Thanks Prodigal, your input is always appreciated.
I've done autocross in an automatic before. If I only need to keep one gear then I'm probably seeking a different form of racing that would be better suited for the skills I don't have when racing an automatic. (Did I just say racing an automatic? LOL!). In essence, the only part of racing with which I feel uncomfortable is downshifting under hard braking.
I don't want to drive like a madman on a public roadway, even when the roads seem desolate, and thus I don't have any opportunities to practice those techniques under racing conditions until I actually get on a track where driving like a *calculated* madman is encouraged.
My trouble seems to be braking hard and downshifting because I seem to slow to desired speed too early -- two car lengths too early -- but when I drive it in a little deeper I'm reluctant to downshift because I'm afraid I'll overrev or I enter the turn before I finish the downshift. I think this is a due partly to my dinky tC and its effiminate lack of power. If I want a gear with any kind of power, since 3.5K is powerless, then I probably needing to slow down more because of the gear and want, not because the turn requires it. But when I see turns my brain only recognizes the cars potential to hold a line at some threshold speed, and when I realize I can't have the gear I want for that speed, I overbrake to catch it. Atleast, that's what I think I'm doing because if I didn't have to downshift I could drive it in much deeper, just wouldn't have power to accelerate through the turn (keeping the line I'd lose by trailing off the throttle or by failing to steadily increase throttle input).
I've been to some stock car racing schools. Three to be exact: Pocono Superspeedway -2.5 mile-in a stock car, Louden Superspeedway-1.06 mile-in a stockcar, and Thomspon Speedway-5/8 mile short track-in a tour modified. Trouble is we only needed to keep the car in one gear regardless of track size or car type. As a side note: keeping the modified in one gear on that small track was my first formal introduction to left foot braking with throlled input -- a peculiar technique.
So aside from some really geographically distant (and coincedently expensive) schools that allow you to shift on the track, I thought autocross might be a perfect opportunity to practice those manaul transmission related road racing techniques I haven't had the opportunity to do yet. I'll still go, just for the added experience, but I don't think autocross is truly what I'm needing.
I need to find a way to get myself onto a track where I can practice DCHTing. I think I would practice the technique much like I did other techniques in those aforementioned racing schools: start conservative and build up on intensity with each passing lap, driving harder and deeper into turns as time progresses, being honest with oneself when determining if the last intensity level was executed correctly. But I'd prefer not to be on the track while competing with other drivers I don't want them to influence my decisions nor do I want to initially concern myself with the presence of other drivers -- unless we all have equally matched cars in which case I don't have to worry about travelling around the track at the half the speed that everyone else is because my car is cheap.
I found this website,
http://www.hookedondriving.com, but there's nothing available in my area until next year. Any suggestions, I was hoping to pay 50-100 bucks and take my own car onto the track where I can safely practice manual tranmissions racing techniques.
Cheers,
gizmo
