Speed Secrets Podcast

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I am joined by Dr. David Ferguson! Dr. Ferguson runs the Spartan Motorsport Performance Lab at Michigan State University and is the author/editor of The Science of Motorsport book. Topics range from dyslexia and diabetes to heart rate variability and the vision techniques of the very best drivers. We also talk about how equal females are to males in racing, and nature versus nurture. Ultimately, it’s all about how you can perform better as a driver. This is one of my all-time favorite episodes! 

Dr. Ferguson’s Speed Secret: Treat your body in the same way as you do your race car.

Dr. David P. Ferguson earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Masters Degree from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, PhD from Texas A&M University and has postdoctoral training in cardiovascular physiology, nutrition and pediatrics from Baylor College of Medicine. He has worked in racing for over ten years with the top teams in NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, and IMSA.

Spartan Motorsport Performance Lab: Automobile racing is one of the largest spectator sports in the world yet there is less than 60 research articles ever published on the physiological stress of driving a race car.  We are currently working with NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and IMSA racing teams to better understand the strain placed on drivers and pit crews during competition. Then using established training and nutrition programs we are already increasing both the performance and safety of these elite motorsport athletes.

Check out Dr. Ferguson below!
https://education.msu.edu/kin/smpl/
@DrDavidF13
@msu_smpl

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Johannes van Overbeek joins me to talk about the lessons we learn from racing that apply to other areas of our lives – things like “lazy decision,” having too much money (yes, it’s possible!), the pros and cons of technology, and how to manage one’s passion and enthusiasm for something. Oh, and we talk about our co-experience with the Garmin Catalyst.

Johannes’s Speed Secret:

1. Make sure your equipment is the best it can be.
2. Look ahead.
3. Know when and where to release the brakes.

Check out Johannes van Overbeek below!
IG: @johannesvanoverbeek

Johannes has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Sebring 12-hour, Petit LeMans, raced at Le Mans, and won the Thunderhill 25-hour race six times! He knows how to win endurance races…actually, just about any type of racing. He’s driven for ESM Patron Racing, the Flying Lizards, and factory Porsche and BMW teams.

It’s time for another special edition of the Speed Secrets Podcast! In a new format, Bill Fischer (of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast) hosts this episode, turning the tables on Ross, who answers Bill’s questions. Specifically, in this episode, Bill asks Ross about how to best drive the Keyhole at Mid-Ohio, Turns 5-7 at Road Atlanta, Turns 2 & 9 at Laguna Seca, and Turn 7 at Portland International.

Check out Bill Fischer and Ross Bentley below
https://garageheroesintraining.com
https://speedsecrets.com

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I talk with super-successful driver coach, Jim Kearney, about driver coaching. We discuss when a driver is ready and will get the most out of a coach. We also get into how to trigger a performance state of mind, one that will help you perform at your peak on the track.

Jim’s Speed Secret: Simplify!

Check out Jim Kearney below
https://kearneykdd.com

Jim is a driver coach who raced Formula Vee himself for years before turning his attention to helping other drivers. His drivers have won multiple SCCA Runoffs championships, so he definitely knows how to help drivers win more.

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I talk with Jay St. Claire, Colin Pascik, and Aaron Brooks of Ranger Road Motors (a team that competes in LeMons races, giving Vets a chance to start racing). We discuss the start of Ranger Road Motors, what it’s like for an amputee Vet to jump behind the wheel of a race car for the first time, what it’s like to work with a Vet with PTSD, how to adapt a race to drivers missing a limb, and the number one biggest challenge that first-timers face.

Ranger Road Motors’ mission is to bring Veterans together through extraordinary experiences and empower the transition to the next chapter in their life. The transition from military life to civilian life can be difficult. Trauma, stress and loss of camaraderie all contribute to a suicide rate well above average. The aim of Ranger Road is to transition veterans to civilian life through high adrenalin team-based events, reengaging their sense of camaraderie and showing them new battles to win and partners to fight alongside. From the road course to off-road. With specially equipped vehicles and a team of dedicated and experienced volunteers the motorsport division of Ranger Road is taking disabled veterans places they never thought possible. All equipment is provided. Veterans only need to bring their sense of adventure.

Check out Ranger Road below!
https://rangerroad.org

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Brian Bohlander, racer and director of sports marketing for the company that owns PEAK Antifreeze, joins me to discuss what to do (and not do) to land a motorsport marketing partner/sponsor. Want to know the biggest mistake racers make? Tune in to find out!

Brian’s Speed Secret: Reach out and ask people in the sport for opportunities.

Check out Brian Bohlanderbelow:
https://www.brianbohlander.com
brianbohlanderracing.com

Brian Bohlander is an industry veteran who has successfully led brand sponsorship activation programs within professional motorsports with drivers, teams, and major global series. He also has over three decades as a champion club racing driver, instructor, and grassroots team owner ranging from karting to club road racing. His on-track accomplishments include winning three Thunder Roadster Series championships and 35 series wins in the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). He’s won a WKA Manufactures Cup national event and most recently teamed to win class 5500 at the 2020 Mint 400.  Off the track, Brian owns a race team, is a Motorsports Safety Foundation (MSF) Certified Instructor, and NASA Great Lakes Region's Competition School Director. He also instructed at corporate driving programs including the Raybestos Rookie School.  In 2019, Brian received the Forgeline Wheels Sportsman of The Year award from NASA Pro Racing for leading the development of grassroots racing drivers and working to elevate the professionalism of grassroots motorsports.

Bill Fischer (of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast) hosts this episode, turning the tables on me and asking all your burning questions. In this episode the topic of racing jargon is talked about, specifically “talking tires,” “geometric line,” apex angle,” “both feet in,” and “car rotation.”

Check out Bill Fischer below
https://garageheroesintraining.com
https://speedsecrets.com

On this week’s episode of Speed Secret Podcast, James Colborn joins me to discuss everything open wheel racing, what it’s like to race during the pandemic, and racing in British Formula Ford. We also offer tips on racing in the rain.

James Colborn’s Speed Secret: Get comfortable with what data can do for you.

James started racing in 2009. A graduate of the ProFormance Racing School in Seattle Washington, James acquired his first race license from the International Conference of Sports Car Clubs (ICSCC) and raced his novice year in a BMW E30 series called PRO3.

From 2009 until 2017 James lived, and raced, in the United States running in a series of both professional and club racing events. Driving predominantly BMWs, James won races in the ICSCC, National Sports Car Association (NASA) and Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). This ranged from winning the 25 Hours of Thunderhill to SCCA and ICSCC sprint races. James also competed in numerous professional races in the Continental Tire Series, Street Tuner (ST) class with C360R and BimmerWorld.

In 2018 James moved back to the United Kingdom and shifted focus to Open Wheel racing and the Formula Ford 1600 series. In 2020 James competed in the Castle Combe FF1600 Championship finishing second in C Class and winning the Formula Ford Carnival race (C Class). James campaigns his Van Diemen RF88 with Wayne Poole Racing.

James is passionate about driver development using data. James has partnered with AiM Sports and AiM Technologies since 2013 and his tutorial videos, data seminars and one on one coaching have helped many drivers improve their driving through data analysis and interpretation.

Check out James Colborn below:
https://www.jamescolborn.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/colbornjames

In this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Matt Romanowski (driver, instructor, coach, and data guru) joins me to dive into all things data and data systems! Specifically we dive into focusing on the speed channel, looking for lack of throttle, and braking issues. We also discuss off-season prep – what drivers can do to help them best prepare getting back on the track!

Matt’s Speed Secret: Visualize – practice visualization in all areas of your life.

Matt Romanowski participated in his first track event when he was 18 years old at Lime Rock Park, Matt was hooked. Through crewing on a SCCA Formula Continental to supporting championship efforts in various categories from SCCA Regionals to Pro Racing, racing data has been at the center of motorsport for Matt. From the early AiM Sports Mychron 3 systems to the latest MXP dash loggers, SmartyCam videos, Power Distribution Modules (PDM’s) and everything in between, racing data has been what he does. Matt has worked hard to build www.TrailBrake.com to be the center for AiM Sports Sales, Support, and Coaching where his customers have won SCCA, NASA, Pro Racing, and other championships. 

On this week’s episode of Speed Secret Podcast, Loni Unser (yes, of THE Unser family) joins me to talk about her absolute love of the sport. Can you guess what the number one thing is that she’s learned from her family who has a total of 9 Indy 500 wins? She dishes.

We also discuss the importance of patience in racing, how important confidence is – especially for a woman in racing, and why “never coast” is bad advice.

Loni’s Speed Secret: Dedication and hard work – that’s what it takes, not matter what level or type of racing you’re in.

Check out Loni below:
All social media: @loniunser
Web: www.loniunser.com

With an athletic background in downhill skiing and other line-finding sports, Loni Unser recently discovered her talent for racing. With the support of her famous family, she is rapidly becoming a threat on track. She has raced the Spec Miata classes in NASA and the MX- 5 Cup (4 races), as well as a variety of marquees in the World Racing League and ChampCar, among others.

The young driver carries her family name to a new generation of fans. Her grandfather was Jerry Unser, the first of the famous Unsers to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. From then on, the Unser family has won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 nine times and become known as “The First Family” of American auto racing.

Unser’s career is made possible through partnerships with companies that are supporting her development. She has worked with Cooper Tire to promote tire and vehicle safety, placing her at the center of a campaign that provided an invaluable opportunity for her to grow as a marketing property and explore the role of brand ambassador.

She believes in the power of positive role models and hopes to inspire young girls through her activities on and off track and competes as a Shift Up Now athlete as an ambassador for women in racing. Unser is a recent graduate of the Environmental Design program at the University of Colorado Boulder. Unser continues to focus on her development as a driver and looks ahead to claiming her place in the record books. Her future plans will carry her to a full season in Mazda’s MX-5 Cup Series, IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship and the storied tracks of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Don Kitch, old friend and founder/owner/chief instructor of ProFormance Racing School, shares what he would do differently if he could do it all over again. We also discuss fear, micromanaging, knowing when to call it quits, the downside of instructing, and the pros and cons of keeping your club racing equipment when going pro racing.

