Well, my body is pretty bruised up, and I can't lift my arms, but yours truly
just completed the "Techniques of Racing Course" put on my the Jim Russell
school at Sears Point last weekend. But, I was really sick on Friday, the
first day, and today, I'm practically cured. So, it was worth the bruises.
I have no idea if this will really help my autocrossing. I suspect I might
slow down, maybe for a little bit, but what I did get from this, besides some
excellent driving instruction, is confidence. It's just one more experience,
something that allows me to feel a little more secure in my abilities, which
is something I've always questioned.
I'll write a review later, but I just want to say that if you can swing the
price tag, you were ever thinking about it, just go for it. You won't regret
it. You drive pretty much all three days, though there is some classroom
discussion on Friday. But even that was done very well, just to the point and
clear, and even entertaining, which I never thought could ever be possible
talking about geometry. These people really know their stuff.
I know some people might think, "Well, I'm already a good autocrosser, what
could I POSSIBLY learn from this?" And to that, I would say if that's what you
think, then probably not much. Personally, I didn't go in thinking that. I
knew this would be overwhelming, I knew that I know nothing about roadracing,
about really driving at speed, that this would be completely new, even
intimidating, and it certainly was. Whatever autocross experience I had I knew
just couldn't compare to what these roadracers know. But this acceptance than
I'm just an empty sponge made me more receptive, and I dropped TONS of time
from beginning to end, and my boosted my confidence. What felt fast in the
beginning felt slow and controlled by the end, and I was STILL dropping time.
Autocrossing is still by far the most economical and safe way to learn the
limits of your car, but if you're the least bit curious, and if you have the
means, and you want to learn in a safe and encouraging environment what it's
like to really race on a track, I would strongly recommend the Jim Russell
school. Also, I must add that I was the only female there, and no one had any
idea that I had any autocross experience (until I kept blabbing about it), and
they STILL treated me as if I deserved to be there.
So, if you've ever wondered, and if you have the means, I would go for it.
More later...
Katie K.
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