Garage Heroes (In Training)

Learning as we go. Come along with us and Enjoy the Ride!

HPDE

The Tyler Stank

Tyler Stank
Truck Racer
Tyler Stank in action
Tylers Miata

GHIT 0342:  The Tyler Stank

After having better answers to several of our Dominating with Dawson’s, it was only appropriate that we invited him onto the podcast.  We first met Tyler while iRacing and have since been paying attention as he has begun driving in the real world as well.  His middle name really is Ayrton and there can be no better reason to have him on the podcast, but he is also notably the first person to drive each of the three versions of mini truck in the 24 Hours of Lemons endurance races.  Stay tuned for several stories related to “driving” a car on iRacing with a French horn and other non-standard inputs.  We also interrupt the episode with the first ever Dominating with Dawson with a guest judge Tyler to address the best modifications to make your car faster.  Both Ben and Tyler get it wrong. 

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are amid installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount during the checkout process at https://candelaria-racing.com/

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order from https://apextrackcoach.com/

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Jeremy, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

GHIT 0342:  The Tyler Stank

Getting the Most Out of Instruction

HPDE Default

GHIT 0340: Getting the Most Out of Instruction at a Track Day or HPDE etc.

Track time is a precious commodity.  It is often difficult to fit into your schedule, it takes a significant amount to prep for a weekend (both the car and the driver and often simply getting to the track).  It is also not free to attend the event.  We try to give some examples of what to do and what not to do before an at an event.  Also, given this, one of Bill’s obsessions is in getting the absolute most he can from each event, and even every stint, especially for our team and his HPDE students.  We use a standard debrief sheet for each event and have fount it to be very helpful and increase the progression of each of our drivers, especially as you progress and improve since you will often be driving without an instructor directly assisting you every stint.  So if you are looking at getting the most out of instruction, this may be the podcast for you.

If you have any interest in getting a copy of out sheet, or our track walk/track notes template, please let us know  in a podcast review or on our social media, or send us an email at [email protected] and we can share it with you. 

(Because Bill has no idea how to link them in the episode notes, lol)

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.  Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is amazingly easy.  If you go to your podcast library, look under shows.  Then click on this podcast.  Here you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review. 

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are during installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount code to all our listeners during the checkout process.

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order.  They are a great system and invaluable to safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross, etc.  The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Alan, and Bill

Hosts and Drivers for the Garage Heroes In Training team

GHIT 0340: Getting the Most Out of Instruction at a Track Day or HPDE etc.

Late to Grid Podcast Host Bill Snow

Bill Snow

GHIT 0339:  Late to Grid Podcast Host Bill Snow

Our paths have crossed seemingly many times, but we have never met until now.  The Late to Grid podcast is aimed at covering amateur racing and helping grow our sport.  Since our podcast goals are almost identically aligned, we thought it would be great to have Bill on and share some stories and maybe we could learn from him some of his vast mechanical skills.  We talk about all things racing, his home tracks of Mid O, PittRace, and Nelson Ledges.  We also go into his podcast, how and why it started, and what he envisions for the future.  Then we try to find out what led to his current RX7 racing and if it is potentially curable. 

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are amid installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount during the checkout process at https://candelaria-racing.com/

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order from https://apextrackcoach.com/

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode include:

1)  We start out trying to find out how we have not met in person yet since we seem to go to the same tracks repeatedly.  We then make plans to meet at a then upcoming event with NASA Great Lakes at Mid-Ohio, but car issue son our end prevented that from occurring.

2)  We talk about Bill’s home track Nelson Ledges, PittRace, and Mid-Ohio for a bit and the first SCCA Enduro event that they held and we discussed in an earlier podcast with Jon Krolewicz from the SCCA (podcast # 331).

3)  We also take advantage of his Mini experience and look for likely areas to work on with the ladies from Shifting Points podcast this summer.

