Ford is looking to expand Mustang racing internationally and I have the details in this week’s Racecraft & Race Cars Roundup. I also have details on how to conduct a proper driver debrief, tips to unlock time trials success and an app that helps you optimize gear shifts. All this and much more!
Racecraft Tips & Techniques
On-Track
You as the race driver obviously need to attend to more than just the driving. Here is a big tip on how I coach drivers and how you can make sure that you are focusing on the process, and growing no matter what happens results wise.
Grassroots Motorsports explains the data and strategies you need to unlock time trials success. “Time trial racing has never been more popular or accessible. What was once seen as a steppingstone to wheel-to-wheel racing has matured into its own scene, its own venue and its own culture.”
Ross Bentley of Speed Secrets explains the driving secrets that he learned by competing in the One Lap of America. “The basic format is that you show up at a track, unpack your car, do three time trial-style laps in the morning, another three in the afternoon, pack up and drive to the next city, where you do it all again at the next track, the next day. Rinse, repeat. Those first three laps are both your practice and timed laps—there is no actual practice time.”
Speaking of Ross Bentley, he will be hosting a driver development program in July at Pineview Run. “This summer, Peter Krause and I (along with a select team of coaches, including Mario and Ian Korf) are conducting a very different type of program with one objective: To give you an advanced degree in performance driving. This is not just to make you a better driver, but to give you the tools to continue improving in the future; it’s not only to give you the information and knowledge, but help you learn how to think about your driving.”
You can find more information as well as the dates of the program here.
A while back, Samir Abid of Your Data Driven wrote 4,000+ words on how to optimize gear shifts, complete with the maths, and built two Excel tools to help you work it out. They did the job… but took him weeks (and with your help and ideas, over 74 revisions!) to get right. He needed a demo case study, so he and AI rebuilt the basic version as a web app… in about 3 hours.
Click to try the new Gear Shift Optimiser [FREE}
Now it runs right in your browser, with:
- dynamic charts
- instant shift-point table
- mph/kph toggle
Just drop in your gear ratios, tire size, and torque curve.
It’ll calculate the optimal up- and down-shift points for your car.
Have a play—and let me know if it helps you.
The journey to becoming a racing driver can take many different forms. You can of course be thrown into a kart at the age of four and navigate your way to the pinnacle of motorsport, but not all of us are lucky enough to have that opportunity, so we need to think of other ways to make our dreams a reality. Simon Ostler of Goodwood Road & Racing explains how to become a better driver on track.
Off-Track
The European portion of the Formula 3 calendar kicks off this weekend in Imola with three consecutive race weekends. Feeder Series spoke to Nikola Tsolov, Noah Strømsted and Noel León to find out how they are getting ready for such an intense schedule. Read how they are preparing here.
Race Car & Series Developments
Ford is targeting a 35 plus car field in this year’s Mustang Challenge Invitational at Le Mans. And that’s not all. They are also looking to grow the series internationally with plans for Australia and eventually Europe. “Plans are now underway to introduce a Mustang Cup to Australia next year, with additional regions actively being evaluated according to Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook.”
At the 24h Nürburgring on 21st/22nd June 2025, the BMW M2 Racing will complete its final major endurance test before the sales launch. Belgian drivers Ugo de Wilde and Charles Weerts, along with German driver Jens Klingmann – who has been involved in the testing and development of the vehicle from the very beginning – will take the wheel as a trio of BMW M works drivers in the cockpit of the new entry-level model from BMW M Motorsport. More details can be found here.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Cooper Webster aims to leverage iRacing for real-world racing opportunities and in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup you will find out how. I also have an interview with Daniel Morad who talks about his rise through the ranks from kart racing to sim racing, to being full time in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series and much more!
Track Days
Why build a new race car from scratch when you can buy a proven frontrunner someone else developed? SCCA road racer John Hainsworth opted for the latter, and he’s loved every minute. But it’s not as simple as turning the key and hitting the track with your newly purchased race car. In the video above, John walks you through the ins and outs of making sure a car that has won in the past will also win in the future. Is buying a used race car for you? Watch this and find out.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a 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.
