Race Weekend, Are You Approachable Or In The Zone?

I was at lunch with a friend who goes to Solo Nationals every year and I mentioned that one of these years I should go for the experience. The main reason I don't expect I ever will is I find a lot of national level competitors to be rather aloof on event day.

I am Chatty Cathy 99% of the time. A long time friend said you can see a Jekyll and Hyde transformation in my eyes the instant I put a helmet on. For me being around a bunch of hyper focused silent people feels awkward.

I can act like a total goof right up until it's time to go and then be laser focused the next instant. Part of the reason I act like a goof is (besides being a goof) is that it's a distraction I need. I tend to be a bundle of nervous energy I don't need to wind myself up even more.

I am also aware that not everyone works this way. I've got a motorcycle racer friend who needs to be left alone starting about 20 minutes before his race.

This got me thinking about the different personalities here. So out of curiosity can you switch it on and off in an instant or do you need to be deep in the zone all day?

I'm not a competitive racer: When I go to the track I'm there to have fun, and I'm fine with conversation.

During powerlifting/strongman competitions, however, I am historically rather focused right up until the very end of the day. 

I'm my own crew so I'm very focused out of necessity. Getting the car and driver set up and ready to be in the grid on time is a big job with many small details, and that's before I start thinking about data, strategy, etc. 

I’m pretty chatty. By the third course walk-through, though, I remind myself to perhaps pay attention. 

I succumb to chattiness sometimes when I shouldn't, and even when I'd rather not. I both enjoy it and hate to be unfriendly; this is autocross, and the issues are 1: chatting too much during course walk and not getting the info I need or getting it solid enough, and 2: between runs I'm busy trying to think through the last run and the next run and simultaneously calm myself down enough to be present and focused but not tight and nervous. But I can't bring myself not to chat if someone says hi.

Tom1200 said: you can see a Jekyll and Hyde transformation in my eyes the instant I put a helmet on. I can... be laser focused the next instant.

I admire this ability so much, Tom! I've seen it many people who are just really good at what they do - race car drivers, athletes, performing musicians and comedians, actors, etc.

Both the ability to concentrate so hard and utterly focus, and even more the ability to turn it on (and off) is super impressive to observe. Definitely not my strong suit, but it's a great ongoing goal.

I'm probably chattier than I should be. In years past when taking racing a little more seriously I would get more serious once the helmet was on. These days it's all about having fun. It's not uncommon for me to chat with my passenger mid-run (RallyX). 

Edit: When I was a teenager, we had a neighbor who was a successful sprint car racer. The first time I saw him at the track (in the pits), I thought he was kind of a jerk. I didn't understand that he was "at work" and was serious about the task at hand. It was a useful lesson for me. I quickly learned to respect the need for racers to focus. 

I am pretty competitive in the racecar and I take prep very seriously.  I take the pit stops and any repairs very serious.  However, when things are going well, I am a bit of a clown.

I will sing songs to pit lane while racing, or tell dirty jokes.

I've been known to give the incoming driver a surprise jet pack when doing driver changes as I get out of the car.

However, when we are prepping the car or performing repairs, everybody on the team better be pulling their weight or I get angry.

Maybe if I was good at it, I might be more serious.  I think the most important thing about a race weekend is remembering to tell my friends "I just want to let you know, good luck, we're all counting on you" as they leave grid for the start.

I like to talk. But not during a course walk. Unless it's about braking points or lines, leave me the ef alone.

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

I like to talk. But not during a course walk. Unless it's about braking points or lines, leave me the ef alone.

The first time I encountered someone who was in their own world on the course walk I didn't know what to do with that. I took a little while for me to comprehend that we aren't all wired the same.

David S. Wallens said:

I’m pretty chatty. By the third course walk-through, though, I remind myself to perhaps pay attention. 

On the first walk through I'm also chatty on the second one I am still chatty but only in the places where the line is obvious. 

BoulderG said:

Tom1200 said: you can see a Jekyll and Hyde transformation in my eyes the instant I put a helmet on. I can... be laser focused the next instant.

I admire this ability so much, Tom! I've seen it many people who are just really good at what they do - race car drivers, athletes, performing musicians and comedians, actors, etc.

Both the ability to concentrate so hard and utterly focus, and even more the ability to turn it on (and off) is super impressive to observe. Definitely not my strong suit, but it's a great ongoing goal.

If only my ability transferred over to golf; my A.D.D wins out. There are just to many distractions there. Whereas at the track you are only switching on and off 4 times a day you have to do that constantly on the golf course.........I fall apart pretty quickly.

