude will govern his performance. If he is relaxed he will not be pushing his own body as hard, and will likely be more aware of his surroundings... Of course by relaxed, I am talking state of mind, your heartbeat is not going to be 60 bpm, it'll be up there.

Anyway, just get your drivers used to driving, and they will do well. Also, selecting guys with the personality traits of a "driver" will be the biggest performance advantage you can have.

I can't really say what is best for others, but for me, when i am preparing to race, whether it's a 911 or a kart, i like to walk the tack and imagine what it will be like in whatever car i am driving. I mean really think about it; where the weight is shifting, which wheels have the most grip and where in the corner, where to turn in and track out, where to apex, when to get back on the gas, whether or not there is anything that would disrupt the handling of the car... basically everything that you don't have time to do when you are at full speed. I find it gives me more confidence on my out lap and that i make fewer silly mistakes because i am thinking about one thing while doing another.

As for food and sleep and such, the less tired i am the better. I realise that circumstances in Detroit don't really encourage lots of sleep, but the more the merrier. For food, a good breakfast that is high in carbs and i try and avoid dairy as it is difficult for your body to digest. Water is by far the best thing to drink; i just don't drink so much that I need to take a leak while in the car.

Physical fitness is always a plus as it makes everything that much easier to do. I find that when i am fit i don't think about the effort that driving takes and i can focus on the task at hand.

Driving is like everything else we do. The more we do it, the better we get. It doesn't even matter what you are driving, or even doing. Think about lines. On a bike, with the shopping cart, as you walk, in van on the way to Detroit, whatever. You don't need to be at speed to be practicing your driving. If you have never taken a driving course, take one. It doesn't even really matter which one. Unless you are doing an FSAE specific course you are just going to learn the basics that apply to all racing anyway. Sure some will be better than others, but racing is racing, the goal is still the same. Also, drive anything and everything you can get your hands on. You don't have a suitable car for the local auto cross, but have an old Ford Ranger sitting around?... Autocross it! Even if it's the slowest thing out there you are still going to have a blast and learn at the same time.

One last thing.
Enjoy it.
If you are not having fun while you are racing, you are doing it all wrong.

See you all in Detroit soon
Cheers

-Winston

Check out a couple of good books entitled Speed Secrets and Inner Speed Secrets, both by Bentley and the second also by Langford. The first book gives a basic (and not so basic) idea of finding the right lines, being smooth and throttle control, things of that sort, and the second give mental techniques to improve concentration and performance. I have only read bits and pieces of both, but plan on reading them through once our car nears completeion for this season, maybe before.
Best of Luck,
Benjamin Reeves

playstation driving game

quote:

---

Originally posted by Benjamin:
Check out a couple of good books entitled Speed Secrets and Inner Speed Secrets, both by Bentley and the second also by Langford.

---

I have read the second and liked it. I don't know if it made me a better driver or not, but I still liked it.

Of course as it has been said about a thousand times...seat time is probably the most important for prepping...but being that isn't the question he asked...I would say good sleep, and having a relaxed state of mind...keeping muscles loose, drinking water and eating right...outside of the day of, I would say seat time (duh) and autocross experience since that is the only style of course.

Forget track testing, driver time, relaxation blah, blah, blah... Before the race, get the drivers to listen to 'Eye of The Tiger'. Survivor were a one hit wonder, but that's one hell of a pre race song. Guartanteed pick up of 2 seconds per lap.

Confindence and natural ability are the key, the rest is insignificant in comparison .... Apart from Scooter1s Logical Song of course played at high volume while being strapped into the car.

Natural ability? Hah! Sure some have it and can pull super quick laps but that's not the "key". Our drivers are not racers at all, in fact we drive trucks and SUV's as DD's but with enough seat time I think we'll be at least competitive. (Maybe not with that guy from A&M, you know the one)

As a first year team we were lucky that only one of out drivers got 5 mins of seat time before heading to the competition. An inability to follow a schedule and numerous failing components put pay to all of our efforts at testing. The other three drivers first drive was 3-4 mins on the practice area before heading off to events. Infact, I spent more time on the toilet seat than in the seat of the car. Seat time definately equals confidence, stuttering onto the autocross having never locked a wheel or had the back out is not very reasuring. Fortuneatly for us though, the relationship between seat time and performance isn't linear.