Race Tips - Performance Newsletter            

from Auto-Ware

February 2014

Coaching Tips -  Racing Heart Rate

 

Racing, from a sports perspective, covers many aspects. There is car control, race-craft, sports psychology, and regardless of what some retired football player thinks, racers are athletes.

 

We have all been at one time or another in the seat thinking "Is this thing ever going to be over? How many laps are left?" Physical endurance is critical to all of us.

 

I have noticed during physical exertion when I use up my short term anaerobic energy and my body transitions to long term aerobic energy I'm slightly distracted by trying to "catch my wind" and what I'm feeling in my muscles. Sometimes this distraction is short (5-15 seconds) and other times the distraction may last upward of a minute depending on physical conditioning.

 

During that period when you are distracted, you are not giving 100% of your focus to the task at hand - racing. At that point you are vulnerable to another racer in better condition who is using race craft against you, or even worse, you lose control of your race car.

 

One tip that may help is to make sure that the first time your heart rate is up each day it's not in the car. Find a physical activity that works for you and make it part of your pre-driving routine.

 

Contact me (505-890-8708 x201) for Race Coaching Service to see how we can improve you personal performance.

Shop Tips -  Better Filing

 

This is a tip you likely heard back in high school shop, but forgot, so here is a reminder.

 

Files often times will get clogged with material creating what are called "pins." You've seen it, where the work material gets stuck in little spots on the file. Those pins typically scratch the surface of your work and create marks on the surface you are trying to finish.

 

Whatever you do, don't use the wire wheel on your grinder to remove the pins from the file. Instead, check the July 2012 newsletter to see my preferred method using a piece of brass to clean your files.

 

Once you have a clean file, the trick is to keep it that way so it cuts smoothly. While you may be tempted to put oil on your file, don't do it!

 

A good "old school" tip is to make a quick even pass over the file with a piece of chalk. The chalk acts like a parting agent and the tiny chips tend to fall off the file and not create the pins.

Race Tips - Identify How Well You Are Using The Tires. 

 

This common graphic often called a G-G diagram is priceless in showing you how well you are using the tires on your race car.

 

It may look like a squiggly line, but once you understand the pattern it is obvious. This is just one of dozens of tips you will pick up in the Data Webinars found Here

 

Discover for yourself what people are so enthusiastic about.  Here is a sample of the numerous emails we get with comments such as:

 

"The profiles which you gave (showed) me are applicable and indispensable. I have gone from mid-pack to the front in four races."

 

"This is absolutely amazing, I had no idea my system would do this. I don't know why I waited so long to do this (webinar)."

 

"What I've seen so far out paces all the sales and tech people I've ever talked to, I can't wait for the last two classes."

 

"I'm learning a lot with your seminar. I wish I had found it sooner."

 

"I am loving the webinar and I wished I had taken it sooner. It has been opening all kinds of windows."

 

"It is a great course. Good material, well explained, lots of examples, no sales pitch/commercial."

 

Don't wait, join the webinars starting the week of March 10th. Go HERE  for more info and sign up today!

Equation of the Month - Fuel Load & Weight Distribution 

 

Here is an equation to address weight distribution and fuel load. Start with the car full of fuel for total weight. Use the equation find the new percentages for fuel burned.

 

NR% = ((TW x R% x WB x 0.01) - (CGT x G x 5.9)) / (((TW - (G x 5.9)) x WB) x 100

 

NR% is the New Rear weight %, TW is the Total Weight with the full fuel load, R% is the Rear % with the full fuel load, WB is Wheelbase, CT is the distance to the Center of the Gas Tank from the front axle line, and G is the number of Gallons burned. If you are using alky rather than gas, use 6.6 rather than 5.9 in the equation.

 

Besides our Newsletters, you can be up to the minute with my "You might be a racer if....," Racer Library updates, and other racing tips from any of your favorite social media sites.  View our videos on YouTube  Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter
  
Let your friends in on the secrets, too!   
  
Thanks,
John Block
Auto-Ware