Driving schools near Michigan??? Struggling

[jsf74]

I'm having a real tough time learning to drive my mod and was wondering if there were any driving schools near Michigan. I can get in the corner good but I seem too push real bad coming out. I put another driver in last week and the car was wicked fast. Any info would be much appreciated.

[johnny v]

I believe the Shaw / Brooks driving school makes it up north some.... look them up on the internet...

Most people mess the entry up so bad they can't do the middle / exit..... can you compare your laps to the other drivers laps on video and pinpoint the issue? Are you trail braking?

[jsf74]

I don't have any video to compare and no I'm not trail braking. I did notice he makes entry look so easy. It seemed he just slightly turned into the corner barely lifted and the car rotated and he was back on the gas hard. Looked real real and way to easy. I do know I'm working real hard to get the car to rotate.

[jsf74]

I did see shaws school but it's 13 hrs away.

[johnny v]

I don't have any video to compare and no I'm not trail braking. I did notice he makes entry look so easy. It seemed he just slightly turned into the corner barely lifted and the car rotated and he was back on the gas hard. Looked real real and way to easy. I do know I'm working real hard to get the car to rotate.

sounds like he is trail braking, and you are not....

can you talk to him about this? Sounds like your entry MIGHT be your problem.... car has to rotate... can't force the issue on entry....

[jsf74]

Yes we talk every week in the pits and no he's not trail braking. I would agree it's the entry that's my problem. How are some ways to get the car to take a seat and rotate. I'm pretty sure I'm sawing at the wheel at the same time I jam the brakes. I can never seem to get the car to feel loose. I've yet to spin it and trust me I tried.

[powerslide]

Yes we talk every week in the pits and no he's not trail braking. I would agree it's the entry that's my problem. How are some ways to get the car to take a seat and rotate. I'm pretty sure I'm sawing at the wheel at the same time I jam the brakes. I can never seem to get the car to feel loose. I've yet to spin it and trust me I tried.

watch him hot lap and go to the end of the straight away find a mark where he is lifting. Dont lift until you get to the mark. You will either figure it out or go for a loop. Now you know how far you can go. If it pushes drive it even further. Basically i'm telling you man up throw them over your shoulder and quit using the brakes. It sounds like you have someone at the track willing to help and he knows how to get around, i would talk with him every chance you get he is probably willing to help you until you start beating him

[jsf74]

Man I knew that was coming. I thought I was doing that last week and I ended up with a bent shock, control arm and rim and a killer bruise on the foot. Gonna give it another shot this weekend.

[jsf74]

Now this may be a dumb Basic question but what will trail braking do for me. What happen last week was I was coming out of turn 4 and I was pushing up to the wall so I grabed the brakes and dumped the throttle. Well I'm sure u know the result, the car took a hard right and i bumped the wall. I know dumping the throttle was the last thing I should have done. Lesson learned. If I'm in the same situation should I apply the brake while staying on the gas. It seems like this would make me push up the track more but I might be wrong.

[ask0329]

I have 14 races under my belt in an imca mod. 10 last year and 4 so far this year. Let me tell you, these cars are something friggen special all right. I thought I was driving the right way until about the secnd race this year. So thats 12 races of driving the wrong way. I was informed I was aspahlt driving, which I've never raced a day of asphalt in my life. I'd come down the straight, lift, stab the brake to turn the car, back on the gas and steering for dear life. I was told to simply lift and the car should turn on its own. So my next thought was "how do you lift and stay on the bars?" The same driver that was "relearning me" also mentioned finding marks. He told me where his are and I've yet to find them. LOL. His next suggestion was to follow a fast guy closely and lift where he lifts. That was far easier to pick up on. My car was a used home built car, from another state, from another track. I've been learning and trying to learn from day one. I've asked so many questions that I've felt almost embarrased at times. Like I've never raced before. Granted I came from a RWD mini-stock, but still.... Some night i feel like i do great and other nights i just about want to quit. Last week I ran great in hot laps and heat race but the car was a little loose. Took another drivers advice of putting one round in the right front, well it was undrivable for the feature. I should of left it alone as I'd rather be loose than tight as its pretty scary when the car wont turn. Like everyone has told me seat time is the key. It can take up to a season or two to get around in these cars. IMCA Mods are known to be the hardest to drive racecar.

[powerslide]

Now this may be a dumb Basic question but what will trail braking do for me. What happen last week was I was coming out of turn 4 and I was pushing up to the wall so I grabed the brakes and dumped the throttle. Well I'm sure u know the result, the car took a hard right and i bumped the wall. I know dumping the throttle was the last thing I should have done. Lesson learned. If I'm in the same situation should I apply the brake while staying on the gas. It seems like this would make me push up the track more but I might be wrong.

It sounds like you car may have alot of drop in the LR. If you measure at ride height from the top of the rearend housing to the frame above and then jack it up under drvrs seat until LR is slightly off the ground, take same measurement again. Keep it around 4inches. sounds like when you lift its slamming down hard as well, Need a shock 8 or 9 in compression on LR

[jsf74]

I have a 8-2 in the lr and will check the drop later after the ups guy drops off my replacement parts.

[johnny v]

I don't have any video to compare and no I'm not trail braking. I did notice he makes entry look so easy. It seemed he just slightly turned into the corner barely lifted and the car rotated and he was back on the gas hard. Looked real real and way to easy. I do know I'm working real hard to get the car to rotate.

From you first post , I had a feeling your entry wasn't as good as you thought..... if the other guy was fast....... you have a start..... so what is different besides the driver ? Does he weigh lots more or lots less than you? Did you change anything on the car?.... Increasing the Left side percentage will loosen the car on entry.....
If he is a big ole boy and your a light weight.... you were driving a car that was set up different......

[jsf74]

I'm about 50lb heavier. That's what frustrates me, I know the car is a top 5 ride and I'm a last place race car rider.

[johnny v]

Listen, your not the only person with the same problem.......( driver wise :-)

Your 50 pounds bigger makes the car different.... causes it to be tighter on exit... that is something you can adjust....
Loosen it up some more till you get it.....

[k.shaw]

Give me a call sometime at the shop-, I should be able to give you some helpful advise
over the phone.
Kevin Shaw
Larry Shaw Race Cars
870-251-2966

[jsf74]

Wow that's awesome. I will call tomorrow. Thank you very much.

[jsf74]

I thought I would update this a bit. I had a much better time this weekend with driving the car. I wasant super fast and ended up with some minor damage but im not shooting off the end of the track as bad. I think I had two issues working against me. The first being my entry into the corner, I was mashing the brake and sawing the wheel to set the car and I think that set the rest of the corner up for failure. The 2nd being a unintentional brake issue. A veteran racer said it looked like I was riding the brake thru the turn and that might be causing my push. The more I thought about I'm sure I was doing this because of nerves and being so afraid of hitting the wall from being too tight. I ended up just slightly turning into the turn and lifting, letting the car sit and getting right back on the gas. The car was driving much better but now I need to work on my awareness on where I'm at in relation to other cars and maintaining my line. Thanks everyone for the help so far.