Don’s Speed Secret: Do it differently. Look for different ways, because there’s always more.

Don Kitch has raced at the amateur/club level, as well as professionally in IMSA. He co-drove with Ross to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona LMP2 race in 2003. He founded Team Seattle, which has raised over $6 million for the Seattle Children’s Hospital. In 1994 he founded ProFormance Racing School, which he continues to operate to this day at Pacific Raceway in Seattle.

Check out Don Kitch below:
https://proformanceracingschool.com

This week we have a special episode of Speed Secrets Podcast: Ask Ross Edition! Guest host Bill Fischer (of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast) turns the tables on me and asks me all the questions you’ve ever wanted to know. Specifically, in this episode, we discuss the topic of coaching – what is a driver coach, what makes a successful driver coach, and more!

Check out Ross Bentley and Bill Fischer below:
https://garageheroesintraining.com
https://speedsecrets.com

In this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I am joined by driving enthusiast Michele Graf. We discuss the misperception that everyone in motorsport is an adrenaline junkie, and the importance of learning, progression, and self-improvement. She shares her experience in HPDE as a woman, and how to make our sport more inclusive and inviting to all. We also compare “hard skills” and “soft skills.”

Michele’s Speed Secret: Take up your space.

Michele is 46 (late bloomer!), a graduate program coordinator at UW, and lives in Seattle. She drove 2 HPDE days during 2012-2015, and got back into it last year, 2019! She started her journey at her first skills day in a borrowed Porsche 964. Then went to her own car, a 2007 MINI Cooper S; she now drives a 2013 MINI Cooper GP2 (factory-made track oriented version). 

Michele’s rule has always been "I'm the most important mod" and says she would never get crazy about upgrades until she outdrove the car. But, in a compromise, she decided to upgrade her car (slightly) from one MINI to another, and bought the GP2. His name is Pecos Bill and they have a lot of fun together. 

Michele’s Secret Goals:  1. Learning: soak up as much as she can because the brain is the best tool no matter the car or track.  2. Drive more tracks. 3. Try to race. She loves the idea of pushing herself in that environment to see what she could do. She’s a self-proclaimed “extroverted introvert,” but quietly competitive, mostly with herself. But she finds she drives harder on lapping days when she’s trying to "catch" someone. 

In her own words: Being a single woman without a ton of resources has been a challenge to my goals, but I'm doing my best! It's unusual if another woman is at a track day--and I'm always happy when I'm not the only one.  I've built up a track box, know how to prep, and think ahead to who I could call if my car breaks. And I always buy track insurance. :)   And I've met the most incredibly smart and helpful people, some who I count as friends now. Just so much good input (and some not-so-good advice, as well. haha).

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Bryce Kliewer joins me as we go in depth about the lessons learned from racing that apply to business – and vice versa. We also touch on how autocross teaches car control, and compare autocross to time trials to road racing!

Bryce’s speed secret: No one wins a championship alone.

Bryce’s ran the Analytics and Business Intelligence at Coldwater Creek, helping to double the size of the business up to a $1b retailer, through catalog, web sales and the opening of over 350 retail locations. He was the VP of Client Analytics and Operations at Datalogix (a small ad-tech company looking to improve how data is used to make advertising more effective) before it was acquired by Oracle. He now is the VP Enterprise Project Management Office at Oracle as part of the Oracle Data Cloud.

Bryce started out getting his feet wet with local autocross driving a Subaru WRX bugeye wagon, winning multiple local class championships in STX and several top 5 season PAX driver awards. He switched to something rear-wheel drive and acquired a pretty haggard 2003 BMW 330 which he used to win multiple Rocky Mountain SCCA STX class championships and BMW CCA class championships, as well as winning the SCCA Mountain Match Tour Club Shootout. Bryce eventually found his way to the racetrack and over time gutted and caged the BMW 330 for time trials through NASA (built and sponsored by SCR Performance out of Loveland, CO).  He used this car to set track records in multiple classes (TTD, TTC, TT5) over the past several seasons at various tracks (Circuit of the Americas, Thunderhill Raceway, High Plains Raceway, Hallet Motorsport, Utah Motorsport Complex, Pueblo Motorsports Park, Motorsports Park Hastings, Pikes Peak International Raceway, La Junta Raceway (some more prestigious than others...)). This culminated in winning the NASA TTC West Coast championships in 2017 (uncontested) and the 2018 NASA National Championships in TT5 at COTA.

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Mark Boudreau joins me to discuss the business of motorsport and the importance of being flexible with one’s career – doesn’t matter if it’s pro racing, autocross, rallycross, track days, indoor karting, etc. We also detail common errors that drivers make, and he explains how his law background helps him play devil’s advocate for drivers, asking the tough questions.

Mark’s Speed Secret: Perseverance – never give up and always keep improving.

CEO & Publisher Motorsport Prospects
Inspired by the exploits of fellow Canadian Gilles Villeneuve, Mark became an early fan of F1 from 1980 on. Never interested in actually racing, it was the business of motorsport that always held a fascination, which led to the eventual informal foundation of Motorsport Prospects in 2018. Based directly on the feedback he received from families of young drivers at the beginning of their motorsport careers they observed that there was no real “one stop shop” for motorsport career-related information and resources that they could consult. With a background in law and an alumnus of Western University’s Faculty of Law, Mark applies the same concept of due diligence used in the legal field to the research he conducts both for the Motorsport Prospects Directory and for individual clients. He is passionate in ensuring that all drivers, their family and advisors have the information they need to make an informed motorsport-related decision.

Check out Mark below:
MotorsportProspects.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorsportprospects/
Twitter: @motorsportprosp
Mentioned: NoMoneyMotorsports.com

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I sit down with Eric Kaul to discuss why the social aspect and community of our sport are so important, the High Performance Driving & Racing Enthusiasts community, and the balance between inclusiveness and exclusivity. We also talk about the impact of fitness and nutrition on performance.

Eric’s Speed Secret: Get your fitness and nutrition under control.

Eric Kaul knows just about everyone and if he doesn’t - it’s only a matter of time.  He is "Mr. Community" and genuinely loves bringing high performance driving enthusiasts together both in the paddock and into social media.  Eric is the co-founder and driving force behind the HPDRE community groups on Facebook (High Performance Driving and Racing Enthusiasts), resides outside Boston, MA and has been an active instructor with several HPDE organizations in the Northeast corner of the US.  He works in the retail telecom industry and many drivers, racers, driving organizations and racing businesses in the motorsports community are his wireless clients.

Check out Eric below:

Eric’s phone number: 508-834-3311
HPDRE on Facebook
@BetterCallKaul
#KaulMe
#HPDRE

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Stefan Rzadzinski joins me to discuss how he got into and competed in the Race of Champions against Sebastian Vettel, Juan Montoya, Tom Kristensen, Pieter Solberg, Kurt and Kyle Busch, David Couthard, Alexnader Rossi, and James Hinchcliffe. We also get into limits – how to sense your car’s limits, and how to trust yourself to test those limits. Do you wonder when to focus on improving your car’s setup versus when to focus on your own driving? We explore that, too!

Stefan’s Speed Secret: Keep believing and don’t give up.

Stefan Rzadzinski is a 27-year-old driver born in Edmonton and based in British Columbia. Stefan grew up in karting and went on to compete in formula cars - including the Road to Indy ladder, NASCAR Canada, Nissan Micra Cup, LMP3, and GT3 cars. Stefan had the opportunity to race in Asia for the Hankook factory team, ATLAS BX Racing, and most recently in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY supporting Formula E. Stefan is also a partner in Catalyst Driver Development with other Western Canadian drivers Scott Hargrove and Remo Ruscitti. They provide coaching, support, and service for their team that runs on the Italkart brand.

Check out Stefan, below:
Web: http://www.rzadracing.com
Instagram: @rzadracing
Twitter: @rzadracing
Facebook: Facebook.com/rzadracing

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I talk with my good friend Tom Roberts about flow, or getting “in the zone.” Tom recently wrote a 4-part article in Speed Secrets Weekly about his research and experience with the state of flow from a neuroscience and more spiritual perspective – and how fear impacts it. It’s all about how to perform at your best when on the track (or off). We talk mindfulness, mindset, awareness, fear, ego, and how these help you become a better driver.

Tom’s Speed Secret: Be willing to get to know yourself.

Tom got into track driving many years ago, and raced in the Skip Barber series. He then began making annual pilgrimages to the Nürburgring – something that he and I do together now, taking small groups of drivers with us. In 2019, Tom made his racing debut at the Ring, a long-time goal of his. In addition to his European motorsport adventures, Tom races in various endurance series in the U.S., and continues to track whatever his current Porsche is. When he’s not flying around a race track, Tom can also be found flying the skies in an RV4 aerobatics plane, doing loops, rolls, and simulated dog fights. He loves the experience of flow!

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Davin Sturdivant joins me to discuss all things karting! Why karting is awesome, why karting is a valuable learning tool, how you can use karting to learn to read drivers. We also get into sim racing and eSports!

Davin’s Speed Secret: Be open.

Davin Sturdivant is a competition go-kart racer, based out of the Pacific Northwest. Davin’s enthusiasm for performance driving and motorsports is highly engaging, encouraging people to become involved with the sport through his impassioned efforts. 

With an additional background in Solo II autocross and sim racing, Davin’s ‘superpower’ is being able to introduce new people to accessible forms of motorsport, and pointing them to resources they can use to develop themselves, such as the Kartpulse Forums, an online resource for grassroots competition karters.   

Davin is also an administrator of the 'Motorsports Book Club' on Facebook, a community group designed to introduce people to new motorsports literature.

Check out Davin below!
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @relaxeddriver
Kart Pulse: https://www.kartpulse.com/forums
Facebook Motorsport Book Club

In this week’s episode of Speed Secret Podcast, I go solo discuss a lifetime in motorsport and the most valuable things I learned along the way. I dive into the story of how I got involved in this wonderful sport, the relationship between driving experience and when you should begin modifying and tuning your car, focusing on performance rather than results, why adaptability is more important than being fast, how you can improve your ability to sense the limits of your car and tires, and the advanced techniques the best drivers use!

