At 02:48 PM 9/22/99 , Andrew_Bettencourt@kingston.com wrote:
>
>
>I would argue this point. If you really feel like with enough runs, you could
>match or beat anyone, then practice is the key ingredient. Lets say that Mark
>Daddio ran a 55.0 after 3 runs. You start at a 59.0 after 3 runs. If you run
>20 more runs and get down to a 55.5 or a 56.0, what you have done is learned
>how
>to go faster. You should be able to translate that knowledge into a smaller
>gap
>in future events after only 3 runs.
>
>I feel that small events that can afford 6 plus runs can be invaluable. That,
>"Geez, I am still 1.5 seconds off the leaders, what should I do different?"
>type
>of questioning (with the luxury of additional runs) WILL help.
And I'll argue that point... ever so slightly. Even after 9 runs, I'll
often be saying "Damn, I am still 1.2s off, what should I do different?"
But let me ride with John Thomas driving my car in runs 4 and 5, by run 8
I'll be right at his time.
How do I know that? I've experienced it at several McKamey schools.
At my level of experience, there are so many variations on course elements
that I've never mastered, that I simply don't know how much faster the car
can go in those. Without knowing that, I don't know where I need to change
line or braking points in order to have that speed when I get there, let
alone that I can maintain that speed through it.
But if you let me ride with Thomas, Priebe, etc., I'll be able to feel just
how fast the car can be and I'll see the lines through that set the car up
properly... given that, after a few runs I can usually replicate the same
run. In fact, I have always beaten their times... (of course, they are
talking to me and pointing out the window at things as they drive, so I am
not exactly beating their best possible times)... but the point is, I'd
have never driven so fast, no matter how many runs I took, without riding
with them.
So, I don't agree that you'll necessarily be able to run faster in the
future after just 3 runs... unless you've seen those course elements
before and mastered them. Nor do I agree that 6 runs will help much;
it may, if it allows you to figure out some portion of the course. But
without a good idea of where the car can go faster, the best you can do
is experiment -- and that is a slow process.
But a few runs, a ride with a top driver, and then a few more runs can
teach you more than you can imagine (if you haven't done that before).
So, to answer the original question: what separates Daddio, Thomas, et
al from the rest of us? My answer:
1) physical talent (balance, quickness, coordination)
2) mastery of every course element they'll see (they know what
it will feel like to be at the limit for any line they may
take through the course with any amount of throttle or brake)
3) experience in figuring out what line to take when stringing
together course elements
Practice improves all 3. #1 is highly dependent upon your genes.
#3 can be somewhat taught on paper; somewhat learned from practice.
#2 requires practice... but it can take a long time just experimenting...
or can be learned very quickly if you ride with the right driver.
And I think its #2 that is the biggest differentiator for those of us
with less than 250 runs under our belts. For those with more, well I'll
let you know my opinion when I get there. ;^)
>99.9% of all
>people could practice golfing for 10 years non-stop and won't be as good as
>Tiger Woods. Daddio is one of them too.
Very true. But wouldn't it be something if you could get inside Tiger
for a round and _feel_ what it feels like to make a great swing? You
may still never gain his power, but I bet your swing would improve
dramatically in no time.
And with driving, the car provides most the needed power, strength, and
speed -- meaning we can all get a lot closer to greatness than in most
other sports. (Even if I got inside Barry Sanders and felt what that
felt like, I'd still never have the speed or strength to dodge or break
a single pro tackle.)
Brian
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