I don't pretend to know, or fool myself into assuming, that I have the experience to explain much about racing, or racing techniques to anyone in another division or my division, but I am always willing to share thoughts if I feel that I have had a similar situation that I have dealt with. It is also true that I have really needed instruction about not being too aggressive in the first turn of a race. Also, I hope you don't mind me using your question to throw out my thoughts in general concerning race starts.
I can't remember who brought up the idea in a practice room this week, but they suggested we do a number of two lap races in a row. We tried it and a few people commented on how it helped them deal with the start and the first corner, and that it was nice to get some focused experience with the congestion, the sorting, and the gradual separation that seems to occur more quickly in the first stages of a race. And it kind of stops short of the next phase in a race where you realize now that you just have to keep consistent for the next four or five laps and have to begin dealing with the different pressures and discipline associated with maintaining position and other decisions about where to be more aggressive to improve position (so it can be easier to remember what you are learning about the first phase, to develop it, and to reinforce it).
Here are some ideas and techniques others have shared with me and some of my personal thoughts in the first couple of corners:
-Don't dive for a hole that opens up just ahead of you just because there is a hole or even if there are cars ahead of your car that you can almost immediately get past or even get around. If by chance you do make it all the way past a car, or row of cars, immediately in front of you, you will most likely end up at the apex of the first corner just as the further up ahead cars get to it, and it will probably result in an incident. Even if you both survive the first corner, there will probably have been some very hard door knocking, and more drastic changes in speed, which can create ill will, maybe even escalate emotions, and could precipitate other incidents in that very compressed part of the race. Also, if you go for the hole, most likely there is someone just behind you who will follow you. Since you will most likely have to do some relatively quick braking, they will have less chance to not ram you, possibly causing a punting chain reaction (one possible technique here is tapping your brake to warn the following driver you about to brake). Even if this doesn't happen, they will most likely arrive at the apex just as the car you are passing arrives at the apex.
-Instead play the follow game with a balance between carefulness -- allowed by a slightly greater, cautious gap between you and the car you are following -- and competitiveness.
-Know your markers in this turn very well. Have ground reference points and higher reference points since cars might make it hard to see the ground marker you need. I myself don't have all my reference points on a whole track worked out until we have a track for at least two weeks (I am working on getting them faster), so prioritize the markers in the first turn first. Have several ways (2 or 3 +) that you know when to brake and turn in, imo, the first three apexes (sp?). If possible know this part of the track so well that driving it is on the subconscious level. That way your mind doesn't have to consciously think about both driving the course and reacting to the higher level of decision making regarding other drivers in this compression. The mind only has so much focus available at any one time. Being so familiar with this part of the track allows almost complete concentration on not hitting someone else and on going faster if a legitimate opportunity presents itself.
-As you go into and out of the first corner, consciously maintaining both brake and throttle control depending on whether those in front slow down or if one of more go off, or if one or more other driving lines go off of the three alternate racing lines (tight, middle, loose) which presents legitimate holes just past this first apex. I have begun to have a little simultaneous pressure on both my brake and my throttle during the the first turn. I can kind of modulate my car's progress as the situation pulses in front of me (like a very fast version of the highway rush hour stop and go pulse.) Depending upon when this phase seems to pass there is a varying point in each race at which I fell I can safely remove the simultaneous pressure on the pedals and go into more normal pedal control.
-I have tried practicing starting by myself at several different representative positions on the starting grid, so that I specifically know my braking points from these different positions and what gears will come into play at this slower entry speed. Again, then I don't have to consciously think as much about the mechanics of my car control during this highly compressed, singular phase of the race.
-Personally, although this might not be the correct driving technique at all, I use a slight flick to go around the first right apex (around the tire barrier) and a stronger flick to go around the second, left apex. This has a number of advantages that I have discovered. It seems faster to me (I could be wrong). It seems to make my car more consistent than a normal turn in and consistency is really important in a riskier situation. Maybe its because a flick is a simpler action than turning a wheel gradually into and out of an arc. When flicked, the car seems to follow a natural arc even when the steering wheel is held still. It seems to make my car more solid in case someone hits me, I guess because it is more under a certain amount of turning momentum and the grip might be a little stronger since it is pitched sideways more than just the normal lateral force provides in the turn. The possible higher incidence of little bumps that sometimes occur in the first corners are negated more by the greater resilience of this maneuver. And you are not ramming others, you are just turning in the open space ahead of you using a different turning technique. However, others who may not be so cautious and may end up hitting you do not have as negative an effect on your car, line and speed (they usually are not carrying as much momentum if using a normal turning technique).
-Because, in proportion to the situation, most drivers are being, imo, more aggressive at the start of a race than during the rest of the race (maybe with the exception of the last turn, but that might be considered less risky), when you are staying with the flow you are still being aggressive regarding your race and don't have to worry that you are not being aggressive enough. iow, since the whole pack is being very agressive, by staying with the pack you are already being aggressive enough but at the same time playing it a little smarter by not suddenly being overly aggressive.
I could be wrong on the overall race craft level, or be missing some important elements in my understanding here, but it seems that lately as I have begun to put this together, I have had less complaints from other drivers, and have found myself surprised at my success in avoiding accidents, staying consistent at the start of races, and how it seems to afford me some success at gaining at this point in the race. I seem to have found a way to be careful and competitive at the same time while being a little more resilient to unintentional bumps from other drivers.
Specifically regarding the first turn at Indy Road course:
-in the bumper view, the right side of your gauge is where the outside edge of your right side tires are and the right side of your car. If you avoid touching (or crossing) the unique red tire boundary in the first turn with your gauge, you will be avoiding hitting this tire barrier with your car.
- I only stay in second for a second or so through this first apex and especially after it. I short shift to third because it gives me a lot more stability in what seems to be an extra slippy point in the track. I don't know if it is the camber or the fact that I am coming off a high speed straight to a very low speed turn, or both, but during the later stages of the race I short shift, and even more so in the start of the race when quick decisions and changes of direction might be necessary (if I go down to second at all).
-It seems to be very difficult in general (as it has been for me) for racing drivers to handle the first turns without overdoing it, so if you are patient and careful, there is usually quite a payoff at this point in the race. Even for those who are being careful, they might have just gotten hit by someone else, and so you have a much better chance at avoiding part of a chain effect, and again, the payoff can be great.
I must mention @
fizzer and @
chatva for many of these pointers, and, a number of others contributed to my understanding as well. There was also one former racing steward who kindly helped me with this situation.
I hope maybe that part of this might help.
It was nice to see @
K1utch get a 1:27.9xx at Indy today!
SERIOUSLY looking forward to next Sunday's festivities. Until then, 1/2 hour stints for Rd 1 of GTA for me - WEEEEEEE!!
