Tweet
Rookie School 2020
All rookies are required to attend race school on Sat. during the lunch break. To attend race school they MUST sign in with me, Doug Forbes. I will be in the registration trailer to meet with them after they register to race on Sat. morning. They must have the following information: their car number and the class they are racing in. I will hand them a rookie package which includes information sheets and a quiz, unless they have a one event licence, . Rule books are available on the CASC web site. Printed rule books may be available if they need one.
I will try to pair each rookie with an experienced driver for the on track school. This year LSC is planning to provide their own instructors for their rookies. Rookies will take their cars and helmets to the mock grid for the beginning of the lunch break which follows the LSC qualifying race. They will meet their instructors who will drive the car for the first 3 laps then all cars will be stopped by a red flag on the straight away where they will switch positions. The rookies will then drive with feedback from their instructors for the rest of the session.
All rubber-to-ice cars MUST have tractionized tires to be allowed on the track. Most clubs have tractionizers available for use by their members.
Rookies will be allowed to take their cars out in practice and the qualifying race which is used only to set the starting position for the first points race, but it is strongly suggested if they do so, they have an experienced driver in the car with them.
Here are some points to help with your preparation before the first weekend of racing.
Points For Beginning Ice Racers in Rubber to Ice
Clothing and Footwear
-Dress in layers, take off the heavy coat, take off the boots and wear shoes that give you good feel for the pedals. Wear light leather palmed gloves that give good grip & feel on the steering wheel.
Seating Position
-I suggest rally style, less than 120 degree angle in elbows to give full control of pedals, and relaxed fine motor control of the steering wheel.
Tractionized Tires
-10 yr old tractionized Nokias, Bridgestones etc will give more traction & control than new untractionized winter tires.
Car Set up- All Classes
-Cars should be set up for oversteer( loose rear end).This is accomplished by hand brake, higher tire pressures in rear, more weight in front of car (front wheel drive), more weight in rear ( rear wheel drive), left foot braking, heavier rear springs etc.
Understeer is Bad
-When the front end of the car is pushing, sliding toward the outside bank, you are no longer racing. It is caused by not looking deep enough into the corner, carrying too much speed, wrong tire pressure, change in track conditions, too much steering input, not getting off the brakes or poor car set up.
Recovery is counterintuitive.
Counterintuitive-Look where you want to go, not where the car is taking you. Get off the brakes, unwind the steering wheel,-4 degree slip angle.
Don’t Overdrive the Car
-Most beginning drivers use too much steering and too much braking. Work to keep hands at 9 & 3. Timing and smooth inputs are critical to car control. Coefficient of friction is very low. Jerky & overly aggressive inputs upset balance & grip.
Ice Conditions
-They are constantly changing & you must adapt your driving to the conditions which will change during the race. Changes in temperature can cause significant changes in grip.
Controlled Aggression
-You have to learn to wait for the car. Watch leaders in other races.