Last weekend I was at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the most recent round on the IMSA and Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup schedule. It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend, which anyone who’s been to Mid-Ohio knows is a privilege, since that track is notorious for crazy weather.
The MX-5 Cup series did not disappoint, as usual, with incredible racing throughout the weekend. The double-header at Mid-Ohio got us past the halfway point of the MX-5 Cup season.
While at the track, an important lesson came to mind as I was watching the racing: it’s essential to stay on the brakes if you find yourself spinning! You want to bring the car to a stop as quickly as possible. Not only can this salvage the car from further damage, like hitting someone else or hitting the wall, but it can also keep the car from rolling into traffic and being collected by other cars. It’s important to remember that when your world is spinning—literally—you can minimize your setback so that you can potentially continue on quicker and more cleanly.
You need to stay situationally aware and have a plan before an event like this happens. That way, if and when you do find yourself in a spin, you can execute the plan. The mind might have trouble creating a new behavioral response on the fly during a panic situation, which is why having a plan and going over in it in your mind is so crucial.
The same thing applies to other potential situations, like a fire. You should know where the button is to activate the fire system, because it’s not something you want to be learning in the middle of an actual fire!
Whether you’re a track day regular or an experienced race car driver, these mental exercises and knowledge drills are important no matter what your skill level is.