dealing with fear

A good friend of mine said if he did not save his life at least once a lap he was not going fast enough. I came into racing admiring the many great drivers of the period (60s-70s) When I started I looked for the most challenging thing I could find. That was Pro Rally navigating. Then I drove after a pretty violent roll down a hill in the forest in southern Ohio. And then I was more bored after the first roll that the windshield had come out and we were not going to be able to continue. After a couple more rolls we were up against a tree upside down. But never fear even during that. Going fast on a rally road when the car is up on the suspension and it is dancing on the tires at a 100mph or so is freedom. It is the nearest to flying on land. It is a high that I have only come close to on a real high speed autocross or track time. Fear?? No. I think as close as I have come is the uncertainty of losing all control, as driving a fast rally car you are not in total control. More concerned of making a foolish mistake I would have to hear about for to long. Just have not been fast enough maybe to have fear. I guess being able to let go and let the car do what it is made to do and not thinking about getting hurt is the point. Many drivers I know say when they got to where they were more worried about getting hurt and the rehab time than getting a quicker time no matter what, then the reason to go fast was gone.

Tim Suddard wrote: Speaking of fear, my son Tommy ran Road Atlanta a few weeks ago, at 15 years old.

Might be a function of age, but I'd get Tommy's perspective on fear. Could be an interesting angle with age as a variable.

Tim Suddard wrote: Okay, so I am not the only one. On another note, while I have seen some wrecks on an autocross course, there is potential of danger and I have done some sick things sliding a car sideways, I have never been scared while autocrossing. Thoughts on this?

LOL, no way you are the only one. Heck, read stories about drivers back 40 years ago, and how many walked away from cars (particularly the early 917's) out of fear. Some of the best of the best.

For me, I seem to have "fear" when the porportion of the possible wreck gets high enough. For instance- Big Bend at Waterford Hills- not a hard corner, but the fastest on that track- but it has a wall just a few feet off the track at the property line- I've NEVER been able to take that well.

On the other end of the scale is autocrossing- the closest I felt fear there was walking the course at G-Ville noting the lack of run off space- but once driving, that went away (and my wife stopped me from thinking bad things). For some reason, I'm quite fine with being on that hairy edge where the car is just about to go completly out of control, and not feel anything but driving.

Corners that I've not done as fast as people tell me I can- WH- Big Bend, Nashville- where the track comes off the oval into the high speed sweeper, Hallett- turn 1, Portland- the left right left combo before the front straight, Mid Ohio- turn one, etc etc. Someday, perhaps my view will change when I'm surrounded by a real roll cage and safety hardware.

At least I hope so- would shave seconds off my lap times in some places.

Eric

Hey, I get scared just watching the rally drivers.

It is so cool feeling the car dance and know that you are so close to losing it but do not. Out of control in control.

Tim Suddard wrote: I was just sitting down to write my next column and I have been thinking about fear when racing. How many of you race? Are you scared when you race? What scares you? Any other thoughts on the subject?

Scared? The first lap on any track I am nearly paralyzed with fear. the second i and afraid and by the third I am ready to do lawn jobs on the Devils rose garden. I don't get scared at autocrosses but tack racing (mostly circle track experience) is a definite.

Oh, and ONE time rallycrossing Joel and I got scared... ONCE!

In addition to Autocrossing, I also Sail. Yes, real sail boats. there is a quote in Sailboat raicing, "If all hell hasn't broken loose, let out some more sail"

the sligthest puff or subtle wind shift would put you and your boat is perril.

Driving, I think, is similar. The runs I have had whenre I am white nuckled and nearly out of control have been my fastest. Maybe I am doing it wrong cuz everyone tells me "you gotta be smooth". Eh, If I don't feel like throwing up at the end of the 54 Second run then I am not doing it right.

I have never legely raced above 60 miles an hour, and never "wheel to wheel" so my expierences may not apply.

As far as kids go, and your 15 year old driving at road atalnta, what I have learned from my 16 year old is that he thinks he is 10 feet tall and made of titanium. I can't wait for the day that he feels fear.

