What do you need to be a professional race driver? This week in Driver Development News & Racecraft Tips & Techniques you will find out what it is.
Along with this there are plenty of racecraft tips that range from how to heel and toe to autocross tips. In driver development news there are details on several race driver scholarship programs you can apply to as well as career advice from some of the world’s leading professional race drivers.
All this and more in this week’s Driver Development News & Racecraft Tips & Techniques Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its news racers can use.
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
In his latest video, Enzo Mucci explains how you need to be able to answer this very basic question if you want to be a professional race driver. Are you fast? “We are told to perform in so many different areas if we want to succeed, but let’s get to the bare facts here. Success is actually quite straight forward no matter what you do.”
In his latest Ask Ross column, Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets answers the following question, When I’m told to look farther ahead, how far ahead, and specifically where do I look?
In the video above, Blayze explains how to go faster by learning from yourself. “Our coaches often get asked by drivers, “If I don’t have a faster teammate to compare myself to, how can I use my own data to improve?”. In this video Blayze pro coach, Colin Mullan breaks down how racecar drivers can use their own data and own references to learn from and find insights to help them go faster right away.”
Don’t forget that Motorsport Prospects readers get a special discount on Blayze services using this code.
Your Data Driven looks at Perfecting Heel And Toe. “Heel and Toe is a challenging driving technique that requires some fancy footwork, simultaneously pressing two pedals, all while hurtling into a braking zone. It’s not an easy technique to learn, and many drivers struggle with it. However, when executed correctly, it enables you to brake later and more effectively while also protecting your engine and giving you a more balanced car. So, how can you gain the confidence to perform heel and toe flawlessly every time?”
Allen Berg Racing Schools have put together a very handy Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta Track Guide. “Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta truly stands out as a premier destination for racers and fans across the country, and around the world. So, what makes this track so special? This guide is designed to provide an in-depth look at the track and help you prepare for your next visit.”
In the video above, Grassroots Motorsports explains how to chop time off your autocross runs.
What Skills are Transferable from Sim Racing to Motorsport? This is the question tackled in last week’s Sim Racing and Esports Roundup on Motorsport Prospects and I urge you to read the column each and every week for valuable racecraft tips and advice. You may be thinking that you are not a gamer, or that you don’t have a sim rig so it is of no use but I have to disagree. The column covers sim racers who want to transition to real racing or people who want to use sim racing as a training tool for the real thing.
There is advice on buying and setting up a sim racing rig from reputable sources, competitive sim racing opportunities as well as sim racing programs and competitions that could lead to real racing opportunities. In my opinion, if you are not reading this column you are missing out. The video above is just a taste of the kind of opportunities in real racing that sim racing can lead to.
Race Driver Development News & Resources
The latest video from SAFE is Fast is now out and it looks to answer the question of whether Sports Car Racing is your best path to a pro career. You can watch the video above as they talk to a number of drivers at the recent Rolex 24 who give their advice to anybody looking at making racing a career.
“Every young racer dreams of becoming an F1 or IndyCar driver, but unfortunately there are very few seats available and few make it. Sports car racing offers far more opportunities to land a paid ride. IMSA President John Doonan and the stars of the new LMDh category – including Pipo Derani, Renger van der Zande and Colton Herta – give the inside scoop on how to get on the fast track to becoming a pro.”
Speaking of sports car racing, one of the most successful teams in North America, KellyMoss, has an Online Driver Academy. “Every successful racer has figured out one thing for certain – tap into OFF track training to achieve on track success. We’ve helped hundreds of race car drivers achieve AMAZING success and we have the championships to prove it. And now, you can get instant access to the exact same techniques for at home learning.” You can get more information here.
Canadian driver development program Road to Racing now has a website at https://road2racing.com/ where you can find out more about the program and apply for one of their scholarships. If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution you can also do so through the site.
Celebrating 10 years of assisting women in their pursuit of National SCCA Autocross competition, the Wendi Allen Scholarship returned for 2023 with a multitude of quality applications prior to the Feb. 3 deadline. With those applications in hand, the SCCA Women on Track selection committee set to sorting through the list of worthy applicants, with three rising to the top. For 2023, the scholarship was presented to Hailey Schmidt, Emily Skoglund, and Emily Whitaker.
Established by the family of the late Wendi Allen, the scholarship honors the multi-time Solo National Champion who loved and supported SCCA’s autocross community. The scholarship is now funded jointly by the SCCA Foundation and Mazda Motorsports, in association with SCCA Women on Track and its selection committee consisting of championship-caliber women autocrossers. The SCCA Foundation supplies funding for two of the scholarships, with Mazda Motorsports contributing funding for a third – this year, Schmidt was chosen for Mazda’s portion of the award.
Schmidt, Skoglund, and Whitaker will each receive a $1,500 scholarship to assist with travel to Tire Rack National Solo events and the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. Each recipient will also receive free entries to National Solo events throughout the 2023 season.
The SCCA Foundation is currently accepting donations earmarked for the Wendi Allen Scholarship and for its other initiatives advancing opportunities for women’s involvement in the Club. SCCA members can go to the SCCA Foundation’s website to discover more about the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization, along with how they can earmark their donation for specific programs like the Wendi Allen Scholarship.
Also, the next time you’re at an event and you see Mazda Motorsports in attendance offering participant support, thank them for the assistance they offer this scholarship in particular.
Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has announced its recipients of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship, which helps diversify the fields in the SCCA Pro Racing-sanction series Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4 U.S.), and – new for 2023 – the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli. Of the five female racers who will receive the 2023 scholarships, several are longtime SCCA members, with one beginning her motorsports journey in SCCA Autocross.
This year’s PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship recipients are Amy Ruman, Michele Abbate, Hannah Greenemeier, Ava Dobson, and Kaylee Bryson.
“We’re excited to welcome another class of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship – and to not only just continue the program, but to grow it and expand into other race series,” said Tony Parella, CEO of PMH. “We’ve seen drivers from previous classes like Ernie Francis Jr., Chloe Chambers, and Raoul Hyman successfully use this opportunity as a springboard to help grow their careers and move to the next level. We hope that we’ll see the same level of success from this year’s class.”
For the 2023 racing season, Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) is proud to be working with Busch Light to deliver the next phase of the brand’s Accelerate Her Program. To support women currently pursuing racing careers in NASCAR and to diversify the sport for future generations of drivers, WIMNA has created the 2023 Contingency Fund Program, a bespoke point system that rewards women drivers 21 years of age and older with monetary rewards based on race results throughout the 2023 racing season.
This new points system, created by WIMNA, empowers and rewards women drivers based on their merit and race results throughout the season. The system incorporates several factors, including the different lengths of races, the size of the fields, the level of competition, and the cost of competing in NASCAR-sanctioned races. Eligible participants in the program will accumulate points during the 2023 season – as of February 1, 2023. Designed to celebrate their success within the sport and to help fuel opportunities for even more women pursuing careers in NASCAR. At the end of the year, the top three points earners will be rewarded $125,000, $50,000, and $25,000, respectively.
As part of its commitment to make motorsport accessible to everyone, Motorsport UK is delighted to partner with Loughborough Car Club to offer a unique opportunity for two disabled drivers to win a year of club motorsport, completely free of charge.
The partnership between Motorsport UK and Loughborough Car Club will offer a group of disabled motorsport enthusiasts a unique chance to experience the range of adaptations available to participate in the sport.
Taking place on 29 April at the track facility co located at Motorsport UK HQ and the Bicester Motion development, participants are able to experience a specially adapted 1400 cc automatic saloon with a range of flexible adaptations, including hand operated accelerator and brakes, a choice of accelerator positions, additional upper back support and a choice of steering wheels.
All participants will undertake a series of tests designed to assess car control, determination and attitude, with the two most promising drivers offered an opportunity to drive in a series of club AutoSOLO and Autotest events based in the Leicestershire area. Motorsport UK and Loughborough Car Club will cover the cost of participation for the successful pair.
To apply for a place on the Bicester Experience day, please click here to complete the form.
Applicants must be over the age of 14 and able to drive with the range of adaptations on offer. If selected, successful applicants would then need to be available for the subsequent events held on the evenings of 6 June, 20 June, 4 July, 18 July, 1 August, 15 August and 29 August. Please note that these will be held in the Loughborough and Wider Midlands area.
Applicants will be assessed and contacted by our sustainability team. Any questions should also be put to the team via sustainability@motorsportuk.org.
Shift Up Now Athlete Ashley Freiberg hit the racetrack last weekend in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America at Sebring International Raceway with new sponsorship and livery from Yokohama Tire and MDK Motorsports.
Yokohama’s new “All-In” campaign is aimed at promoting inclusiveness in racing and helping diverse drivers progress in their racing careers. The company’s list of motorsports activities – both on- and off-road – is extensive.
Freiberg is one of two drivers enrolled in the 2023 Yokohama “All-In” program. The 31-year-old racer from Illinois has competed in open-wheel, sports car and endurance racing. She has earned the Skip Barber championship title twice. In addition, she became the first woman to win a Skip Barber national race, and the first female to claim outright race victories in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge.
Episode 36 of the MotiV8 Training Podcast explains how to deal with performance anxiety. It features Caroline Anderson, a sports psychologist and Olympian. She is the Director of Performance Edge psychology and brings over 16 years of experience in both hospital settings and private practice working with people with mental health issues, elite athletes, business leaders and organizations. You can listen here.
In this show you’ll learn:
- What is performance anxiety
- How to deal with performance anxiety
- What services a Sports Psychologists can offer you
If you would like to find out more about Performance Edge Psychology:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/performanceedgepsychology
Instagram: http://instagram.com/performance-edge-pyschology
Website: http://www.performanceedgepsychology.com
SOMA has put out an interesting post on Understanding Reaction Time and its Components.
“Reaction time refers to the amount of time it takes for an individual to respond to a stimulus, such as a sight, sound, or touch. It is the time interval between the presentation of a stimulus and the initiation of a response to that stimulus.”
“Reaction time can vary depending on factors such as age, gender, level of fatigue, and the nature of the stimulus. For example, a person’s reaction time may be slower when they are tired or have consumed alcohol.”
“Reaction time is often measured in research and testing contexts, such as in sports, driving, and aviation. It is also an important factor in many everyday activities, such as crossing the street, catching a ball, and reacting to unexpected events.”
Do you find yourself sometimes coming up against an obstacle that you can’t get past whether on the track or off? Where you struggle to see the forest for the trees?
Race driver and motorsport entrepreneur Max Hanratty calls this “wandering in the desert” and in his guest post on News Racers Can Use, The Importance of Mental Hygiene, he gives you some ideas on how you can find your out of the desert and get back on track.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.