Follow Speed Secrets on social media to keep up with the latest!
https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/Drivercoach/

Want to be in the know? If you’re not already on the Speed Secrets mailing list, sign up here to be the first to hear about new things coming out, promotions and our annual sale, and updates!
https://speedsecrets.com/

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Craig Watkins sits down to discuss how he became a race car engineer, how the Flying Lizards race team came about, the process of engineering and tuning a car’s handling, and the right questions to ask to figure out what your car needs. He also dishes about what it’s like to work with drivers such as Johannes van Overbeek, Patrick Long, Jörg Bermeister, Timo Bernhard, and other factory Porsche drivers.

Craig’s Speed Secret: Use a tire gauge and notebook, then data acquisition and video.

Craig Watkins is considered one of the top Porsche race engineers in the world. Watkins has been engineering and racing cars since he was a teenager. He began off-road racing in 1976 and competed in a Class10 car in the SCORE series from 1983 to 1990. Racing with Greg Aronson, Watkins won nearly every major off-road race including the Parker Dam 400, the Baja 1000 and the Frontier 500; he won the SCORE points championship in 1987. In the early 90’s Watkins began racing in local Porsche club events, where he met driver Johannes van Overbeek who would introduce him to World Challenge GT racing and the Lizards. Watkins has been Flying Lizard chief engineer since its inception in 2003.

Check out Craig below!
https://www.smartracingproducts.com
@craig.watkins.ca
https://tractivesuspension.com

In this week’s episode of Speed Secrets podcast, I am joined by Clay Millican, NHRA Top Fuel drag racer. We discuss the mental game of drag racing, driving 11,000 horsepower, how to steer a Top Fuel dragster, the importance of reaction times, and all that goes into driving a race in less than 4 seconds!

Clay Millican is a 6-time World Champion Top Fuel drag racer, having won IHRA championships from 2001 to 2006. He’s won 3 NHRA events, and his top speed is 335.23 MPH, and an ET of 3.628 seconds.

Clay’s Speed Secret: Focus on what you want.

Check out Clay below:
https://www.straightlinestrategy.com/clay-millican

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, James Hinchcliffe joins me to discuss how “the Major of Hinchtown” came about, where the “fun meter” is pointing these days when you get in a race car, how to regain focus using mental triggers, the importance of being able to adapt (and why one style is not good enough), and using a negative, “cup half empty” approach to winning.

James Hinchcliffe is a Canadian race car driver best known for competing in the IndyCar Series. He currently competes part-time in the No. 29 Genesys/Petro Canada Lubricants Honda for Andretti Autosport. James has won six races to date for Andretti Autosport and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports..

Check out the links below to follow James!
http://www.hinchtown.com
IG/FB/TW: @hinchtown

On this week’s part 2 episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Michael Zimicki and I carry on busting myths and ranting about the way too many drivers and coaches get caught up in the thinking that everything something we say should be taken as gospel.

Mike’s speed secret: Never stop learning.

Mike has coached drivers such as Graham Rahal, Danica Patrick, Jon Fogarty, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and many, many more big names; he’s also coached drivers you’ve never heard of. The bottom line is he’s one of the best.

Check out Mike at:
https://www.sliderulemotorsports.com
IG: @zimicki
Facebook

On this week’s part 1 episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I sit down with friend and coach, Michael Zimicki, to bust or confirm some of the most common driving myths!

Mike has coached drivers such as Graham Rahal, Danica Patrick, Jon Fogarty, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and many, many more big names; he’s also coached drivers you’ve never heard of. The bottom line is he’s one of the best. 

Check out Mike at:
https://www.sliderulemotorsports.com
IG: @zimicki
Facebook

On this week’s episode of Speed Secret podcast, Peter Krause (fellow coach and data guru) joins me to talk all things driving fast – consistently! We get into why driving the limit is more important than the line, raising corner entry speed, and leading the throttle existing corners.

Peter’s Speed Secret: Drive every corner, every lap, as quickly as you can.

Peter specialties include individual and privately tailored analysis and optimization programs for sports car drivers and racers; data analysis equipment sales and training; supply and support for prep shops and teams for AiM Sports and Video VBOX equipment. A multi-time championship-winning racing driver, award-winning mechanic and automotive historian, Krause understands and can communicate effectively both the psychology AND methodology of "going fast," with more than thirty-five years of experience and a library of historical data to draw on.

Check out Peter here:
www.peterkrause.net
www.gofasternow.com

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets podcast, Adam Spence (architect leader at Garmin, and racer) joins me to discuss Garmin’s new data tool, the Catalyst. The Catalyst really is as cool as it sounds, and helped me shave 0.9 seconds off my best lap time. Plus, Adam explains what Area 51 at Garmin is!

In addition to his role as Product Architect Leader – Area 51 at Garmin, Adam is a racer and track instructor.

Check out the Catalyst here! 

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, I talk with Dr. Jerry Lynch, author of my all-time favorite book, Thinking Body, Dancing Mind. As an expert in Eastern philosophy and sports psychology, his insights and guidance have had a major impact on my life, helping me perform better as a driver and coach. We discuss what being a champion really means, how Jerry’s teachings were used by Phil Jackson when coaching the Chicago Bulls, L.A. Lakers, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, and his human growth and performance consulting group, Way of Champions.

Check out Way of Champions here:
https://www.wayofchampions.com

Jerry combines Eastern thought, Native American tradition, Christian mysticism and western psychology to help create focus, mental talent, spiritual dexterity, inspiration and empowerment not only for competitive events but to learn self awareness, confidence and how to be the best version of yourself each day.

Jerry has been recognized as one of the top five in his profession nationwide. He has worked with teams, coaches and athletes in the NBA, Pro Lacrosse, National Soccer League, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, golf and other sports at many top universities. Jerry has a doctorate in psychology from Penn State University, and has done extensive post-doctoral work in the area of philosophy, Taoist and Buddhist thought, comparative religions, leadership development, and performance enhancement. He is the author of 14 books in as many as 10 languages on coaching, leadership, spirituality of sport, warrior spirit, peak performance, and sports psychology.

On this week’s Speed Secret Podcast, Cathy McCause Fuss joins me to talk about why she got involved with running a race series, how to make a series popular, how to make endurance racing safe, her sponsors (Hankook and Hawk brakes), and giving back through charitable events. She shares about Lucky Dog races and Heroes Motorsports race teams for veterans.

Cathy’s speed secret: Be able to see!

Cathy has been involved in endurance racing since driving in the very first Lemons races at Altamont Motorsports Park, then co-founding ChumpCar & being their executive VP for 6 years, partnering with my Chump colleague Joey Todd at WRL when we started Lucky Dog. All this after leaving 25 years in software, most recently as VP Global Marketing for Oracle Utilities. 

As North America’s fasting growing grassroots endurance series boasting over 600 teams & 3,000 drivers, Lucky Dog Racing League host events at bucket list track such as at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Willow Springs International Raceway, Utah Motorsports Park, The Ridge Motorsports Park, Buttonwillow Raceway, Pacific Raceways, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Oregon Raceway Park, Portland International Raceway, Spokane County Raceway, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Canada’s exclusive Area 27 and the Wild Dogs Ensenada Grand Prix on the streets of Ensenada, Baja, Mexico. The 2020 season will culminate at Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willlows CA on the 5-mile track for the Dawg Days of Thunder Championship / 1000 Miles of Thunderhill. The 2021 season will include an event at Circuit of Americas (COTA)!

Check out Cathy below!
https://www.racelucky.com
https://www.facebook.com/raceluckydog
@RaceLucky
@RaceLuckyDog
YouTube: Lucky Dog Racing League

On this week’s Speed Secrets Podcast, Samir Abid and I get into how best to use data to help you become an even better driver, managing the driver’s mind when it’s too analytical and focused on data, and how to use the data from another driver to improve your own driving. We also talk about what Samir learned from having Scott Mansell of Driver61 drive his car, and what makes Lewis Hamilton so special. Samir shares about his involvement in Nike’s Breaking2 and the Ineos 1:59 Challenge projects (breaking the 2-hour barrier for running a marathon)!

Samir’s speed secret: Once up to speed, focus on corner exit rather than late braking.

Samir Abid is the founder of Your Data Driven and a Chartered Professional Motorsports and Automotive Engineer from the UK. As well as developing suspension systems for several OEMs and racing teams (including Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Multimatic), Samir has also spent the last ten years working with Olympic and professional level sports teams, and is also a keen club racer. 

Check out Samir below!
https://www.yourdatadriven.com
@YourDataDriven

On this week’s Speed Secret Podcast, Jonatan Jorge joins me to discuss what’s made him so successful as a coach, when a coach needs their own coach, and looking outside motorsport (at other sports) to learn how to be a better coach and driver. We also get into the misconception of looking way ahead and through the corner, the value of checkpoints, different references for different drivers, and visual pattern matching. As a bonus, Ross shares his “vision process.”

Jonatan’s speed secret: Know yourself.
Jonatan’s second speed secret: Expect nothing, accept everything.

Jonatan Jorge has been racing and coaching since 1991 and leads JJRD’s operations, coaching philosophy and service delivery. He has made a mark in the racing world both as a driver and coach in auto racing’s most highly respected series and echelons, including:
-  Nascar
-  British Formula 3
-  Turkish Formula 3
-  Skip Barber National and Regional Series
-  Formula Ford 2000
-  Grand Am/Rolex Series
-  IRL
-  American LeMans
-  World Karting Championships
-  Brazilian National Karting Championships
-  Tens of unbroken track and race series records
-  Vehicle Manufacturer Events, Commercials and TV productions, and many others.

Check out Jonatan below!
http://www.teamjjrd.com
@jjrdinc on social media

On this week’s Speed Secrets Podcast, Rob Krider joins me to talk about his writing career; his novel, Cadet Blues; his “other” job as a California Highway Patrol officer; and his experience when his car caught fire. Ever wonder the similarities between racing and police driving? We get into that, too!

