really? Just stupid stuff like that? I worry about such little shit compared to that, lol. My braking is a little difficult because my feet are too big and the position of the brake and gas makes it physically impossible for me to brake really hard and rev match at the same time. I have to let off the brake for a fraction of a second, tap the gas and get back on it. It's the one element I can't master or smooth out. I'm thinking of welding a piece of metal to the brake pedal so my foot sits higher and doesn't go below the gas and I can do it. I basically have to hit the brake and gas without even twisting my foot, just by rocking my ankle. It took me months to get the hang of it.
But what is the hardest aspect to master?

 

Why are you rev matching? Just step on the brake, then when you think you have slowed down enough get back on the gas.

 

You probably won't need to rev match in autocross. Although, it's such a great skill to practice, simply because it's so fun! Today I discovered how convinient it is to double-clutch into first gear at a stop sign - rev matching is the best thing ever.

 

he fits #1 pretty well that's why

 

Well I have to brake early when I revmatch just for that reason. But you don't need to shift in auto-x? That would make it quite a bit easier for me. I can judge my brake timing okay when I don't have to worry about revmatching. But yeah, I am inclined to brake too early. I think it's the hardest thing to overcome mentally because you're afraid you are going to overshoot and maybe hit something.

 

Most Courses you start in 1st and shift to second and leave it there, it eliminates mistakes that can come from shifting and when you push the clucth into shift you have lost time right there it might be .02 secs but I have lost more than one trophy by that much. Even in my del sol with no torque I leave it in second even for turn arounds, unless it is super super slow and the car is actually bogging.

 

Your synchros will be missed. :sad: Its a pity that 80% of the people with manual cars don't know how to drive them.

 

I see.

And I just realized that I brake WAY too early even in normal driving. Like 3 times more space than I need when braking normally.

 

that's good keep it that way on the street. it's not your private play ground.

 

One thing I've learned is that the more you are on the brake the more time you are wasting. Which is why you see most people brake at the very very last second to get every ounce of forward momentum they can get. When you are braking you are not going faster.

It's a typical thing to do, don't get me wrong. This is why I sound like a broken record to people when I tell them not to modify their car. Because 99% of the time you don't know your car as well as you think. It took me 2 years to understand deep braking. And I mean DEEP. I used to scare newbs when I would take them for fun runs because they didn't think I was going to slow down in time. You could see it on their face and see them gripping anything to hold on to.

Also the other thing that you know you are getting better is if you can talk your walk through a course. One of the biggest lessons I learned was attending an Evolution School back in 2002. I was taught when you can read the course (100 feet before you get to each section) out loud in your car WHILE driving you are getting there. When I'm instructing I'm talking the course, pointing with one hand where I'm looking, steering, braking/accelerating, and shifting all at the same time with my student Now that's multi-tasking