Garage Woolery Drivers Clinic
Novice Level
“The Fundamentals of Performance Driving”
Safety
This drivers clinic is intended to teach you the fundamental concepts and tools necessary to get you started in developing your performance driving skills. This clinic is not a track day! This clinic is not a race day! You are expected to follow ALL vehicular laws and codes and drive safely and courteously during this clinic. You should be able to practice all of the exercises taught in this clinic at safe speeds, without breaking any laws, and while being safe to yourself and others on public streets. ANYONE who drives in an unsafe, unlawful, or discourteous manner will be ejected from the drivers clinic!
Legal Notice
All participants, organizers, volunteers, instructors, students, and vehicle owners who are participating in this clinic are, by participating in the clinic, agreeing to hold non-liable any other participants, organizers, volunteers, instructors, students, or vehicle owners for ANY injuries or damages incurred during the course of the clinic. If you do not wish to waive liability for anyone/everyone involved, than do not participate in the Clinic.
Fundamental Concepts of Performance Driving
Driving The Pace
-Learn the limits of your skills, the road, your car, and the conditions. Stay well within them.
-Be prepared for something that’s around that upcoming turn. Drive at a pace that will allow you to stop in time for the unexpected.
-Never drive like you’re in a hurry. Speed will come with experience of its own accord.
-Never drive like you have something to prove. It’ll only prove the wrong things.
-Set cornering speed early. Blow the entrance and you’ll never recover.
-Look down the road. Maintaining a high visual horizon will reduce perceived speed and help you avoid panic situations.
-Use your brakes smoothly
-Never cross the centerline except to pass. Crossing the centerline in a corner is an instant ticket and admittance that you can’t drive. In racing terms, your lane is your course; staying right of the line adds a significant challenge to most roads and is mandatory for you to stay alive. Don’t be a squid.
-Don’t crowd the centerline. Always expect an oncoming car with two wheels in your lane.
-When leading, drive for the group. Good verbal communication is augmented with hand signals and turn signals; change direction and speed smoothly.
-When following, drive with the group. If you can’t follow a leader, don’t expect anyone to follow you when you’re setting the pace.
Reading:
Although The Pace was originally written by and intended for motorcyclists, the basic principles of The Pace are totally applicable to performance driving cars, especially on the street.
For further reading visit this website:
http://www.fjrowners.ws/pace.html
Driving The Line
There are entire books written about how to drive the racing line, their variations, special considerations, etc. We will be talking about the basics of this during the class portion of the drivers clinic.
Fundamentals of Weight Transfer and Grip
We will be talking about the most basic, core concepts of weight transfer and grip during the drivers clinic, but we suggest further reading on this as well. Here is a good website to read up on this subject:
http://phors.locost7.info/contents.htm
In The Straight
Braking
-How it works
-How & why to make it work for you
-Tips for good braking technique
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 1: The Smooth Stop I
You will pair up with an instructor and you will practice a simple, smooth stop from ~10-20mph (parking lot) and then from ~40mph (street). The Goal: To slow smoothly and stop in such a way that you can release the brake pedal and “coast” to a complete stop in the last few feet of the stop.
Compression Braking
-How it works
-How & why to make it work for you
-Tips for good compression braking technique
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 2: The Smooth Stop II
You will pair up with an instructor and you will practice a variation of the smooth stop from ~40mph (street) incorporating downshifting to slow yourself down as much as possible. You can use brakes as much as you like in this exercise. Rev-matching is not necessary at this time. The Goal: To become familiar in the use of compression braking to slow the car. Try to be smooth in your slowing down and braking, and incorporate the skills learned in Smooth Stop Part I.
Exercise 3: The Weak Brake Stop I
You will pair up with an instructor and you will practice a variation of the smooth stop from ~40mph (street) using ONLY downshifting to slow yourself down to ~15-25mph and 2nd gear before you start using brakes. Incorporate the “coasting stop” learned in the Smooth Stop exercises as well during this exercise. Rev-matching is not necessary at this time. The Goal: To become comfortable in using compression braking as one of the primary ways to slow down the car, and to be able to bring the car to a stop using only minimal brakes (light brake pressure and only about 1-2 seconds of total brake use).
Rev Matching
-How it works
-How & why to make it work for you
-Tips for good rev matching technique
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 4: Rev Match I: The Cruising Shift Oscillation
You will pair up with an instructor and you will practice rev matching. Set your speed at ~30-40mph (street), and keep the speed constant while driving in whatever gear is appropriate for low cruising RPM. While maintaining this speed, rev-match and downshift one gear. Then upshift back into the original gear and repeat the exercise. Note that you can drive at the same speed and only the RPM’s change. The Goal: To be able to do the downshift and upshift smoothly and without jarring the car. If done perfectly, the speed will not change, you will not feel the car’s change of gears through the shift change (no jarring/acceleration/deceleration), and only the RPMs will vary. The only thing that should change is the position of the RPM needle and the noise from the engine.
