Take a hot lap with Hurley

A nice little video from our friends at Brumos:

http://youtu.be/sMcbeAzBspE

Also, notice how Hurley maintains a very light grip on the wheel--like he's barely using his fingertips.

good to see him using the shuffle steering method ... also note that his hands are not at 10 & 2 ... more at 8:30 and 3:30

there's been a lot of debate about hand placement over the last few yrs ..

10 & 2, 9 & 3, or this 8:30 & 3:30

A few years back, I saw Hurley Haywood driving that car at the Monterey Historic races. Turned out the be the best race of the weekend. For reasons I don't remember Hurley started down in the pack. When the green flag dropped, he went on a mission passing everything in front of him and took the lead on the very last lap. It left me wishing I had 914-6 and his skills to drive it.

Wonderful. Simply wonderful.

Thanks for posting.

As far as hand position goes, I don't think it matters all that much. Use a position that's comfortable for you, and as noted in the video avoid the death grip. In my MINI I was pretty much 9 and 3, but in my Neon on a rallyX course I was usually 10 and 4. Not sure why, but it worked for me.

My take on shuffling is that it varies by steering rack. In a car with a bus-like geometry, I have to shuffle steer tight stuff myself. If I don't have to do it, I don't because it's less precise and wasted effort. For noobs - I think it's best (and how I instruct) if they don't shuffle steer until I can close my eyes and not feel them doing it in the chassis. I wouldn't correct an advanced student for doing it though other than to point out I can feel it so they can smooth it out. In that video... you have a very accomplished driver with a big fat belly in his way whom I'd not be advising to stop doing that :)

Avoiding the death grip is key - but really only possible if you have a proper seat and harnesses to keep your body in place.

Placement... IMO, 9-3, 10-2, whatever is comfortable and offers good control. Some steering wheels are designed by people who have never used one so you put your hands where they work best. I'd only say "two hands on the wheel except to shift or flip off the overtaking car" as the requirement.

Shuffle and location are all subject to debate but the way he caresses the wheel is fantastic. It took me a long time to get over the death grip. I had an instructor with me at a test and tune day and after two laps of instruction he asks me what I did for a living. We spent the next three laps discussing our work, kids etc and what not. When we were done he pointed out that they were the fastest laps of the day. Taught me to relax and use the wheel smoothly and go through the corner the way the car wants to. Smooth and boring is usually fast. Exciting and jerky can be fun but is usually slow.

2060#, 260HP, 2.5L of vintage AWESOME.

http://www.virhistory.com/vir/71-apr/1971imsa.htm

Love the contrast of the inside the car vs. outside the car shots. Inside: looks like he's "driving Ms. Daisy", calm, serene, relaxed. Almost calls for dubbed in classical music. Outside: flat out hauling.

Great video, thanks for sharing.