Ask Ross: How do I Get My Braking & Corner Entry Correct?

[@LeifMadsen]

Braking and control of speed is my biggest issue. You really nailed it I think where I'm too focused on the initial brake point, and not focused enough down the road on the end of brake point. Great commentary on what to do as the fine tuning adjustments leading up to the EOB. Thanks for this!

[@DorXtro]

Thanks prof., i usually end up overslowing and then upsetting the car with throttle. Im also bit premature on the throtle usage and end up trashing most of my laps because of that. Ill use your tip.

[@rtanep3]

I have learnt so much from all your tutorials and books Ross.. you’re practically a virtual coach for me

[@CalmingSoundZZZ]

So helpful. You're so right. I've been focused on the BOB and my eyes weren't up, looking at the corner. Thank you!

[@rw895]

This will help me with T1 and T3 at Road America. My new AP brakes forced me to relearn all my brake points. EOB makes sense. Thx!

[@ycplum7062]

You pointed out some helpful guidelines, but in the end one needs seat time to learn to "feel" what to do. And that can change significantly with different cars on different tracks and track syurfaces, although teh guidelines still hold true. You guidelines hopefully shortens the seat time process.

[@kbrizy7490]

I guess still a question… isn’t OPTIMAL max braking right up until the turn-in point? Will looking at your EOB point allow you to intuit that? I find I’ll just 80% brake the whole way they the zone if I’m not conscious of it.

[@Speedsecrets1]

@@kbrizy7490 I have a High-Performance Braking Playbook on my SpeedSecrets.com website that explains all of this, and gives you 3 ways to practice it.

[@thedriverux]

wow, this is the explanation I've been looking for. Thank you.

[@ian_b5518]

You described my problem exactly. Now to work on that TI/EOB area. Thank you.

[@Speedsecrets1]

Glad it helped!

[@turag8132]

So true, I feel so comfortable with this approach EOB, previously I was not confident approaching corners.

[@kbrizy7490]

Yea this feels like it’ll crack the code. Going to try this next time I’m in the car. I’ve been getting better at braking, but don’t have it “figured out.” Might’ve found the sauce.

[@brucecollis8609]

I remember you from my Westwood days ☺. My last year was 1986

[@TheMack]

Really practical and easy to understand explanation! Thanks!

[@aresiusm621]

Been a while since last comment but thought I’d say is it not about feel? Depends on tyres, weight of the car carrying inertia, adhesion of the road and tyre properties and weather, temp and humidity. Driving through the corner is balancing the motion and centrifugal forces while getting around that bend….oh s$/t TrEE….😂

[@justasstaciokas3460]

Hey, Ross, ive been reading your books and a lot of other info available out there and its all logical and makes sense. But the struggle that I am having is when you say that you "feel" you overslowed or underslowed your car and adjust the braking trace in the last section, how do you feel it ? Do you try to somehow trace the speed you need to carry into the corner mechanically by checking the speedometer or do you somehow try to sense it. If its sensing, how does that look like ?

[@Speedsecrets1]

You certainly can't look at the speedo, right? One of the ways we sense speed - or should at least - with with our ears. If you really focus on the sound of the engine and wind noise, you'll recognize the differences in speed. I once coached a driver whose corner entry speeds varied by 5-8 MPH from lap to lap. I had him focus on his auditory sense for about 15 laps, and that variance reduced to 2-3 MPH. He got out of the car with a smile and said, "Now I can tell what speed I should be entering corners at." That doesn't completely answer your question about what the specific speed should be - but no one can tell you what it should be. But if you fine tune your ability to sense differences in speed by using the Sensory Input Sessions I talk about (I have a video on this channel about it), your ability to sense corner entry speed will improve.

[@MindDezign]

Love these great nuggets of Driving Thank You

[@leafylotus]

Thanks Ross

[@sportbikejesus]

Forgive me if I’m wrong but I think one aspect of finding the right EOB point could have been driven home more explicitly. As you noted, this is a decision you make while trailing off the brakes and using vision skills. A lot of people don’t realize how much easier it is to recognize they’re at the right speed when the rate of deceleration is low. We know we have to trail off the brakes to avoid a spin but another benefit is that you’re much less prone to hold onto the brakes too long the more gently you’re decelerating. If you’re threshold braking at the start, make sure you’ve transitioned to very light braking while you’re still obviously going too fast. Then while you are going from 110 or 120% of your desired apex speed, you can gently trail off and it will feel right without blowing past that speed.