In reply to ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) :

The few times I ran a single seat car without a someone to help I was less chatty so I understand it from that point. I've also been fortunate enough with single readers that we got to do a good bit of testing so we didn't have to adjust much.

Even simple things like refueling the car takes a bit longer.

Tom1200 said:

David S. Wallens said:

I’m pretty chatty. By the third course walk-through, though, I remind myself to perhaps pay attention. 

On the first walk through I'm also chatty on the second one I am still chatty but only in the places where the line is obvious. 

With our local club you're lucky to get one clean walk through. I generally jog the course so no one can talk to me.

When we had film cameras only (80's) my brother stopped Paul Newman at Road America to ask him for a picture and he declined as he told us he was headed to go qualify and he moved on.  He was in the zone.....

Yeah I'm probably overly approachable in most instances. I'm pretty good (when it comes to motorsports, anyway) at switching into my zone, although my zone is also fairly relaxed in most cases since it's where I tend to get my best performance. If I'm too deep in my head I get overly analytical and I start second guessing my own muscle memory. 

One thing I do like is to get in the car fairly early before a run or session. Not like half an hour early, I just hate buckling up and fumbling with gloves and cameras and data systems and belts when cars are starting to roll off the grid. So I'm usually fully strapped and helmeted at the five minute call and I know my routine for starting any electronics I have to manage. And if someone walks up to the window at that point I'm happy to chat because the stress of getting properly loaded and prepped is behind me. They just have to be willing to chat through a helmet.

Laser-focused here.

Back in my halcyon Pro Solo days, I would wear headphones to keep out any distractions, including the announcer's commentary.  I could totally control my mental state that way.

I'm less so these days for time trials, but still turn that on when I get in the car.  That is, unless the competition is super close...then I go back to the old "leave me alone I know what I'm doing" ways for much of the weekend.

Somewhat related, don't bother me when I'm doing a tire test.  I treat those like competition as far as mental state.   There's a rhythm to it and distractions interrupt the flow.

In reply to Tom1200 :

Somewhat like you when the helmet is on I get as focused as possible.

When I did autoX the club I was in was full of jokesters and we all goofed around a lot. But once I was in line to run I visualized the course up until I got to the start line.

When door-to-door racing I put everything out of my mind except the race. Around the pit area, during my IT days (mid 80s) I talked to friends – I came up with a lot of them from autoX. When an opportunity arose I may have done a practical joke or 2.

During my H-Production days (early 90s) I needed to be more focused as I was mostly on my own. I traveled a lot for National races and did not know as many people. Most SCCA folks were very friendly. Once, at the runoffs, me and my open trailer were parked next to a semi with a machine shop in it. They offered to help when my engine barfed.

I definitely get in the zone. Track days I have an alarm set for go time and once that's hit I don't want to chat with anyone. I'm focused on the checklist so I don't get out on track and find the camera I can't reach isn't on, etc. AutoX is even worse. My club generally runs small groups so there isn't a lot of downtime. Once we get called I'm in competition mode until I've done all my runs. I've had people try to chat me up, but I'm usually running around checking tire pressures, etc. Then I need to get belted back in before the next run. No time to just hang.

I enjoy talking to people at the track, and often find benefit in talking about how to tackle a particular corner or some other track/driving detail.  Having spent many years racing, and doing competitive shooting, it's pretty easy to move in/out of the 'zone' for me.  

Just don't try to have an inane conversation while I'm working on a problem with the car... that will reach my tolerance limit pretty quickly! 

After thinking about this for the "concentrating on track" thread, I'm definitely not in the zone all day, just when I'm driving. On track it starts within the first lap or two, but on an autocross course it needs to start at the start gate.

JG Pasterjak said:

If I'm too deep in my head I get overly analytical and I start second guessing my own muscle memory. 

 

I have noticed that I can over think it and slow myself down. I have had a couple of examples over the years where something mechanical took all of my attention away and my performance improved. I also have examples of stupid mistakes due to a lack of focus. Gotta find that sweet spot, I guess. 

Pretty dependent on the day I'm having. If it's going okay, I'll be chatting with people. If it's a day where I'm getting beat by people I shouldn't be getting beat by, or I'm not going faster or I can't get the hang of the course (autocross) then I want nothing to do with anyone.

In reply to Andy Hollis :

I was hoping you would chime in as I assumed you would be one of the laser focused for the duration drivers.

For tire testing I totally get that and ironically back when we did testing with the D-Sports Racer I was far less chatty than on race days.