Rob’s speed secret: Drive fast enough to scare yourself once a lap; make micro-improvements; be consistent.

Rob Krider is a National Champion racecar driver from the NASA Honda Challenge series and he writes the "Toolshed Engineer" column for SpeedNews magazine. He is featured in the documentary film, Double Down, about earning a podium finish at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. Besides racing and writing, Rob earns his living as a California Highway Patrol officer. He attributes a lot of his success behind the wheel from his training at the CHP Academy. From that experience he authored the novel Cadet Blues, a humorous take on police training.

Links Below:

Rob Krider's book about surviving the California Highway Patrol Academy, Cadet Blues:
https://www.amazon.com/Cadet-Blues-Rob-Krider/dp/1495108589

Rob Krider's documentary film about the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Double Down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssY5LsQ91jY

Rob Krider's archive of how-to articles on racing, RobKrider.com:
http://www.robkrider.com/

Rob Krider's National Champion racing team, Double Nickel Nine Motorsports:
http://www.team559.com/

Rob Krider on Instagram, KriderRacing:
https://www.instagram.com/kriderracing/?hl=en

On this week’s Speed Secret Podcast, John joins me to discuss some very important things in driving: self reflection, awareness, accountability, ego, and being okay saying “I don’t know.” John breaks down philosophy and teaching, and how “Aha!” moments are rare, but that’s ok because learning is a process! We break down the traits of the best and worst drivers, and explain how having a fixed vs. growth mindset will determine your success.John Santiago: Learn How to Learn

John’s speed secret: Know yourself. Find ways to become aware of how you can improve.

On this week’s Speed Secrets Podcast, Jeff and I discuss how to improve your race strategy decisions – what to know, what to ask, what to understand, and having patience. We also dig into his hobby business, Mesa Vista Coffee, and his love of coffee roasting!

Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

Check these out to follow Jeff’s company, Mesa Vista Coffee!

eBay: Mesa Vista Coffee
Instagram: @mesavistacoffee
Facebook: facebook.com/mesavistacoffee

On this week’s episode, Danny and I discuss his background as a driver and his motorsport business, Hankook Motorsports. We talk everything tires and tackle how to find the right tire pressure for your car, how to use tire temperature, whether tires are directional or not, heat cycles, and how driving styles affect tires!

Danny van Dongen is a Dutch racing driver and entrepreneur, currently competing in the MW-V6 Pickup Series.

Danny’s speed secret: Feel what the tires are doing and adapt your driving to them.

Check these out to follow Danny:

https://hankookmotorsports.com
@hankookmotorsports
@dannyvandongen

On this week’s episode, Chris Andrews joins me to discuss how driving styles impact the handling of a car, different car setups for oval and road racing, the best passing zones at Watkins Glen, and the best books to read to learn about the best car setup and engineering. Also, a special treat, Chris shares hilarious stories about Dale Earnhardt (including what he says at a urinal).

Chris's speed secret: Never stop learning.

Check these out to follow Chris:
Web: www.tcaellc.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tcaengineeringllc/

On this week’s episode, David Williams joins me to talk about how sim racing can make you a better track day driver or racer. We dive deep to discuss Virtual Racing School, how being a pro sim racer works (where does the money come from?!), dealing with a lack of sensory input from the sim, sensing the limit in a sim, the accuracy of car setups in the sim, brain neuroplasticity and adapting to sims and real cars. Oh, and David offers sim coaching services.

David’s speed secret: Be deliberately willing to push beyond your ability in measured amounts.

David is an Avid motorsport enthusiast with 13 years of experience and success across multiple sims with VRS Coanda Simsport. He’s a hardware design engineer & racing coach for Virtual Racing School and a multiple race driver competition finalist including the 2012 GT Academy. 

Check these out to follow David:

Twitter: @CoandaDave
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidWilliamsRacing
Virtual Racing School: https://virtualracingschool.com
Niels Heusinkveld: https://www.youtube.com/user/niels007007

On this week’s episode, Adam Jabaay joins me to discuss the best stories from the Slip Angle podcast, everything Gridlife, and eSports and sim racing. He also shares how he manages time between racing, family, and business – and where to sneak sleep in!

Adam is a club racer in SCCA, NASA and Lemons, a HPDE instructor, and one of the organizers of the Gridlife events. He’s also a co-host, along with Austin Cabot, on the Slip Angle podcast; in addition, they have the TrackTuned.com blog.

Adam’s speed secret: Work harder on your driving than you want to work.

Check these out to follow Adam

Slip Angle Podcast: www.tracktuned.com
www.grid.life
www.facebook.com/GRIDLIFEOfficial/
IG: @gridlifeofficial
Twitter: @gridlifefest

Rob Wilson joins us on this week’s episode to share stories about coaching F1 drivers, the importance of weight transfer, why confidence matters, and the perfect technique to turning a steering wheel. He also shares his aha! moment as a driver and a coach.

Rob’s speed secret: Always tell the car what’s coming next.

Rob Wilson is well-known as a driver coach to many current and past Formula One drivers (Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas), as well as working as an instructor with the Skip Barber school years ago. He’s won the British Formula Ford Championship, raced in Indy Lights, IMSA prototype and GT cars, Formula 3, and even NASCAR.

On this week’s episode, James Chartres joins me to talk about how he built his confidence and became one of “the oast Ones” in the competitive world of SCCA, finding the balance between being analytical and just letting go to have fun, making track notes, and turn 5 at Laguna Seca. We also dive into racing sponsorships/partnerships at the grassroots level.

James races a Spec Racer Ford in the SCCA San Francisco region, runs his own team – Kanga Motorsport – and in his spare time is an aerospace engineer for NASA (or is that the other way around?!). As a club racer, James has put together some amazing marketing partnerships to help support his team, too.

James’ speed secret: The little changes and improvement add up.

Check these out to follow James!

Web: kangamotorsports.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kangamotorsports/
Instagram: @kangamotorsports
Twitter: @kangamotorsports
YouTube: kangamotorsports

In this week’s episode, Tom O’Gorman joins me to talk about autocross (how it helps and hurts road course driving), simulators and eSports, the ideal corning line, and making a career in racing! We also discuss why driving a bad car in bad conditions can actually be a really good thing!

O’Gorman’s Speed Secret: Start with well-known limits, and then push each of them by adapting references.

Follow O’Gorman here:
Instagram
Facebook (racing)
Facebook (personal)

On this week’s episode, Scot Elkins joins me to discuss being COO of IMSA/ALMS and managing the merge with Grand-Am. He dishes all about the Motorsport Safety Foundation – the what and why of the HPDE instructor certification program “CERTIFIED,” how the safety standards are set, and why all driving instructors should get CERTIFIED.

Scot is the COO of the Motorsport Safety Foundation, as well as the race director for the Formula E series. Having spent years as a race engineer, as well as a senior official with the American Le Mans and IMSA series, he has a broad perspective on the sport, from HPDE and track day events, to major international racing.

Check out MSF and the CERTIFIED program here.

On this week’s Speed Secrets Podcast, Dane Cameron joins me to discuss building confidence as a race driver, how to drive a car with aerodynamic down force – how to learn to trust it and manage its traction, and the difference in driving styles between open wheel and sports cars. He also shares what it was like to get the call to drive for Roger Penske!

Dane Cameron is the reigning IMSA WeatherTech champion, alongside his co-driver at Team Penske Acura, Juan Montoya. And that’s a title he’s won in the past, back in 2016, too. Oh, and also the IMSA GTD championship in 2014. And I think a Formula Mazda championship well before that, and… well, you get it. Dane wins a lot.

Cameron’s speed secret: focus on the smoothness and not over-driving – build the cornering speed, corner by corner, then lap by lap.

Follow Dane Cameron:

IG: @danecameron19
Twitter: @danecameron19
Facebook: www.facebook.com/danecameronmotorsports

Andrew Rains joins me on this week's episode to discuss all about data systems. We tackle how to best use your data system, the importance of understanding the "why" behind what you see on data, what data can and can't do, and more... 

Andrew Rains has been going to the track since he was five, has raced in Pirelli World Challenge and club racing, is the marketing director for APEX Pro, races as often as he can, and instructs/coaches drivers of all levels. 

Andrew's Speed Secret? If you have a data system, get familiar with how to use it as a tool, and how to read it. 

Contact Andrew by email if you have questions about data and/or the APEX Pro: andrew@apextrackcoach.com

And follow him at:
Web: https://apextrackcoach.com 
Facebook: @officialapexpro
Instagram: @officialapexpro
YouTube: APEXPro

Colin Braun joins me to talk about traveling for races, getting the balance between overthinking and not thinking enough when driving, trusting your subconscious programming to drive, and getting into the zone. We also discuss the important of always learning and never getting complacent, and what to do when you can’t do what you want with your driving technique.

Colin has raced and won in everything from NASCAR to IMSA. He currently drives in the Weather Tech IMSA series, as well as for CrowdStrike Racing in the SRO series. 

Oh - and he’s been on the Speed Secrets Podcast more than anyone else!

Colin’s Speed Secret: PT it.

Follow:
Web: https://colinbraun.com
IG: @colinbraun
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ColinBraun
TW: @colinbraun

Dave Peters joins me to talk about the world of HPDE, driving Miatas, and where driving confidence comes from.

Dave founded and runs HPDEjunkie.com, a website devoted to listing HPDE events in the U.S. (and Canada soon). It’s a great resource – and it’s free to event organizers. They just need to contact Dave and let them know of their events. So if you know of an event, or an organizer who needs more participants, make sure it’s listed on HPDEjunkie.com. 

Dave’s Speed Secret: Build confidence in yourself and your car.

For more info on HPDEjunkie.com, go to www.HPDEjunkie.com, or @HPDEjunkie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Travis Okulski joins me to talk about where Road & Track is headed, his racing experience and how that’s contributed to where he is today, what makes drivers like Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, and Colin Braun so great, and the future of motorsport – including Formula E.

Travis is the Editor-in-Chief for Road & Track magazine. He started racing karts when he was 12, but realized that a career in motorsport – something he was committed to – was best achieved from behind the keyboard rather than the steering wheel. His job is one that most every gearhead would kill to have. 