To follow Bill, you can go to:

@latetogrid on Instagram

Or at the website  https://latetogrid.buzzsprout.com/

GHIT 0339:  Late to Grid Podcast Host Bill Snow

Jess Stratton

From the Shifting Points podcast’s- Her First Track Day

A Motley crew
Jess Stratton on track

GHIT 0338:  Jess Stratton From the Shifting Points podcast’s First Track Day

We have an upcoming race at NJMP’s Thunderbolt track next weekend, so we took advantage of the NASA Northeast’s HPDE event this weekend to get a bit of track time for our friends from the Shifting Points podcast who will be racing with us.  This will be Jess Stratton’s first ever race and today was her first ever track day and great preparation for the race.  Vicki was going to explode if we made her wait any longer for a review of the day, so here is an unedited episode with Vicki and Jeremy asking Jess Stratton about her first time on track.  Oh, Bill was there too.

Audra and Lisa will be arriving tonight for Sunday’s events.  We will obviously be talking more about this weekend in upcoming episodes of our podcast and perhaps even on the Shifting Points podcast.

NJMP HPDE June 2022
Jess Stratton going on track

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better would be a podcast review. This helps us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are amid installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code. Entering “GHIT” at check out for a 10% discount at https://candelaria-racing.com/

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order from https://apextrackcoach.com/

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Jeremy, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

GHIT 0338:  Jess From the Shifting Points podcast’s First Track Day

Jess and Audra

How to Test Your Race Car

at the Track with Scott Robertson

GHIT 0334:  How to Test Your Car at the Track with Scott Robertson

We often hear how important it is to test your car prior to racing.  While listening to Scott’s Track Walking podcast (a can’t miss podcast), Scott was discussing how he and Becky were able to conduct a full track test and tune evaluation of their vehicle during a recent HPDE.  Since Scott is a respected coach and offers a service to help a driver to dial in their car at the track, we thought he would be a perfect guest to discuss how to best conduct a test and tune day most effectively and efficiently.  We start the discussion with what a test day means and work our way up from there.  This was recorded several weeks ago prior to the 2022 One Lap of America where Scott and Becky entered the OLoA in their Mazda 2 Sundae Cup car lovingly called Mooncake.  If we could go back in time, we would have asked how that car was able to come in second overall on the skid pad event versus some very capable and sometimes expensively prep’ed vehicles. 

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice. This includes the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much.  Even better would be a podcast review. This helps us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS  If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you.  We are amid installing the system in two of our cars.  If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount during the checkout process at https://candelaria-racing.com/

PS2  Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount, a savings of $40.  Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order from https://apextrackcoach.com/

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode include:

1)  We start off with pre-event processes such as planning what you will test.  This includes aspects of what tools you have, what you are capable/willing to change at the track. 

2)  Some examples of the testing order and priority.  Things to do and things not to do.

3)  One of the key aspects is to determine what you are trying to get from the process, i.e., driver experience/education or car optimization etc.

4)  We also cover some of the key changes that you would like to change, as well as what tools you need to have for some of the key areas you will likely test.  Hint:  you will need a good tire pressure gauge and  ideally a tire thermocouple or equivalent.

5)  The best aspects of seeking an outside perspective or even better an experiences coach or F1 engineer, or even somewhere in between.

6)  Ideas of things that you would like to test, including front sway bar (full hard to disconnected), rear sway bar (same), shock sweeps (full hard to full soft), rake adjustment, alignment, aero, tire pressure, etc.

7)  Tips on how the impact of driver adaptation can affect the tests.

8)   The importance of testing documentation and how it can help you going forward.  A partial list of the items to summarize include the weather, track conditions, alignment, tires and condition, driver  etc.  This will eventually lead towards secondary goal of building you set up database for the car and the tracks

9)  We go into last year’s One Lap of America  and the (at that time) upcoming 2022 which since been completed.

10)  Scott and Becky finished first in class and 54th out of 84 entries for the entire event and stunned the world on the skid pad with a 2nd place overall.

To follow Scott, you can go to:

@TrackWalkingPodcast on Facebook or Instagram

@RobertsonRacing on Instagram

@RobertsonRacingMiata on Facebook

Or you can email Scott about coaching etc. at:  [email protected]

GHIT 0334:  How to Test Your Car at the Track with Scott Robertson