Motorsports University

Race Starts. When to Go!

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Race starts are a critical piece of the racing puzzle and starts are an often overlooked part of the training regimen. Part of the problem is that we only do a few starts per season and it happens quickly and isn't repeated every lap. It's hard to practice. So how do you improve? Keep these tips in mind the next time you line up to take the green flag:

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To get optimum performance out of our rubber, we all need heat inside our tires and not just on the surface. Tire warmers heat from the outside in, gradually heating the surface, core elements (the belts, rubber layers), and the air or nitrogen inside the tire.

To some extent we all carry spare parts for our race/track vehicle. It might be nothing more than lug nuts or spark plugs, oil filter or wiper blades. Anyone that has bought a used race car or bike gets a pile of “spares” with the purchase. But are they spares? Just like the old saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, spare parts fall in a similar way. In many cases, one man’s spares are another man’s trash.

Very few privateers have been as successful in sportscar racing than Briggs Swift Cunnigham. Born as a rich banker's son in 1907, Cunningham got actively involved in motor racing rather late at the age of 41. He had previously backed others, but he did not drive himself until after his mother died, who very opposed to him racing. His first race was at Watkins Glen and the car was a Buick / Mercedes-Benz hybrid, known as the 'Bumerc', the construction of which Cunningham had backed in 1939. This race really spiked his interest in road racing, in which he actively participated for two decades.

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Many think of the steering wheel of their race car as a styling accessory but it is the primary device we use to control the vehicle. Here are a few items to consider when choosing your next wheel:

Rim Width

Choose a wheel with a comfortable grip width. It should fit your hand without causing cramps or fatigue. Every time we see an older vintage race car we wonder how the drivers of old steered with those skinny wood rimmed wheels.

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How important is your connection to the car? Can you drive for hours without aches and pains? Can you take a nap on the starting grid because your racing seat is so comfy that it feels like home?

Your body has three points to connect to the car: Hands on the steering wheel, feet on the pedals and body in the seat. Many think if the hips fit they are done but proper seat fitment is worth the extra time and effort. Some experienced racers and crew chiefs will tell you that it can mean up to 1/2 a second a lap.