Travis’ Speed Secret: Eyes up. Work hard.

Road & Track:

Web: www.roadandtrack.com
Instagram: @roadandtrack
Twitter: @roadandtrack
Facebook: RoadandTrack
YouTube: RoadandTrack

Jim Kearney joins me to talk about what it takes to win more races, and we discuss the importance of car prep, mental prep, having triggers to get you in the right state of mind/mood, and track notes.

Jim is a super-successful driver coach who raced Formula Vee himself for years before turning his attention to helping other drivers. His drivers have won multiple SCCA Runoffs championships, so he definitely knows how to help drivers win more.

Jim’s Speed Secret: It’s all about self-belief. Trust the process.

You can reach Jim by email at jim@kearneykdd.com, and learn more at his website at https://kearneykdd.com.

Ryan Yard joins me to talk about everything from using motorsport to motivate you in other areas of your life to the creative puzzle that is driving faster. In our conversation, we talk about getting in flow, car setup, using music to trigger performance, dealing with problems, focus, discipline, and the benefits of journaling and note-taking.

Ryan started in HPDE, quickly moved to wheel-to-wheel racing, and currently competes in SCCA and PCA events. He also leads a national championship. He’s taken his tech background and put it to good use with his racing, but most importantly, he’s used racing to motivate him to improve his health – including losing 150 pounds.

Ryan’s Speed Secret: focus on the process of what you do to prepare. 

Follow Ryan on his blog at www.ryracing.com

CJ Wilson joins me to talk about his transition from pro baseball player to race driver. We talk about the superstitions & routines baseball players rely on and how they apply to motorsport; what he learned from being a Major League Baseball pitcher that he uses in racing; how to practice with intensity; the different techniques required for an aero downforce car versus one without aero; and the overall mindset one needs to succeed. You’ll love this episode – especially his description of feeling the tires when you’re driving at the limit.

CJ pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers from 2005 to 2011 and the Los Angeles Angels from 2012 to 2015. He is the founder and owner of CJ Wilson Racing, which has competed in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. His ultimate racing goal is to win Le Mans – and based on what you hear from him in this podcast, you can’t help but believe he’s going to do it.

Follow CJ…
Podcast: The Throttle Dogs - https://thethrottledogs.libsyn.com
Instagram: @supercar_cj, or @cjwilsonphoto

Ryan Staub is back, and we’re talking about the stuff many drivers don’t want to talk about. You know, the stuff about risk, responsibility, waivers, liability, insurance and so on – for both drivers and instructors. But since Ryan is a racer and chief instructor for his BMW CCA chapter, we also talk about driving.

Ryan is serious car/driving geek first, but also an insurance expert, as he runs the Lockton Motorsports insurance program. So, he understands the risks and legal issues associated with what we do, but then goes out on the track and drives fast! As the chief instructor for the Kansas City BMW CCA club, he also knows how to help other drivers go fast, safely. Ryan was my guest on episode #31 on July 20, 2017.

Ryan’s Speed Secret: Know your limits, but expand them – get outside your limits.

Follow:

• Lockton Motorsports:https://locktonmotorsports.com/
• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ryan.staub.927
• Race Team FB: https://www.facebook.com/TeamLastMinuteRacing/

Garth Stein joins me to talk about his wildly successful bestselling book, The Art of Racing in the Rain – and how it’s now a major motion picture (premiers August 9th). You’ll love Garth’s stories, and the behind-the-scene look at why the book has become so popular, as well as how he was able to describe so accurately what racing is really like (hint: Garth raced Spec Miata).

In addition to The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth has authored three other novels—A Sudden Light, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, and Raven Stole the Moon—as well as a full-length play, Brother Jones, which had its premiere in Los Angeles and was described as “brimming with intensity” by The Los Angeles Weekly.

In case you missed it (where have you been?!), The Art of Racing in the Rain is the story of a beloved philosopher dog named Enzo who teaches us everything we need to know about being human. A major motion picture starring Kevin Costner, Milo Ventimiglia, and Amanda Seyfried was filmed during real IMSA race events at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, as well as Pacific Raceway in Seattle (where the story began). The Art of Racing in the Rain book has sold more than 6 million copies world-wide, been translated into 36 languages, and spent more than three years on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel inspired a Young Reader edition as well as four children’s picture books, and a stage adaptation by Book-It Repertory Theatre in Seattle.

Garth’s Speed Secret: visualize where you want to be. 

Garth’s website: http://www.garthstein.com
Twitter: @garthstein
Instagram: @garthstein
Facebook: www.facebook.com/garthsteinauthor

Preston Lerner joins me to talk about what he’s noticed that the best drivers – such as Colin Braun – do that make them so great. As a journalist, that’s what he does – observe things that most people miss. We also talk about his own racing in a Spec Miata (and what you can learn from his strengths and weaknesses), the Ford GTs at Le Mans, and the dreaded Driver Ratings system that is used sports car racing.

Preston writes for Road & Track magazine, amongst others, and has written a number of books, including Ford GT, Winning: Paul Newman, Speed Read Ferrari, Scarab, and History’s Greatest Automotive Mysteries, Myths, and Rumors Revealed. When he’s not writing, Preston is driving – often racing a Spec Miata in California.

Dr. Barry Seiller and Ryan Warkins join me to talk all about a huge topic - vision. We all know that how we use our eyes is critical in performance and race driving, and yet, we mostly take it for granted – we either have it or not. But it can be trained – it can be improved. I’ve been testing and using the Vizual Edge app that Doc Barry developed, and he, Ryan, and I talk about what “vision” is, and how best to train your vision skills.

If you’re interested in using the Vizual Edge training app, go to https://vizualedge.com/speedsecrets/

Follow:
www.vizualedge.com
https://vizualedge.com/speedsecrets/

Brian Bonner joins me to talk about motorsport sponsorship. Specifically, we talk about new trends in how motorsport marketing deals are put together, even if you’re not a big pro racing team. Brian shares a couple of great examples, in James Chartres and Kanga Motorsport, and Steve Smith and Big Mission Motorsport, and then gives tips that you can use to land a sponsor.

Brian is a former Indy car and IMSA driver who specializes in motorsport marketing. He’s done it all, from prospecting potential sponsors, selling them, servicing them, writing PR, and managing drivers. But his sweet spot is putting sponsorship deals together – providing value for sponsor and driver/team.

You can email Brian at bonner@brmrace.com; or learn more at his (admittedly outdated) website at www.brmrace.com.

Dr. Steve Olsen joins me to talk about the Corvette Challenge Club, the importance of managing one’s state of mind – particularly being calm – and the NuCalm system (www.nucalm.com).

Steve purchased a Corvette when he turned 50 (the first time that ever happened!), and has been tracking ever since. In fact, he has more open track day laps at High Plains Raceway in Denver than anyone else. Recently, he and a partner founded the Corvette Challenge Club, and as a dentist he worked with using NuCalm to help his patients – and found that it helps drivers perform better.

If you’re interested in purchasing a NuCalm system, use Steve’s discount code of “steve500.”

Steve’s Speed Secret: Learn to be calm. Respond, not react.

Follow:

• www.nucalm.com
• www.corvettechallengeclub.com
• Email: fastlinetrackpro@gmail.com
• Mobile: 303-888-8180

My friend, fellow coach, and co-conspirator in the Virtual Track Walk videos, Peter Krause and I take time after a couple of days of coaching at VIR to catch up and talk about driving (what else?!). We share thoughts on the “accelerate to” and “EoB” points, the differences between “fast” and “slow” corners, what the “racing line” truly is, what the “best execution of fundamentals” really means, and how to use your data systems “g-Sum,” as well as “references and indexes.” Ultimately, it’s a fun discussion about keeping an open mind to all things driving.

Besides being my partner in creating the Virtual Track Walk videos, Peter is a sought-after coach. He also sells and services data systems (AiM, Motec, APEX Pro, Race Logic VBOX, RaceVoice, Autosport Labs). Learn more and contact him through PeterKrause.net, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @vintageprocoach, as well as on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/peter.krause.

Peter’s Speed Secret: make sure your right foot is all the way down!

After driving the Dallara simulator at their Indy facility, I talk with sim engineer Davide Tarsitano, and Bryce Moore about how you can use it. We talk about the differences between the typical home sim rig and this multimillion-dollar driver- and car-development tool, as well as how it’s not as expensive as one would think when compared to what you can accomplish with no chance of damaging one’s car. Easily, this is the most realistic sim I’ve ever driven, and I’ve had the chance to drive a lot of them. The information Davide shares regarding driving in the rain is very interesting!

Contact Bryce Moore at Dallara at B.Moore@dallara.us, and check out their GT Simulator Program at here. And follow Dallara @dallaragroup.

Andy Hollis joins me to talk about everything to do with the One Lap of America. It’s an event that I’m dying to do, so I pick his brain to learn as much as I can. If it’s not on your list of motorsport events to do yet, it will be after listening to Andy. As he says, it’s “the ultimate motorsport vacation of a lifetime,” or “summer camp for gearheads.”

Andy is a 13-time SCCA national autocross champ, 20-year SCCA rules-maker, track day junkie, 35 years autocross and track day instructor, Race Engineer for 2-time factory-backed championship-winning PWC touring car driver Tom O’Gorman, Crew Chief for Team Honda Research 24/25H enduros at COTA and Thunderhill, and regular contributor to Grassroots Motorsports magazine (especially for tire testing). 

Andy’s Speed Secret: minimize risk and sleep.

Follow:
OneLapMcLaren Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OneLapMcLaren/
One Lap of America website: http://www.onelapofamerica.com

Kostas Sidiras & Serxio Veiga join me to talk about… well, anything they want. These guys are so much fun – and we even learn something from them! We talk about driving the Nurburgring, Spa, Mosport, Ring Bananas, Fiat Multiplas, and Porsche GT3s. More importantly, we talk about why we do what we do, and what car people are really like (hint: they might not be normal).

