I was at the first race at Mid-Ohio in 1962, before the one corner was blocked. I started to obtain my SCCA certification in my MGB in 1967. Military service interrupted it. I then became a member of Lake Erie Communication and flagged many times at Mid-Ohio! Worked several Trans-Am and Can-Am races. Even met Bruce McLaren and Dennis Hulme at a Can-Am race in 1969!
Ross, I was out there in first stint also, in a little orange Miata. Great article. I need to remember to be more consistent with checking my 'report cards'.
Ross, this was really useful, but 3 months too late…;) I was racing in SM in June and followed a lot of what you talk about but 1) it took me 3 days to get somewhere approximating what you did in a handful of laps. Since I’m instructing there next weekend, I’ll be sure to share your insights with my students… 2) the weather kept ebbing and flowing, meaning we went from sunny and warm to nasty storm and back every day. (One race, we decided to go out on slicks in the rain due to radar… very entertaining and the right call.).
Anything you’d alter in the wet, beyond exploring further off line? (Turned out shiny sections offered the best grip in June…)
Now that Mid-Ohio has been resurfaced, the grip changes from dry to wet are minor, and in some places none at all. But you should always be testing for where there might be more grip.
I was at the first race at Mid-Ohio in 1962, before the one corner was blocked. I started to obtain my SCCA certification in my MGB in 1967. Military service interrupted it. I then became a member of Lake Erie Communication and flagged many times at Mid-Ohio! Worked several Trans-Am and Can-Am races. Even met Bruce McLaren and Dennis Hulme at a Can-Am race in 1969!
The Bruce and Denny show! Very cool.
Ross, I was out there in first stint also, in a little orange Miata. Great article. I need to remember to be more consistent with checking my 'report cards'.
Great post, Ross. What is the "report card" you talked about in the post?
RPM checks at certain places on the straights to see whether what I did in previous corner was better or worse.
Never thought to give braking effort a quantity until today. Just added another valuable tool to my feedback box. Always learning! Great post.
Not only the "number" but thinking about/being open to braking less even though it's a heavy trail-brake corner. : )
Ross, this was really useful, but 3 months too late…;) I was racing in SM in June and followed a lot of what you talk about but 1) it took me 3 days to get somewhere approximating what you did in a handful of laps. Since I’m instructing there next weekend, I’ll be sure to share your insights with my students… 2) the weather kept ebbing and flowing, meaning we went from sunny and warm to nasty storm and back every day. (One race, we decided to go out on slicks in the rain due to radar… very entertaining and the right call.).
Anything you’d alter in the wet, beyond exploring further off line? (Turned out shiny sections offered the best grip in June…)
Now that Mid-Ohio has been resurfaced, the grip changes from dry to wet are minor, and in some places none at all. But you should always be testing for where there might be more grip.