Any good resouces for learning racing techniques? Both online and in book form?

Thanks

If there's a book out there, I've likely read it or at least own it with plans to read it. I'll give you a list of my favorites when I get home and look through my bookshelf.

Are you looking for more driving theory, actual racing/racecraft, or engineering/setup of a race car? I've got some of each. ;)

The Racing Books are great reading when you're in the can.

Also, check out the thread about racing sims. ;)

Both great places to learn the basics.

Are you looking for more driving theory, actual racing/racecraft, or engineering/setup of a race car? I've got some of each.

Anything and everything I can read, I will. I am new to this, so any knowledge i can get about driving techniques, theory, or car mechanics is great. I do all the maintenence on my car already, but nothing too big yet. But you can never have enough knowledge.

Thanks ^dan

Also check out 'Inner speed secrets', and 'The mental edge', or 'The inner game of tennis'. There a actually dozens of different books about mental training, but Inner Speed Secrets is specifically for racing.

Once again, I'm probably going out on a limb, but mentally preparing yourself is just as important as the physical aspect of learning something as complicated as racing.

Go to Amazon and search on driving, racing, race driving, etc.

They are all good in various ways. Even teh old ones.

I have almost whole shelf full.

For starting though, right now, the Skip Barber books, Going Faster! seems to be one of the best.

After that, anything you find. :)

The first book you should read is "Going Faster" by Carl Lopez. Great book with a little bit of everything.

Carroll Smith has a great series of books. I think his best book in general is "Drive to Win" and his best book about car setup is "Tune to Win".

Don't waste your money on "Race Car Vehicle Dynamics" unless you want to compute theoretical problems all night long. I have a PhD in mechanical engineering and still don't find this book too useful to my racing.

Bob

My library:

Drive to Win, Carroll Smith
Tune to Win, Carroll Smith
Engineer to Win, Carroll Smith
Screw to Win, Carroll Smith
Think to Win, Don Alexander
Winning: A Race Driver's Handbook, George Anderson
Going Faster: Master the Art of Race Driving, Carl Lopez
Race Kart Driving, Bob Bondurant
High Performance Driving, Bob Bondurant
Sports Car and Competition Driving, Paul Frere
Speed Secrets, Ross Bentley
Inner Speed Secrets, Ross Bentley
Speed Secrets 2, Ross Bentley

If I were you, I'd start with Going Faster. From there, progress to Speed Secrets and Inner Speed Secrets.

Tune to Win is good for setup. Engineer to Win is tough to get through, and applies more to purpose built race cars. Screw to Win is all about Nuts, Bolts, and Fasteners...not necessary unless you are a huge geek like myself.

The rest on driving techniques can get a little repetitive, but there is certainly something new to be gleened from each of them. I try to read a new book every once in a while, and I come back to Going Faster at least once a year, and always learn something new.

lol, i thought you were joking about Screw to Win... i guess i'm dirty. I've found Speed Secrets, High Perf. Driving, and now Winning at the local library.

Originally posted by black_b[ ]x
lol, i thought you were joking about Screw to Win... i guess i'm dirty.

Carroll ended up naming the book "Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook" after objections from his publisher over "Screw to Win" which would have fit in with the names of the other books, and been ironically funny on multiple levels. Supposedly, a few folks have been lucky enough to order the entire Carroll Smith set and receive a sticker that says "Screw to Win" to place over the actual title on the book. :)

"How to Make Your Car Handle" by Fred Puhn is also a good choice for setup. I don't have it, but I've heard good things from those that do.

Try playing Gran Turismo 3... seriously. You can adjust anything you can on a real car, except the tire pressures. It's a very realistic and accurate simulation.

stjobs

Originally posted by ceegeezM3
Also check out 'Inner speed secrets', and 'The mental edge', or 'The inner game of tennis'. There a actually dozens of different books about mental training, but Inner Speed Secrets is specifically for racing.

Once again, I'm probably going out on a limb, but mentally preparing yourself is just as important as the physical aspect of learning something as complicated as racing.

Actually, I couldn't agree with you more.

Another book that I've never read, but have heard is a top notch read is "The Technique of Motor Racing" by Pierro Tarrufi (sp?). I heard a rumor recently that this is now out of print. It's an old book, but many many respected folks have recommended it. It's essentially the first book written on the subject and is a classic. Much of it still applies today.

Originally posted by BMWRacerITS
My library:

Drive to Win, Carroll Smith
Tune to Win, Carroll Smith
Engineer to Win, Carroll Smith
Screw to Win, Carroll Smith
Think to Win, Don Alexander
Winning: A Race Driver's Handbook, George Anderson
Going Faster: Master the Art of Race Driving, Carl Lopez
Race Kart Driving, Bob Bondurant
High Performance Driving, Bob Bondurant
Sports Car and Competition Driving, Paul Frere
Speed Secrets, Ross Bentley
Inner Speed Secrets, Ross Bentley
Speed Secrets 2, Ross Bentley


Good library. Add Piero Taruffi's "The Technique of Motor Racing" as someone else mentioned.

Also Ayrton Senna's book, can't remember the name, and too lazy to run upstairs to look:). Watts "The Secrets of Solo Racing".

Other good ones, but hard to find, Alan Johnson "Driving in Competition". "The Race Driver" Denis Jenkinson.

I have all of them, and a few others, except for Bondurant's karting book. I have a few other karting books though.