Kostas and Serxio (and friends) have a fun YouTube channel called One Lap Heroes, and both work at RSRNurburg and RSRSpa as instructors. Not surprisingly, they are hardcore car people – who love to have fun! You absolutely must watch their One Lap Heroes YouTube videos.

Kostas’ Speed Secret: don’t be afraid to be slow and make mistakes. Learn from it.

Serxio’s Speed Secret: never stop learning. 

If you’re interested in joining our trip to the Nurburging in August, check out the info at https://SpeedSecrets.com/Ring.

Follow:

• YouTube: OneLapHeroes
• RSRNurburg: www.rsrnurburg.com

Lawrence Loshak joins me to talk about all sorts of really interesting & helpful topics, such as how to prepare for an event, simulators, adapting to your car, trail braking, left-foot-braking, being proactive with your driving, “taking a set,” comparing front-wheel to rear-wheel & open-wheel to closed-wheel, and transmissions. And he shares 3 Speed Secrets with you! You won’t want to miss this show.

Lawrence is currently leading the Trans-Am championship, and has won five SCCA championships, as well as receiving the Mark Donohue Award. 

Lawrence’s three Speed Secrets:

1. Brake early. (Advice passed on by PD Cunningham)
2. Don’t build your first race car out of a car you love.
3. You have to have a plan of attack.

Follow Lawrence at…

• Web: https://loshakracing.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loshakracing/
• Instagram: @loshakracing

James Colborn joins me to talk about making his comeback to racing after taking more than a year off from it. Not only has he made a comeback, but he’s done it in an open-wheel car – not something he’s driven before – and on tracks he’s never seen before. So, it’s been a bit like starting all over again, but with a solid foundation to start from. And that’s provided a very interesting learning experience.

James is, as his website suggests, a “gentleman driver.” He started with HPDE events, then club racing, some pro racing in production-based race cars, and now is racing a Formula Ford in the UK. All for fun. He’s also a bit of an AIM data guru – mostly self-taught – and freely shares his knowledge and experience with others. 

James’ Speed Secret: Don’t be frightened of data.

 Follow and learn more about James – and especially, check out his AIM data videos – at www.JamesColborn.com.

Kevin Boehm, who’s won the SCCA Runoff three times, shares what he’s learned so you can win the Runoffs. Yes, he’s sharing his secrets - from driving and car prep to his overall strategy towards the event, you’ll hear how Kevin has won three out of the four of the Runoffs he’s raced.

Kevin is an engineer for Honda R&D, working at the Marysville, Ohio facility, and has raced in SCCA as well as IMSA. In 2019, he’ll be heading to VIR, looking to gather his fourth win at the Runoffs – so look out!

Kevin’s Speed Secret: do your homework.

Follow Kevin at:

• Web: www.KevinBoehm.co
• Instagram: @kevinboehm
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kevin.boehm.716
• Twitter: @KBoehm_Racing

Jim Mero joins me to talk about the Corvette, his contributions to its development over the past decade-plus, life as a development test driver, lapping the Nurburgring as part of one’s job, and what’s ahead for Corvette. Two things that came out of our conversation that I found especially fascinating was his explanation of “linear versus non-linear driving,” and how test drivers rely on their subconscious to drive the car while the conscious mind is focused on developing the car. 

Jim spent 34 years at General Motors, with the last 15 as a Ride & Handling Engineer focused on the Corvette. No doubt, today’s Vette is a direct result of Jim’s engineering and test driving. He retired from GM in September of 2018, and now has his own consulting business, Jim Mero Vehicle Dynamics LLC.

Jim’s Speed Secret(s): “Get a go-kart. Driving is a process. Your best friend is your instructor and the laps you drive. Data will set you free.” 

For more info about Jim…

• Web: http://jimmero.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmerovehicledynamics/
• Email: jim@jimmero.com

I also mentioned the online Chalktalk I’m doing on May 14, 2019. Yes, it’s free, but to reserve your spot or join in, go to TrackAttack.io/SSChalktalk.

Bill Thomas joins me to talk about… well, lots! All of the various things he does, including his William Thomas Roadsters, Drakan Cars, Performance Garage Club, and importing the CAV GT40. Bill shares his experiences with Ferrari, Lotus, GT40s, and Hellcats. Oh, and we talk about his own track driving experience - specifically, about when and how to experiment with your driving, and why you should do that.

Follow:

Bill is the/a owner of:

• William Thomas Roadsters,LLC
• Drakan Cars East, LLC
• Performance Garage Club, LLC
• GT International, LLC (US Importer for the CAV GT40)

He can be reached at:

• www.wtroadsters.com
• www.drakancarseast.com
• www.performancegarageclub.com
• www.gt40usa.com

Phone: 908-313-4482

Steve Spano joins me to talk about how we can use technology to drive faster, and specifically, the RaceVoice device he helped develop. This device plugs into your existing ECU and data system, and then provides auditory information to you – everything from corner entry and minimum speeds to when to upshift or whether your engine is overheating. I used the RaceVoice recently and absolutely love it, so I wanted you to learn about it.

After this podcast was recorded, I asked Steve for a discount for listeners, and got a “yes.” So, to get a 10% discount on a RaceVoice unit, use the code “speedsecrets” at www.RaceVoice.com.

Steve’s Speed Secret: “Imagine doing what you’re working on with great detail, then go do it.”

For more information about RaceVoice, go to www.RaceVoice.com.

Ingrid Steffensen is on the show today, and we talk about expanding our comfort zone, getting into flow, what we learn about ourselves from track driving, writing, learning, and her book Fast Girl: Don’t Brake Until You See the Face of God. Which, by the way, is an absolutely great read!

Ingrid started in the HPDE world in a Mini Cooper S, graduated to a Lotus Elise, and is now about to upgrade to an Exige Cup car. She also instructs, both in-car and in the classroom. When she’s not at the track, she’s probably writing her next book – or even another article for Speed Secrets Weekly.

Ingrid’s Speed Secret: Look further ahead.

Follow:

• Web: http://www.ingridsteffensen.com

Johannes van Overbeek and I reminisce about the time we spent together at ESM Patron Racing, and he gives away all of his secrets about winning endurance races. We then compare right-foot with left-foot-braking, how a driver can be a nice laid back guy out of the car and yet be a killer behind the wheel, and why he recently retired from regular race driving.

Johannes has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Sebring 12-hour, Petit Le Mans, raced at Le Mans, and won the Thunderhill 25-hour race six times! He knows how to win endurance races...actually, just about any type of racing. He’s driven for ESM Patron Racing, the Flying Lizards, and factory Porsche and BMW teams.

Johannes’ Speed Secret: Unclutter your brain.

Follow Johannes:

• Instagram: @johannesvanoverbeek

Johannes van Overbeek and I reminisce about the time we spent together at ESM Patron Racing, and he gives away all of his secrets about winning endurance races. We then compare right-foot with left-foot-braking, how a driver can be a nice laid back guy out of the car and yet be a killer behind the wheel, and why he recently retired from regular race driving.

Johannes has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Sebring 12-hour, Petit Le Mans, raced at Le Mans, and won the Thunderhill 25-hour race six times! He knows how to win endurance races...actually, just about any type of racing. He’s driven for ESM Patron Racing, the Flying Lizards, and factory Porsche and BMW teams.

Johannes’ Speed Secret: Unclutter your brain.

Follow Johannes:

• Instagram: @johannesvanoverbeek

Trevor Ashline joins me to talk about the latest in head and neck restraint devices, as well as all sorts of other safety related topics. As VP of Engineering and Product Development for Simpson Performance Products, and a motorsport enthusiast himself, he knows his stuff – and shares it with you in this show. Should a HANS or Hybrid-S device be used with airbags? With standard OEM Seatbelts? How long do these devices stay safe? How do they interact with seats and roll cages? These are just some of the topics we talk about.

Ever since Dale Earnhardt’s death back in 2001, the use of head and neck restraint devices has increased, and in some events they’re mandatory. But what if you track a stock production car with standard OEM Seatbelts where a HANS device doesn’t work for you? There is one device that is FIA certified to work with OEM belts – the Hybrid-S - invented by Trevor.

Follow:

• Web: https://simpsonraceproducts.com
• Email: trevor@teamsimpson.com

Richard Kelley joins me to talk about his experience of capturing some of the most incredibly powerful images of F1 drivers from 1972 to 1984. His photos of Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Gilles Villeneuve and others will connect with you and either make you smile, get goose bumps, or cry. His perspective as someone who has closely observed some of the best drivers in the world, as well as raced himself, make his advice about visualization, situational awareness and sensory input hugely valuable to every driver.

Richard has been a photojournalist, writer, communicator and historian for most of his life. In addition to his F1 photography, he’s worked for Car and Driver, Mitsubishi (where he was Motorsport Manager, and largely responsible for the Evo), and the Chicago Tribune. He also successfully raced Formula Ford and Atlantic.

Follow:

• Instagram: @richardkelleyf1.com
• Web: www.richardkelleyf1.com

Spencer Pumpelly and I talk about what karting doesn’t teach, how to brake with ABS and release them to rotate the car, why an early apex is better than a late one, when a pass really begins, corner entry speed, and the importance of eliminating the fluff (that part throttle stuff that does more harm than good). Oh, and we also touch on the similarities between flying helicopter and performance driving (just in case you’ve always wanted to know!).

Spencer currently races for Magnus Racing and TRG, and has won in almost every level of racing he’s competed in. In this podcast, he talks about Le Mans and racing in ARCA. He’s also a great coach, as illustrated by his comment that, “The line is not the cause, it’s the result.” Great stuff! 

Spencer’s Speed Secret: Eliminate the fluff!

Follow Spencer at:

• Twitter: @spencerpumpelly
• Instagram: @spencer_pumpelly
• Web: www.spencerpumpelly.com

Peter Puffer joins me to talk about why we do what we do (driving fast around race tracks), the psychology of instructing a driver on track, and what makes a great instructor (hint: observing and paying attention to the student is a good place to start!). Peter also talks about how too much, and also too little, anxiety can negatively impact performance.