Exercise 5: Rev Match II: The Immobile Gas Pedal
You will pair up with an instructor and do a variation of Rev Match I. This time, while cruising at ~30-40mph (street), do the downshift while leaving your foot on the gas pedal at the same position it was in during cruising in the higher gear. Use only the clutch pedal actuation during the downshift. Notice that the amount of gas pedal you are maintaining for cruise is now used to increase the RPM’s to do the rev match for the lower gear. Up shift, maintain cruise speed, and repeat. The Goal: To rev match smoothly from the higher gear to the lower gear without jarring the car and using only the clutch foot movement to do it.
Exercise 6: Rev Match III: The Weak Brake Stop II
This is a combination of the Weak Brake Stop I, and the Rev Match exercises. While cruising at ~30-40mph (street), slow to a stop while using compression braking as done in the Weak Brake Stop I exercise. This time, rev-match when you downshift using the rev-match skills you’ve learned so far. Try not to use the brake until you have downshifted/slowed to 2nd gear. Use the brake minimally, and try to “coast” the last few feet to a stop. The Goal: To slow down and stop smoothly from cruising while using rev matching, compression braking, and light braking techniques.
Exercise 7: Rev Match, Part IV: The Blip
You will pair up with an instructor and do a variation of the Cruising Shift Oscillation exercise. This time, however, you will downshift two gears instead of only one gear. Set your speed to ~30-40mph (street) in any gear at a low RPM (~2000-2500RPM). While maintaining a constant speed, blip the throttle and downshift 2 gears (for example, downshift from 5th to 3rd), cruise for a bit at the same speed, then upshift back to the original gear. Repeat. The Goal: To get comfortable downshifting and upshifting two gears smoothly without jarring the car, and to get comfortable with blipping the throttle to do a rev match.
Heel and Toe
-How it works
-How & why to make it work for you
-The practicalities of heel and toe
-The art of straight line Rev Matching & Heel and Toe in the real world
-Tips for good heel and toe technique
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 8: Playing the Pedals I
You will pair up with an instructor in the parking lot. With the car stopped and in neutral, you will “play with the pedals”. While holding the brake pedal down, rev the motor with the same foot. Do this until you are comfortable with applying the brake and revving at the same time. Repeat with the car coasting forward in neutral at less than 10mph, slowing to a stop while revving at the same time. The Goal: Get comfortable applying controlled throttle input with the brake pedal depressed.
Exercise 9: Playing the Pedals II
You will pair up with an instructor and do a variation of the Smooth Stop I exercise (street). Set you speed to ~40mph, put the car into neutral, and slow to a stop using the brake pedal—but revv the engine repeatedly while you are braking/slowing to a controlled stop.
Exercise 10: Smooth Stop III: Almost There!
You will pair up with an instructor and do a variation of the Smooth Stop II exercise. Set your speed to ~40mph (street) and slow to a stop using the brake AND rev matching. You may find yourself needing to alternate quickly between the two to incorporate both techniques into the stop. You’re not quite heal and toeing yet, but you’re almost there! The Goal: To be able to mix braking and rev matching into a single straight line braking maneuver and still stop smoothly. Notice how it’s a little busy down there around the pedals?
Exercise 11: Heel And Toe Novice
Pair up with an instructor do a variation of the Smooth Stop III exercise. Set your speed to ~40mph (street) and slow to a stop using the brake and rev matching, only this time incorporate Heel and Toe in at least one downshift of the stop. The Goal: To become familiar with the heel and toe technique as used in a straight line. The more times you can use heel and toe during the downshifts the better…but don’t try to heel and toe into 1st gear (that’s an advanced technique and much harder to do).
In The Turns
Braking
-How to make it work for you
-Putting the concept of Driving The Pace into play for braking
-Putting the concept of Driving The Line into play for braking
-Tips for good braking technique into turns
-What NOT to do
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 12: Approach Braking I: Simple Turn Braking
In this exercise, you will pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, do all of your braking to establish your turning speed before you start the turn. Do not brake while turning. The Goal: To establish a base pattern of braking in a straight line, and not during the turning process. Smoothness counts.
Compression Braking
-How to make it work for you
-Putting the concept of Driving The Pace into play for compression braking
-Putting the concept of Driving The Line into play for compression braking
-Tips for good compression braking into turns
-What NOT to do
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 13: Approach Braking II: Compression Only Braking
In this exercise, you will pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). Try to keep the car in a gear that keeps you in the powerband for the car at all time…that way you won’t need to downshift for a turn. As you approach a turn, lift off the throttle to slow the car well ahead of the turn and use compression braking to establish your turn entry speed before you start the turn. Try to drive through several turns while not using the brakes at all. NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while varying speed and not using the brakes at all, but rather to slow the car’s speed through compression braking.
