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29 June 2007
"Straight talk: Circle tracks"
Vette Dogs interviews Steve Hardy, DC co-pilot!
In Episode 3, we saw Steve giving Patrick the essentials to running on a banked 1/4 mile track. There was only enough time to walk the track once before Patrick had to toss on the firesuit and churn out some laps. Steve had to take his years of experience and try to jam as much detail as possible into Patrick's brain about running a safe and fast line.
To Steve Hardy, racing is a passion in addition to work, raising a family and wrenching on a few projects. Luckily, he was more than willing to tell us a bit about his racing background down in Florida.
"I have experience in other cars but Mini Cups is where I've spent most of my wheel-time. All have been on oval tracks."Do you compete often and where have you been ranking in?
"In my last year racing I had an average finish of 3rd. I had 2 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, 1 sixth and 1 seventh place. All of this as a fill in driver for various teams. It's a good feeling to go out 5-7 times a year and be able to compete with guys that run 20-25 times a year.
For those of us who aren't familiar with circle and oval track racing, what are some basics?
"Well, most races are between 25 and 30 laps but can be cut back if guys can't quit running into each other. The number of laps is always based on car count and the amount of cautions. The problem with this is, sometimes you play a strategy to stay back in 7th or so and wait to move through the field a little later in the race but if they cut the race short, your screwed (see the seventh place finish above)."
Is there a standard size track for all these events or do they differ?
"Here in Florida there are 3 different track sizes, 1/4 mile 3/8 mile and 1/2 mile. We have some really tight 1/4 mile tracks and some really wide 1/4 mile tracks, so track size isn't as important as track layout. Auburndale and Orlando are great examples, as they are both 1/4 mile tracks, but you better be a man if your gonna pass on the high side at Auburndale! However, at Orlando you can run the high side all night long... if you can get your car hooked up!"
What's the technique to driving a line on circle tracks?
"Anytime your on a track you want to hit the center of the corner at the "apex" or the point that the corner is at it's peak. You want to enter high and bring the car down to the center of the corner and roll the car back out the the wall. Stay smooth don't jerk or saw on the wheel. In Mini Cups the momentum is key since we don't have the horsepower to drive up off the corner. We scrub a lot of speed through the center so you have to stay smooth to keep your speed up. Now that translates to any car, even one with a lot of horsepower because your playing catch-up if you lose time in the corners. If you go to a new track try to walk and you will literally see a "line" that is run in the pavement. This is what I was showing Patrick because it will be, without a doubt, the fastest way around that track."
The first thing you've got to notice, are those towering concrete walls. So what would be the first thing any "circle track newbie" needs to know to get over that "mental barrier" and concentrate on driving?
"Believe it or not the concrete wall wasn't the first thing that hit me when I got in a race car for the first time. It was the realization that "Hey I'm strapped into a race car and am going to go out and run on a track trusting people [I don't know] to not run into me". That being said, the issue with the walls wasn't "I don't want to hit that" because you are actually a lot further from it than you think. I talked with Patrick about this very thing at One Lap and told him "You're going to think you're about to hit the wall but you'll be 8-feet from it, so trust the track and let the car roll up off the corner". When he came off the track he was swearing he was a foot from the wall, but go watch the tape he was a solid 8-feet from it!
The perception is that you're really close, but in practice, you should really put your car near the wall to see what your distances are. It's hard to explain. Next time your at the store drive around back and run the right side of your car up to the building and see how far you are from it compared to how far you think you are. Now do that at 100 MPH with 3 cars a foot in front of you, one to you left side [so close you can smell him], and 18 behind you stacked up like cord wood. That wall is the last thing on your mind..."
So it's a bit like driving the Capital Beltway at rush-hour... I might just have to try my hand at this circle track thing.
"If you or anyone has more questions, holler at your boy! I go by raidmagic on the DigitalCorvettes.com forums."
Thanks Steve!
by Daniel Bowler
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I wonder if it still there?
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