Cobra4B

Just curious... seems that everyone you ask has a different recomendation and that it will vary car to car and track to track.

I've found that I keep my hands at 9/3 for the most part unless the corner calls for more then I pre-position my hands. For example, turn 4 at VIR I put my left hand at 12 and right at 6 then let the wheel come back to 9/3 as I unwind.

What do you find yourself doing?

mousecatcher

shuffle. like you, i tend to pre-position my hands.

Short-Throw

Who are you asking? The Pros I've been coached by including and not limited to Pilgrim, O'Connell, Bagley, Kubinski, Brokowski say 9 & 3 is the correct placement for hands.


Years ago Driver's Ed instructed 10 & 2. As air bags made their way mainstream, many drivers punched themselves out because their hands were in the path of the inflating bags. (Of course in race cars with no airbags this is moot) 10 & 2 also does not allow the fullest range of the wheel to be turned without letting go.

Take a look at how the top Pro's hold the wheels whatever they are driving. This is how Bondurant teaches as well.

This is the only position that allows you to turn the wheel a full 180 degrees w/o removing your hands from the wheel.

Shuffling can put you in a situation where you are too late to have any chance to make a needed correction. Pre-positioning, as you call it, can also put you in a situation where you will only be able to correct the car one way and limited range coming back.

Proper hand position starts with proper seating position. Adjusting your seat to the correct height and distance from the wheel and pedals are critical to putting yourself in the best hand position.

Letting go of the wheel may be needed if you ever encounter a slide beyond what you expected (i.e. on wet pavement) Then as many have learned on a skidpad, hand over hand (followed by throttle) as fast as you can to catch it.

I will add that although you can still drive a car extremely fast w/o incorporating 9& 3, you are putting yourself at a possible disadvantage if the need for adjustment ever arose.

Racing is as dangerous as we let it be and as safe as we make it.




Mike

AlwaysInBoost

on a road course I shuffle steer.
on an AX course I do whatever I can to make the car turn

wallyman424

i steer with my knee most of the time.

Short-Throw

Left or right?

Falcon

Shlt! I'm so scared most of the time, I cover my eyes with my hands so I can't see what's getting ready to happen!

So far I've been pretty successful!

wallyman424

trade secret.

L98Terror

This is what I do, but what do I know



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqeQ38XAUa0

wallyman424

you're not cursing or yelling at all in that video. no fun.

Cobra4B

Just curious... I find that it depends on the car and the seating position. I'm 6'4" and dont' always have the luxury of being in the 100% perfect seating position for range of motion.

Cobra4B

Nice... but some turns at VIR wouldn't allow that from my experience.

JVetthead

I agree with short-throw... If your hands are anywhere other than 9 and 3 and you get loose you cant correct properly cause your hands are elsewhere and you will probably spin or at least lose momentum..

L98Terror

Map of Grattan where Video was taken




VIR

L98Terror

I had the A-Hole magnet unplugged

AU N EGL

Steering ??

stano

I use the 9 position, I drink my lattes and text on my cell phone with my right

mousecatcher

I guess I should clarify my own statement. I drive a formula car where the steering rack is very quick and you only get 180* of rotation total. No matter where I place my hands I can get a full turn on the wheel. I only move one hand when prepositioning, if I have to make a quick correction my other hand does it.

When I do a track day in the vette, I carry this technique over. Perhaps not the best in the vette, I personally couldn't say for sure myself but I guess I'll take the pro's word on it!

Short-Throw

Are you driving a PFM, Van Diemen, other?


I remember many moons ago, I was on a baseball team and commented how the pitcher was throwing sidearm and how it seemed wrong. My coach who overheard me said, "It's getting over the plate fairly quick, isn't it?" Over the years we have had a handful of major leaguers who throw sidearm despite the norm.


Perhaps of all the drivers today, there'll always be a few outside the third standard deviation, but I guess my main point was leaving yourself in a position at all times to save the car because you never know when that nanosecond surprise may appear.



Mike

sleeper02Z06

Wrong. You can run all of VIR Main in a Corvette from 9 and 3 without moving your hands, except to shift of course.


FWIW, after years of shuffle steering I became a bit faster and much more consistant keeping my hands on the wheel as much as possible in the same place. If nothing else it builds muscle memory. Much like shooting or any other sport that involves repetition, muscle memory and positioning is very important. If you have to shuffle steer, and you do sometimes, you definately want to "load up" as mentioned earlier. The way people shuffle varies, I try to keep hands on the wheel as much as possible by using what is widely known as the "sheriff shuffle", a method popularized by its use in the law enforcement community. Crown Victorias have a very low ratio steering unit so running most streets at 9 and 3 is impossible. Shuffling is a must.


Joe