Peter, who is a psychologist as a profession, grew up around motorsport and started driving in HPDE events and track days back in 1997. Since that time he’s driven and raced at tracks throughout the midwest and elsewhere. He’s been a HPDE instructor for 18 years, and is the chief instructor for the Glacier Lakes Audi Club.

Peter’s Speed Secret: always be a student.

Peter can be contacted at peter.puffer@audiglacierlakes.org

Wallace Bradley joins me to talk about that thing we don’t want to talk about: when to stop driving. Whether it’s age, money, risk, or “been there, done that,” there comes a time when we all need to make a decision to cut back on our driving or stop cold turkey. How should we make that decision, and then do it?

Wallace started high-performance driving about ten years ago, and has been participating mostly in PCA events at tracks primarily in eastern North America ever since. Like many, he started instructing shortly after getting involved, giving back to the sport. As he also tracks a motorcycle, he’s been thinking about cutting back on the number of track days he does each year in his Porsche 944.

Wallace’s Speed Secret: Commit to yourself and your fitness.

Dave Weckl, a drumming legend, joins me to talk about the rhythm of driving and drumming, how playing music relates to performance driving, and what makes the best performers in anything great.

Dave is a true drumming legend. Modern Drummer magazine inducted Dave into their Hall of Fame and named him one of the 25 best drummers of all time, and he’s played with performers like Paul Simon, Madonna, Robert Plant and Chick Corea. He also has his own band, tours a lot, and has an online training program for drummers. But he also drives a Corvette on track, and has proven that driving is an art just like music.

Follow:

• Website: http://www.daveweckl.com
• The Dave Weckl Online School: https://daveweckl.teachable.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daveweckl
• Twitter: @davewecklmusic
• Instagram: @officialdaveweckl
• Dave’s racing YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWLiNWFaSEFhZ2AsET3lUow

Dr. Shannon Irvine joins me to talk about mindset, confidence, mental triggers, fear… and so much more about the mental game of performance & race driving. We all know that the mental game is what makes the difference on the track – but what do we do about it? Shannon shares some deliberate strategies to help you improve your driving performance.

Dr. Shannon Irvine is an Entrepreneur, High Achievement Mentor, Host of the Epic Success Podcast, a PhD. in Neuro-Psychology and a Philanthropist.

Her mission is to help entrepreneurs go for their God given dreams by giving them the step-by-step blueprint to go from “Dream to Launch” in a way that honors what they value most.

Dr. Shannon helps her clients “neuro-hack” their success and build an Epic Life and Business that they love by harnessing the power of the brain to hardwire productivity, goal attainment, and high performance mindset mastery.

Through her courses, programs, and Epic Success Podcast, her clients learn the power of neuroachievement™ — her process for shifting how to think, act, and grow, so they can achieve anything they desire. They learn how to hardwire what they want, and delete anything that’s holding them back! 

Shannon’s Speed Secret: Be aware of what you say to yourself, and what you think.

Shannon mentioned the Brain Priming audio series, and you can access it here: https://drshannonirvine.com/mindyourbusiness

Follow:

• Web: https://drshannonirvine.com
• Podcast: Epic Success with Dr Shannon Irvine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drshannonirvine/
• Instagram: @drshannonirvine

Adam Jabaay is back (he was my guest on Episode #11), and we’re talking about his Slip Angle podcast, about the Gridlife events, and what makes a great driving event. He tells us about how Gridlife is launching a wheel-to-wheel race series (Touring Cup), and what brings young drivers and spectators to driving events.

Adam races a Honda in SCCA and NASA events, is a founder and organizer of the Gridlife events, hosts the Slip Angle podcast, and has a passion for older motorhomes. Having purchased the Time Stretcher 3000 from Sears many years ago, he manages to fit 26 hours of activity into each day.

Follow:

• Gridlife: grid.life
• Instagram: @gridlifeofficial
• Slip Angle Podcast: http://shoutengine.com/SlipAnglebytracktunedcom/

Don Kitch joins me to talk about the art of racing in the rain, as we sit together at Pacific Raceway in Seattle, the very place where Garth Stein’s book, The Art of Racing in the Rain came to life – and the “home” of the upcoming Patrick Dempsey movie. Don and I dissect eight of my Speed Secrets that are aimed at driving fast in the rain, as well as our love for simply being at a race track.

Don and I have been close friends for over 25 years, and have worked together throughout that time, sharing a race car at Daytona with Team Seattle, coaching drivers, conducting high-performance driving schools, and having our luggage get lost during air travel. Don is the owner and chief instructor for ProFormance Racing School, and the founder of the Team Seattle program that has raised millions of dollars for the Seattle Childrens Hospital. He began racing in 1982… and some think he will never stop! For sure, he will never stop sharing his knowledge and passion for high performance driving.

Follow:

• https://proformanceracingschool.com
• https://www.facebook.com/ProFormanceRacingSchool/

Greg Woodrowjoins me to talk about what makes those crazy Aussie V8 Supercar drivers so good, and specifically the training they have all had racing Formula Ford. We also talk about the state of motorsport in Australia, the advice that Luke Youldon and Bruin Beasley of Erebus gave during my Inner Speed Secrets seminar in Melbourne, and finally, some of the fun that we had together – and what we learned – when I was down-under recently.

Greg is the owner of G-Force Motorsport and G-Force Events located in Melbourne, Australia. After twenty years as the agent for Mygale Cars in Australia and New Zealand, where he built an unbeatable empire of Mygale products that have won the last ten Australian Formula Ford Championships and the last ten New Zealand Formula Ford championships back-to-back, Greg sold the Mygale business and now runs a race team for Formula Ford and Porsche drivers, as well as motorsport-orientated events that involve corporations at every level.

Greg’s Speed Secret: Never give up. Un-ending commitment makes the difference.

Follow:

• https://gforceevents.com.au
• https://www.facebook.com/gforceraceexperience/

Chuck Tucker joins me to talk about HPDE instructing – what the best instructors do, how the classroom sessions need to work with the in-car instruction, the secret of the “secret goal,” and the best driving drills being used today.

Chuck, who is an engineering professor in real life, changes into his superman instructor suit when instructing with NASA Great Lakes Region, as well as the PCA and BMW clubs.

Chuck’s Speed Secret: Ask your student questions – then listen.

You can find Chuck on Facebook, as well as email him at ctucker@illinois.edu.

If you’re ever looking for a good track map, just go to SpeedSecrets.com/Trackmaps.

Andy Pilgrim joins me to talk about racing and traffic safety education. He tells us about his experience co-driving with Dale Earnhardt Sr and Jr at Daytona, why he’s won so often, and the work he’s doing in the traffic safety education world – and why you should care. Andy tells you how you can get free copies of the training videos he’s produced.

Andy has won in just about everything he’s driven from the factory Corvettes to Cadillacs. He’s committed to giving back by helping save young drivers’ lives, through his Traffic Safety Education Foundation work.

Andy’s Speed Secret: Eyes to the vanishing point.

To learn more about Andy’s traffic safety initiatives, go to his Traffic Safety Education Foundation website at www.tsef.org. And you can also contact him through his website at www.AndyPilgrim.com.

Randy Beikmann joins me to talk about the ideal line – the one that results in the fastest lap times – something that he’s been modeling from a mathematical perspective, and then relating to real track driving. What he shares will give you a deeper understanding of why you drive the line you – or should drive the line you’re currently not!

 Randy is a former engineer for General Motors, and currently teaches engineering at Kettering University. He’s written the super-important book, Physics for Gearheads – a must-have for anyone interested in understanding vehicle dynamics and driving at a deeper level. As important is the fact that he’s also a track rat who drives a Porsche Cayman in PCA events.

 Randy’s Speed Secret: Power is not the end-all. Traction is more important.

 You can purchase Randy’s Physics for Gearheads at Barnes & Noble, or on Amazon.

Trey Shannon joins me to talk about how to improve your fitness for performance and race driving. We talk about how to train your breathing, vision, sense of balance, and your fine muscle control to improve your footwork. Trey provides some great tips for simple exercises you can do at home, without expensive equipment.

Trey runs Podium Performance Fitness in Charlotte, NC, where he trains drivers like Tom Long, Colin Braun and John Edwards. As a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and with a Engineering degree, you know he looks at fitness training in a analytical and specialized manner.

Trey’s Speed Secret: Take the pressure off yourself.

Follow Trey and Podium Performance Fitness:

• Web: https://podiumperformancefitness.com
• Facebook:www.facebook.com/PodiumPerformanceFitness/
• Twitter:@podiumpf
• Instagram:@podiumperformancefitness

For more information about the Improve Your Braking & Corner Entry webinar, go to SpeedSecrets.com/Braking-Entry

Phil Lombardi joins me to talk about what most drivers struggle with the most – corner entry speed – as well driving style, perception, and focusing on performance. Phil’s insights are hugely valuable. And even more important are his recommendations of how to work through these challenges to become an even better and faster driver.

Phil was a long-time Skip Barber instructor, and currently provides personal coaching for drivers of all levels, and instructs for the Lucas Oil School of Racing.

Phil's Speed Secret: "Focus on your own performance, not the results."

Follow Phil on social media…

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/phil.lombardi.31
• Twitter: @philiplombardi
• Instagram: @fastphillombardi

For more information about the Improve Your Braking & Corner Entry webinar, go to SpeedSecrets.com/Braking-Entry. Registration closes on January 13th, 2019.

Eric Meyer joins me to talk about the steps and process he’s seen that the best drivers – and organizations – use to become even better drivers. From first-timers to serious club racers and pros, there are certain things – situational awareness, passing and being passed, flags, race starts – that everyone should learn. And there’s a process you can use to learn them more effectively.

Eric is the Chief Instructor for the NASA Great Lakes Region, and has raced in both amateur and pro racing – Grand-Am and Pirelli World Challenge, for example.

Eric’s Speed Secret: The more you scan with your eyes, the better.

Follow:

• NASA Great Lakes Data Acquisition Resource page
• Eric also mentioned TrackAttack.io and APEX Pro.

Oh, and mark February 23, 2019 on your calendar for a super-cool event that Eric and I are doing together in Indy. More details are coming soon.

