Taka Aono, Christa’s drifting instructor was there to help out as was Moto Miwa Toyota 86 Guru and OG drifter.
The first session was a lead follow. Here is Christa in project FR-S following Clint in a new Toyota GR86. It is important to follow your instructor closely and learn the line. In lead follows, students often are very timid and don’t follow the instructor, and don’t mimic the lines. Clint was good, he made each lap faster and faster and the last laps were at a good clip.
For Christa’s next session, I went out with her. I found that her lines were good but she was driving the car like a kart and braking gently and throwing the car sideways at the entrance of the corner to slow down. Karts generally only have rear brakes so that’s how you drive one fast. This doesn’t work on a car and she was scaring the crap out of me! I coached her to brake much later and harder, driving smoother and focusing and rotating the car getting to the apex correctly the getting good apex speed. She learned quickly and was going pretty fast in just a few laps.
I was pretty impressed with her car control with her sideways antics but once she learned how good 4 wheel brakes work, she started to pass people right and left.
Next, it was time for her to go solo. I was pretty confident that she would enjoy herself.
5 comments
What an amazing experience for her!
I can’t get my own 9yo to stop spazzing out with even a Powerwheels 6/12V plastic car! I don’t see karting in his future. LOL
Some kids are scared of speed and noise. Don’t force them, it’s supposed to be family fun. I didn’t encourage my daughter, a friend gave her a free kart and it was game on for her from there.
“In our area, the popular track day organizations have largely stopped consistently supporting beginner groups. This is probably because the intermediate and advanced groups are really popular and there are often not many beginners. ”
Do you also think there could be a lack of instructors?
I’ve read a few anecdotes of instructors that quit because the amount of horsepower available to beginners turns them off.
I don’t know but as an ex NASA instructor, that would scare the crap out of me!
“Hi, I’m a doctor who’s done nothing but study and work my whole life while driving a beige Corolla. I finally got an attending gig and bought a 911 Turbo, can you show me how to drive it fast?”
…and oh the irony of buying a car too fast to enjoy on the street and too fast to drive on the track.