What is Reddit's opinion of Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving?

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Are you looking to expand knowledge or read car-related stories?

For knowledge, the car book I keep reading over and over is Ultimate Speed Secrets by Ross Bentley.

For car-related stories, the first one that comes to mind is The Art of Racing in the Rain, although it's probably even more about dog ownership than cars. Still, good book.

You asked for a walkthrough so here goes.

Note: please make sure you have watched "going faster" youtube videos which I've linked below or something so you have an understanding of what braking points, turn in points, apex and track out points are before reading this.

A little mantra thought I've kept in my mind lately has been to focus on doing what it takes in every corner so that I can get back on to full throttle or close to full throttle at the apex of each corner, it means that I need to do as much work as possible to have the car steady and stable as soon as I reach that apex point, doing all of my braking right up to the apex and that it might mean trail braking into it, whatever it takes to be smooth and be able to get power down to maximize my speed on the straights:

Walkthrough:

Turn 1-2 chicane, you need to really practice your threshold braking so that you can brake at or just before the 100 meter marker without locking up. Make sure you are staying as close to the left side of the track as possible under braking and then turn in so that your right tires pop over the kerb on the right and that your speed and car control stays smooth so that you can also attack the left hand kerb. This involves continuing to slow down the car between the first and second kerbs. You should aim to be back on throttle at the left hand kerb which is the apex, while using discretion so as not to spin your wheels up. Track out to the right rumble strip and try make it all the way around Curva Grande (turn 3) with as little steering input as possible.

Turn 4-5 variante chicane, I brake just before the 100 meter marker, again making sure my threshold braking keeps me from locking up or I'll be going too fast to clip the left hand kerb which is the goal here. once you clip this kerbing on the left (practice taking as much of it as you can without getting an offtrack), you should wait till all 4 tires are back on the tarmac and then get the power down, trying to take some but not all of the right hand kerbing and getting power down as early as possible creating a smooth right handed arc out of the chicane and towards the next corner which is the first lesmo. At each of these chicanes, the core of the philosophy is to straighten them out as much as possible.

Turn 6 (Lesmo 1) is a long right hander. You are trying to maximize your EXIT speed for this one, so make DAMN sure you are actually hitting the inside apex and are not off by a foot or even an inch, be smooth with your right turning steering input, and you want your turn in point to be right at the grey cement on the left hand side that's in the grass or just before it if you are having trouble hitting the apex. Wait to get back on throttle until you clip the apex, and then squeeze back on throttle to maximize your exit, and don't be afraid to be out on the green turf. Again, practice this exit because you can actually get away with dropping a tire before you get hit with an off track. You don't want to drop this tire, but it's better than being a few feet in the other direction.

Turn 7 (Lesmo 2) - Though we want to carry as much speed from the first lesmo into this one, what's most important is the exit speed of the Lesmo 2 so that you'll gain time down the Curva del Serraglio (the straight past the church). Try braking right at the 50 marker before the lesmo 2 and turning in late. Use all the space you can on exit to straighten the steering wheel back out and keep the power all the way down this straight.

Turns 8-10 Variante Ascari is VERY tricky. You need a combination of threshold braking that evolves into trail braking to the apex of turn 8. Start by practicing your trail braking and brake at the orange paint on the right side barrier, dragging slight brake to the apex of turn 8, evolve this into a threshold brake just before the 100 marker and (the opposite of squeeze) ease off the brakes just barely clipping the left apex of turn 8, sweeping back to the apex of turn 9 and get back on the throttle at that turn 9 apex (if you've gotten on throttle earlier, then you're not carrying enough speed through turn 8) and then back to the left hand apex of turn 10 and now track WAY out. The whole time, you're trying to move the steering wheel as little left and right as possible, straightening it out and using the kerbs to help your "straight line". You can track way way way out of turn 10 across the astro turf without getting an off track.

Turn 11 - Curva PARABOLICA (I know its supposed be like parabolic, but it's more like diabolical!!!)... my favorite right turn on this track (there are so many right's! lol). Brake late between the 150 and 100 meter marker, I brake about halfway down the strip of dark green turn that's on your left side by those markers. Brake in as much of a straight line as possible to find an appropriate speed where you can turn in without losing the rear end and carry as much speed towards the apex as you can. Clip the apex LATE, like just a few feet before the right side kerbing ends, and then immediately try to straight the wheel out as much as you can, tracking out and riding the kerb ALL THE WAY... you should be pointed at the RIGHT HAND of the track just a little left of the pit wall, and then with your car, drive a diagonal line all the way back down to your braking point at turn 1! THEN DO IT ALL AGAIN!!!

Good luck, and remember with the skippy, it's fast in AND fast out, not just slow in fast out. You've got to carry your speed because this car is just too underpowered otherwise.

If you're having trouble understanding any of the lingo, go check out "Going Faster" and The Ultimate Speed Secrets which is a book available on amazon and a worthwhile read!

If you are having trouble executing any of these things, you might try practicing the limits of this car to find your threshold braking and the point at which the car breaks loose. Two things to practice: 1 come down the straight and choose to brake as HARD as possible at the 250 marker. Try it again and again until your braking distance is as short as possible, this involves modulating the brake by squeezing it and letting it go until you find the sweet spot to stop the car in the shortest distance. 2 drive down a straight way at a steady speed (choose 45 MPH), start weaving back and forth and feel the amount of steering input needed to turn the car, what do you need to do to actually get the car loose? learn from these lessons and apply them on your hot laps!

I mean, go ahead and argue with this guy because I got it out of his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005J0K7X6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

I've heard nothing but good things about this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005J0K7X6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1