Rev Matching
-How to make it work for you
-Putting the concept of Driving The Pace into play for rev matching
-Putting the concept of Driving The Line into play for rev matching
-Tips for rev matching technique into turns
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 14: Rev Match V: Shiftey Braking
This exercise is a variation of the Compression Only Braking exercise, the only difference is that you will be downshifting & using rev matching while doing the exercise. Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, rev match and downshift to slow the car well ahead of the turn and use compression braking to establish your turn entry speed before you start the turn. Try to drive through several turns while not using the brakes at all. NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while varying speed and not using the brakes at all, but rather to slow the car’s speed through downshifting and compression braking.
Exercise 15: Rev Match VI: Downshift, Turn, Feel the Power!
This exercise is a variation of the previous exercise. The difference is that you will use the power available to you by using the previous techniques to accelerate out of the turn. The added benefit of using downshifting for setting up your turn speed is that your car’s engine will now be in the powerband, so you can use this to your advantage and accelerate out of a turn. Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, rev match and downshift to slow the car well ahead of the turn and use compression braking to establish your turn entry speed before you start the turn. Use the car’s powerband to accelerate out of the turn. Try to drive through several turns while not using the brakes at all. NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while varying speed and not using the brakes at all, but rather to slow the car’s speed through downshifting and compression braking…and accelerate out of the turns while in the car’s powerband.
Exercise 16: Rev Match VI: Immobilized Pedal Turn
This exercise is like the previous rev matching exercises, but this time you will practice a downshift with the throttle pedal immobilized at cruise position. This technique comes into play when you are already cruising at the correct speed to go through a turn, but you want your car to be in a lower gear so that you can get the engine RPMs into the powerband for a good power exit of the turn. Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, rev match (immobilized throttle pedal, NOT blipping) and downshift just before you start the turn. Try to drive through several turns which you’re already at proper speed to take. The Goal: To drive through a few turns which you’re already at proper speed to go through, but change gears to ensure you’re in the powerband without slowing or using compression braking.
Exercise 17: Rev Match VII: Super Downshift Blip Turn!
Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). Find a turn in the road which you can approach at a 4th gear cruising speed, but need to take the turn in 2nd gear. As you brake/setup for the turn, incorporate a two gear rev-matched downshift from 4th-2nd gear. You’ll need to blip the throttle to get the car’s RPMs up to 2nd gear range for the corner. NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: Approach, brake, and do a 2 gear downshift, and set the car to take the turn in the powerband.
Heel and Toe
-How to make it work for you
-Putting the concept of Driving The Pace into play for heel and toe
-Putting the concept of Driving The Line into play for heel and toe
-The art of Rev Matching & Heel and Toe in the real world
-Tips for good heel and toe technique into turns
-Demonstration & practice
Exercise 18: Heel and Toe Intermediate
Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, brake, rev match and downshift at the same time using heel and toe technique to slow the car ahead of the turn and establish your turn entry speed. Don’t worry about accelerating out of the turn, just concentrate on using heel and toe to slow the car for entering the turn. Remember, heel and toe is just rev matching for the turn while braking at the same time.
NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while using heel and toe technique to slow and setup for the turn.
Exercise 19: Heel and Toe Advanced
Pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). As you approach a turn, brake, rev match and downshift at the same time using heel and toe technique to slow the car ahead of the turn and establish your turn entry speed. This time, you should be getting good enough to get the car set up for the turn so that you can take it through while in the powerband. Feel free to use that power to accelerate out of the turn!
NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while using heel and toe technique to slow and setup for the turn.
Exercise 20: You Are The Heel N Toe MASTER!! (Heel N Toe+Blip)
If you’ve made it this far, you’re very close to being a heel and toe MASTER! For this exercise, pair up with an instructor and drive The Pace while using The Line on a twisty road (SAFELY). Find a turn in the road which you can approach at a 4th gear cruising speed, but need to take the turn in 2nd gear. As you approach and brake for the turn, incorporate a heel and toe two gear rev-matched downshift from 4th-2nd gear. You’ll need to blip the throttle to get the car’s RPMs up to 2nd gear range for the corner. If you have mastered the heel and toe technique, you will get the car slowed down AND set up for the turn so that you can take it through the corner in the powerband. Feel free to use that power to accelerate out of the turn!
NOTE: Be careful not to overdrive the car and take turns too fast. Remember to be safe above all else! The Goal: To drive through a series of turns while using heel and toe technique to slow and setup for the turn.