Mark Sternberg is on today’s show and we bounce around, talking about karting, Karma Automotive, the pros & cons of having ADHD, Formula One, Honda S2000s, and what to do when you need to pee.

Mark is a life-long car and driving enthusiast who has turned his passion into a career. He helped re-launch the Peterson Automotive Museum, races karts, founded the L.A. F1 Fan Group, and currently works for Karma Automotive. Oh, and he’s in the process of launching a car-themed watch company called Heel & Toe Watches. How cool is that?!

Mark’s Speed Secret: If you’re wearing your driving suit and you need to pee, tuck the arms of your suit into your pant leg to avoid it touching the floor.

Follow Mark on Instagram @jdotmark, and his new watch company at www.heelandtoewatches.com.

Matthew Walker joins me to talk all about the importance of sleep on your driving performance – everything from how it impacts learning to your ability react and focus. He also provides tips on how to get better sleep, how to manage jet lag, the effect a lack of sleep can have on your health, what drugs and alcohol do to sleep, and memory formation and practice.

In addition to a love of all things motorsport, Matthew is the Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. With a degree in neuroscience and PhD in neurophysiology, he is also the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. And of course, he is the author of the International Bestseller book, Why We Sleep.

Matt’s Speed Secret: Get no less than seven hours of sleep.

Follow:

• www.sleepdiplomat.com 
• www.humansleepscience.com
• Twitter: @sleepdiplomat

The tables are turned – I’m the guest, and Frank Greif is the host. Frank was my guest on episode #1, I coached him when he started racing, he’s a business coach and a former TV talk show host. Oh, and we’re good friends, so it was interesting to have him asking me questions. And that’s what the show is about: my thoughts on this podcast, learning, driving, Formula One, Indy Car, NASCAR, who my greatest influences were, and who my support team are.

A special thank you to Frank for helping out with this episode, and to you, for listening! I never would have guessed I’d have created one hundred podcasts, but the reason I have is because of the feedback I’ve gotten from you and others. So again, thank you!

There’s always more… so join me next week when I have another interesting guest on the show, and we talk more about performance driving.

Bret Holmes joins me to talk about our passion for shifting, and specifically driving manual transmission cars. We talk about how young drivers DO have an interest in performance driving, the future of manual transmissions, and the 3 Pedal Car Club of America.

Bret has a strong passion for driving manual transmission vehicles, which was the initial motivation for starting the 3 Pedal Car Club of America. You can – and should – join by going to www.3pcca.com.

Bret’s Speed Secret: Eyes up.

Web: www.3pcca.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/3pcca

Instagram: @3pcca

YouTube: 3pcca

John Shoffner joins me to talk about how to maintain and even improve your driving performance as you get older. We talk about diet, supplements, mental training, fitness, and the basic differences between young and older drivers.

John started racing at the age of 58, and within a year was racing in the VLN series at the Nurburgring. With a steep learning curve like that, he’s done everything he can to minimize the effects of aging, and now feels he’s fitter – physically and mentally – than he was decades ago.

John’s Speed Secret: Always be at the limit.

Follow:

• Web: www.j2-racing.com
• Facebook:www.facebook.com/j2racingofficial
• Instagram:@j2racingofficial

097 – Matt Romanowski: Note-taking & Data – A Driver’s Best Friends

Matt Romanowski joins me to talk about how to make notes before and after on-track sessions in a way that will help you improve – and help your car improve. Then we talk about the use of data, and even how to integrate your note-taking with what comes out of your data logger.

Matt is a long-time contributor to Speed Secrets Weekly, a data coach who sells and supports data systems, a car setup tuner, and driver coach. Oh, and wheels a pretty fast Porsche 914.

Matt’s Speed Secret: Have a focus for every session on track.

Follow:

• Web: www.TrailBrake.net
• Instagram:@trailbrakematt

Matt mentioned the Shocks for DriverseBook that I publish, and if you’re interested in it, go to SpeedSecrets.com/product/Shocks-for-Drivers/

Russ Rosenberg joins me to talk about his book, Racing Under the Illusion of Grandeur. More importantly, we’re talking about the topic of his book: how to get started in racing after age 40 and what Russ learned when he took on that challenge. But oh, this book – and what Russ has to share – applies to any driver, of any age, in any form of motorsport.

Russ races two very cool cars - a ‘76 BMW 2002 and a ‘66 Yenko Stinger - in vintage races, as well as competing in World Racing League events.

Russ’s Speed Secret: You need to learn how to be fast offline.

Follow Russ at: www.facebook.com/TxCoyoteRacing/

And buy his book at: www.txcoyoteracing.com/racing-under-the-illusion-of-grande

Colin Braun joins me once again - while we’re traveling in Europe – and we talk about how to be fast in fast corners. There aren’t many – if any – faster drivers in sports cars these days, so Colin’s advice on how to work your way up to the limit in very fast corners is great information. Also, we talk about how to sense the limits of the tires when in these fast corners (hint: it’s not wiggling the steering wheel back and forth).

Colin has raced and won in everything from NASCAR to IMSA. He currently drives an Oreca LMP2 car for CORE Autosports in the Weather Tech IMSA series, CrowdStrike Racing in the Pirelli World Challenge, and United Autosports in the Michelin Le Mans Series.

Follow:

Web: https://colinbraun.com

Facebook:www.facebook.com/ColinBraun

Twitter:@colinbraun

Instagram:@colinbraun

Christian Maloof and I have a fun, casual conversation about what momentum cars really are, how they differ from non-momentum cars (if at all), and how to get the most out of them. We dig into the skills and techniques (braking, steering, throttle), as well as the mindset that these “roll speed” cars reward.

Christian is a super-fast racer, an instructor/coach, and all-round good guy. He’s the chief instructor for the Rally Sport Region of the PCA, and races a Spec Miata.

Christian’s Speed Secret: Have fun! You need rewards! (I think you’ve heard that before, but it’s always worth reminding why we do what we do)

Follow Christian on Instagram @thecarcouple.

Peter Krause returns on this podcast to discuss driver etiquette. Our topics include shared responsibility, trust, precision, respect, and learning control, not just bettering your lap time.

Peter is a driver coach, data coach, data analysis expert, and he sells and services all your data needs. He is also a friend, colleague, and collaborator on the Virtual Track Walk video series.

Peter’s Speed Secret: At the start of a race, pack closely. Mind the gap – keep it.

Follow Peter at:
Website: www.PeterKrause.net; http://www.gofasternow.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/peter.krause

Twitter: @VintageProCoach

Instagram: @VintageProCoach

Andrew Rains is back on the podcast (was also on #56), and we talk about the squiggly lines that data systems of all levels produce, and how you can use them understand what’s going on inside a driver’s mind – or your mind. The subtle shape of these lines tell us a lot, but it takes just a bit of knowledge before you can really use it. And that’s what this show is all about – giving you that knowledge.

Andrew is a driver/racer and coach. He also works for APEX Pro, the very cool device that gives instant feedback to you while driving, letting you know whether you’re driving at, near and nowhere near close to the limit of your car.

Andrew’s Speed Secret: Find your why. Understand why it is you’re doing what you’re doing, know what your goals are.

For information about APEX Pro:

Web: https://apextrackcoach.com

Apex Pro User’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163259564447950/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/apexdigitaldrivingcoach/

Instagram:@apexdigitaldrivingcoach

Paul Tracy joins me to talk about his TV commentating skills, what made the difference when he won his Indy Car championship, the importance of adapting to the car, and about his comeback to racing this year in a Trans-Am car – what’s worked, and his desire to do more.

Paul really needs no introduction because he was one of the fastest Indy car drivers ever, and won the 2003 CART Champ Car championship. Throughout his Indy car career, Paul drove for the best teams: Penske, Newman-Haas, Team Green, and Player’s/Forsythe. Paul is now part of the NBC Indy car TV coverage team.

Follow:

• Twitter:@paultracy3
• Instagram:@paultracyblacklabelbaggers

After an unforgettable week with 20 guest drivers at the Nurburgring and Spa, as well as spectacular dinners and socializing, my co-hosts, Tom Roberts & Ron Simons, and I sit down and debrief on what we all learned – the drivers and the three of us.

Ron Simons is the RS of RSRNurburg, the leading provider of cars and instruction at the Nurburgring (as well as Spa and other European circuits). He’s been helping drivers experience The Green Hell for over 20 years, and has driven over 20,000 laps of what most drivers agree is the most challenging circuit in the world. Tom Roberts founded Euro Track Adventures a couple of years, when we partnered on our first experience of hosting a group of drivers going to the Nurburgring.

Follow:

Web: https://www.rsrnurburg.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/rsrnurburg

Instagram:@rsrnurburg

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/rsrnurburg

Billy Johnson joins me so we can dig deeper into the topic of what makes the best drivers better than everyone else. As one of the winningest drivers in sports car racing, we talk about what makes him fast, but he also shares what he’s learned from some of his co-drivers.

Billy drives for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Ford GT in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). He made his NASCAR Cup series debut last year driving the #43 Richard Petty car, and is tied for being the winningest driver in the Continental Sports Car Challenge series.

You can follow Billy at:

Web: BillyJohnsonRacing.com

Facebook: facebook.com/BillyJRacing

Twitter & Instagram: @BillyJRacing

Tom Long is back on the podcast and we’re talking about getting past what seem like the inevitable plateaus in driving and racing. We talk about the mental blocks, the techniques, and corners where drivers have the most trouble. More importantly, we give you some strategies for breaking through.

Tom is a long-time feature writer and expert panelist for Speed Secrets Weekly. He’s a Mazda-factory, championship-winning driver, and a sought-after driver coach.

Tom’s Speed Secret: Drive the car like you’re on a scale pad.

Follow Tom if you’re in the market for a great coach or to find out the results of the final championship race in 2018. Go to:

• Website:http://www.tomlongracing.com/(weekly blog posts/reports)
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TomLongRacing/
• Twitter:@TomLongRacing
• Instrgram: @TomLongRacing

And if you’d like more from Tom – and dozens of other drivers, coaches, engineers, data experts, and team owners – check out Speed Secrets Weekly at SpeedSecrets.com/SSW.