Eleven different drivers sit down with me at NCM Motorsport Park while at a BMW CCA HPDE Track Event and share their thoughts on what makes one track more technical than another, what their favorite corners are, which car they’d most want to drive, what the most valuable lesson they learned at the track is, and how to attract new and younger drivers to our sport.
This episode is different than the past ones, as it’s 3 separate conversations with small groups of drivers participating in the BMW CCA RoundUp event at NCM on October 27-29, 2017. The drivers are Chad Sledd, Bob Habel, Hak Bowman, Erik Corwin, Matt Busby, Kevin Sweeney, Rob Shifflett, Bill Wade, David Bufford, Hayes Teague, and Zack Ketring.
Tom Martin joins me to talk about all things motorsport, from business to the original Can-Am series, from Spec Miata to HPDE and track day driving, from low cost endurance racing to the passion we all share for our sport. It’s a very cool conversation, and his advice about the business of motorsport is invaluable!
Tom owns Winding Road Racing, a multi-facted motorsport business that involves a magazine, retail safety equipment and performance parts stores (online and brick-and-mortar types), a race team, and a builder and supplier of cars for racing and track days.
Go to www.WindingRoadRacing.com for cars, parts and racing info, and www.WindingRoad.com for the magazine (driving, new cars, video info).
Ryan Dalziel joins me to talk about how he’s developed into one of the best race car drivers in the world – what techniques he thinks are most important (hint: it has to do with corner speed and what you do with the throttle), and how to take your driving to that level. He shares his thoughts about his Tequila Patron-ESM co-drivers, Brendan Hartley and Johannes van Overbeek, and how their driving styles compare, as well as confidence. Then we talk about race driver coaches, and specifically how to find the best one for you.
Ryan has won in practically every form of racing he’s competed in, and is currently driving for Tequila Patron-ESM in IMSA. He’s also one of those drivers who can not only do, but can also explain how he does it – and that’s not a common trait. Recently, Ryan started RaceCarCoaches.com, a website where you can find a coach that is geographically ideal for you.
Web: http://www.ryandalziel.com
Twitter: @ryan_dalziel
Facebook: ryandalzielofficialpage
Instagram: @ryan_dalziel
Ashton Harrison and I talk about racing in the Global MX-5 Cup series, what it’s like as a woman in racing, instructing at the Porsche school, and the challenges that come with being a woman telling a man how to drive.
Ashton is a young woman I’ve had the pleasure of coaching – and she’s fast. Even faster than some of her results have shown (and we talk in the podcast about why that is). She’s raced in Spec Miata and the Global MX-5 Cup series, is an accomplished driving instructor, and loves to help at animal rescue centers around the country.
You can follow along with Ashton – and especially, learn from her blog – at AshtonHarrison.com, Instagram @aharrison_, Twitter @aharrison03, and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AHMotorsports03/.
Oh, and be sure to check out my Ask Ross column, as well as send me your questions, by going to SpeedSecrets.com/Ask-Ross.
Kevin Fandozzi joins me to talk about tires – how to break them in, warm them up, and pressure them. We also talk about how tires are developed, what Kevin did to his tires to podium at the recent SCCA Runoffs, and where Continental Tire is going in the sport. Be sure to listen to his advice in the last 10 minutes or so of the show – it’s super valuable stuff.
Kevin is the Product Manager for Continental Tire Motorsport. As an engineer and club racer (finished second at the SCCA Runoffs at Indy this year), he knows what goes into tires both technically and from behind the wheel.
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