Oh, and just a side note, the only time I have expierenced what I think is "Real Fear" is when I exchanged hot rounds witht the local Muslim Malitia (communists at the time) on Lombok Island in Indoneasia in 1988. But, that's another story.

alfadriver wrote: Hallett- turn 1,

Oh I have seen quite a few buddies total sportbikes messing up that turn! The good line on the bikes on entry, always unsettled the rear, a bit disconcerting when slowing down from 120-123mph.

I haven't done an HPDE or Auto-X yet, but did a few track days on my sportbike. Interesting how the track will intimidate you, I had no problem attacking roads in NW Arkansas like I was going to win a trophy, then getting nervous on track.

One session the reality of what could happen sank in, lost concentration and went into 7-8 at Hallett way too hot and ended up with a nasty concussion, post concussion syndrome and damaged nerves in my hip. I sold the bike after that.

I'm building an E30 for Auto-X and track events do to the "safer" aspect of having some structure around me. Im hoping I've gotten past the fear, or else it will be a ton of money wasted on my build!

I tend to get a little more fear trying something new in motorsports. Autocross rarely generates any true fear anymore relative to driving. I've been doing more with acquiring sites and organizing events, and that is when fear kicks in. I don't want our group to do anything to jeopardize losing the event site. I think fear is a healthy thing, so long as you don't let it control you.

I think the biggest challenge in instructing even in autox is getting the student to let the car freeup and have a looser grip on the wheel. Having to let the car do what it is going to do after you have put the proper input in seems to come easier to some people. We all know if you keep total control and a tight grip on the wheel you are never going fast.

Fear is sort of a subjective thing. In other words what is fear. It has a lot of meanings.

Anyway, I can't say I have ever experience fear, more like apprehension.

So far, I've only raced auto-cross, so there is no fear there... There is simply no consequences of failure... I attribute this some to the fact I came from racing downhll mtn bikes... where the consequences of failure were much greater... like death. Someday I hope to do some w2w club racing and/or some hill-climbs... but I'm not sure either will ever approach the fear I had racing DH at times... bombing through the woods at terminal velocity with trees inches from your head... on a purpose-cut trail that is difficult to imagine walking down. I haven't raced in 6 years and it still gives me a knot just thinking about it... Yes, the speeds in car racing are much greater, but the conditions are simply more... controlled.

In reply to Ian F: LOL! Downhill racing there were times when I was entirely over my head, and the only thing that you can do is to ride it out and hope that you won't be leaving the mountain on a stretcher with a neck brace on. Cars are different. The speeds are much higher, but you've got all this safety gear around you, and things usually go to hell within a split second, whereas on a mountain bike there's usually a slow-motion sequence where you see your wheel slipping into the rut or bouncing off the rock and you have a moment or two to watch your life flash accross your eyes before you either get out of trouble or take the fall. Fear? It's amazing how much fear you can pack into 2 seconds!

Sitting on the false grid, strapped in, waiting to fire up, when all is quiet. The smell of the helmet and Nomex, sweat popping all over your body from the heat. The helmet and suit are like a warm wrapper of anaesthesia for your whole mind and body, insulating you from the world, comfortably numb. You hear your own breathing, and your pulse is like a stopwatch ticking. Time distorts, as you wait .....and wonder .... and think ....what am I going to do about that guy beside me when we get to the first turn?

And then it's time.

Push the button, the motor fires up, like an alarm bell ringing, and it's like a blast of white hot sunlight melts all the fog. And with crystal clarity and purpose, it's time to go! Boogity boogity boogity!

I can't imagine doing any sort of competition without having fear, it's always been there. Was there for sports in high school like soccer and track and especially downhill ski racing. It's there for every autocross run. I've read that for some elite athletes, they need to have fear before a competition to fully trigger the adrenaline and other desired chemical responses. Some don't.

I guess I would differentiate between anxiety and actual fear of injury or other significant consequence. I think anxiety helps drive your competitive edge but outright fear pulls you back from being as far ahead of the curve (literally and figuratively) as possible

Fear is the "Oh Sh*t" moment just as you enter point of no return. Your brain goes into self preservation mode and everything slows down. You know, that split second when you know this is REALLY going to hurt, or worse. Thankfully, I have never had that moment on the track.

