![]() ![]() ![]() I couldn't believe it affected me that much. Race day, I had so much pressure on me, I woke up in the hotel that morning and actually threw up. I thought about it seriously in 1985 when I got my first big break, driving for Domino's Pizza – a major sponsor. You have to manage these emotions to be successful (and just to exist without having coronary problems!). It’s easier said than done, but if you can master your emotions, you’ll wield a very powerful tool that you’ll be able to use to get ahead of that jerk in front of you.Īuto racing is a very emotional sport. Using the blocking example, use anger as a motivator: “I’ll show this person who they’re messing with.” Be patient but unrelenting, unpredictable (this will get them looking in their mirror more than ahead and a mistake is inevitable) outsmart, and outrace the offender.Ĭontrol your emotions. ![]() Tempers boil, cars get bent, and neither one gets to the end. We’ve all seen this, even in the highest echelons of our sport. Losing your cool as a result of the anger is exactly what not to do. Now, you have a choice about what to do with that anger. Your emotional response to an action on track should be positive and fit in with your objective – winning, finishing, passing the car in front, or not crashing.įor example, somebody is blocking you. Your emotional response, as I view it from the perspective of racing a car on a track, is one of discipline. I’ve also experienced all of these emotions in the span of a lap – Le Mans, on a half-wet track, if you were wondering. I’ve felt all of these at some point on track in my career. They generally look like this: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise and contempt. There are between six and eight emotions, depending on who you ask, that every normal human experiences. It's something you continually strive to work on, each event no matter the series, track, or car. In summary, proper focus is the key element to channeling that mental energy into a positive outcome. Stay positive, and shut out all negative emotions or thoughts from your mind. ![]() Visualize how you want to set up the restart to get the best jump on the green flag, how you'll set up the pass into T1, or how you might alter your line to optimize what you have left in those tires. Rather than being nervous about that car behind you overtaking on the restart, or worrying that your tires are shot and you need to just limp to finish, think about what you can do to make the most of your strengths. Using visualization (or for you Speed Secrets readers, "mental programming") to plan how you'd like the ideal start to unfold, or ideal lap with details such as brake points, car placement, gearing, and so on can help channel that nervous (negative) energy into a productive mindset, preparing you for the race.Īnother example, say mid-race, whether you're under yellow waiting for a restart or just can't seem to find your rhythm yet, comes down to focus. Typically, a young driver can be very anxious or nervous, leading to distraction from the real task at hand. The mental game is such a critical part for proper focus it allows peak physical performance to occur in almost any activity. Managing emotions can be one of the most challenging aspects of motorsports. Recently, a reader emailed me to ask this: "How do I best manage my emotions when racing?" To answer this question – one that I suspect many drivers would like the answer to – I decided to ask a few drivers whom I respect immensely: Johannes van Overbeek, Tom Long, David Murry, and Don Kitch. ![]()
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