Other sports - oh yeah, with the scars to remind me....

Fear is knowing you've missed the line at 105+ mph in "The Kink" at Road America and you are along for the ride at that point. Not that I know from experience or anything...

But when sitting on grid ready to go, the butterflies are going, but I just visualize the start to keep from thinking about the "bad stuff" that can happen.

In my limited experience with karts or auto-x I haven't really had anything I would call fear. Back road hooliganizing on the other hand, I've felt fear but always after the pucker factor. In the moment, I'm completely absorbed in the car and controlling it. Afterwards, when I'm going straight and have time to think then I get scared.

AX doesn't scare me, it's more anticipation of testing my meager skills than anything.

Hillclimbs: hell yeah I am scared. But that's why I do it. EDIT: I guess the time I nearly went off the side of a mountain road in Colorado while dirt biking gave me an insight into and a healthy respect for what could happen. THAT was probably the scariest wheeled incident of my life. The first hillclimb run is the scariest because I have to push the car a bit to get a feel for the surface, then I have to look for the lines, bumps, stuff like that. Once I have a run or two under the old beltarooney, I'm not nearly as scared.

LeMons was scary due to the wide variety of skill levels and car prep out there, but again that's why I do it. Same reason I raced motorcycles for so long.

Some people like watching gory movies because it scares them. I'm not that way, things like that actually bore me. Something is only really scary to me when I'm directly involved.

You know what is scary? Instructing. Some of the knucklehead-fast-and-furious wannabees out there....

I've raced bicycles, skateboards, RC cars, motorcycles, karts and cars. None particularly well, but I'm a serial racer of stuff.

When I first started roadracing motorcycles I'd have the butterflies at 3rd call when I headed to pre-grid. When the minute board went up, I had a litany of stuff to remember and things to do, so there isn't really time for fear. Still, even as a more experienced racer seasons later I'd always have a moment of reflection as I crested the rise before T4 at Summit Point and looked down the chute through 4 and 5; I'd always say to myself "do not crash in 4, dude"...

Slalom skateboards filled me with terror though. You've got to do like 43 turns in 23 seconds and if you get one wrong you get the nastiest huge hipper contusion you've ever seen if you're lucky, and a broken collarbone if you're not.

Track events are scary. Scarier than racing. Goint into T1 at VIR a little too hot but with killer brakes watching the GTO getting ~really big~ in your mirrors - who has lots of red mist but no brakes - is scary as hell. But what's in front isn't so scary. I've done sessions where cars were collecting tire walls left and right and just stay on my program. I guess what I'm getting at is that what's scary is the stuff I can't control.

A couple shots of Whiskey usually cures those pesky pre-race jitters.

I get scared driving someone else's car. 5% "I sure hope this thing is put together better than the crap I build" and 95% when I hit 12/10ths and get that "Oh berkeley. I just bought another honda" feeling.

As a rallyist I fear fire, water and the abyss. Trees, ditches and hillsides are all fair game, just tricky to drive on. Its rarely the crash but the ensuing results that give me hesitation. I always try to upgrade safety gear when adding go-fast bits.

Tim Suddard wrote: I was just sitting down to write my next column and I have been thinking about fear when racing. How many of you race? Are you scared when you race? What scares you? Any other thoughts on the subject?

I am not scared of racing. I can give a couple of quick reasons why:

1. I have the best safety equipment available. I am far more protected then driving on the street in day to day traffic. I can (and have) drove off of cliffs and walked away unscathed.

2. I am not amongst day to day traffic. In wheel to wheel racing the other person SHOULD know what they are doing. And even if they don't, revert to number 1.

In fact, driving for me is a lot more "calming" then co-driving in a rally car. I recently switched positions at a test day with my driver (even though he didn't really read the notes, its not his thing) and proceeded to illicit some "ohhhs" and "awwws" from everyone. By the end of the stage my heartbeat had barely risen (while normally my heart is POUNDING after codriving), even though it was probably one of the greatest things I've ever done. And that was only at 5 tenths because it wasn't my car