Speed Secrets Podcast

Did you miss us? We’re back with another episode of No Dumb Questions. Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, we share the craziest ideas we’ve had that no one thought would work… but ended up working really well. Buckle up, this is a fun one. We also answer a more technical question – with unlimited resources and no rules, would tires or aerodynamics yield the fastest lap times? Tune in for our new series! Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

The start of April means… another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, we discuss how to start approaching car set-up as an amateur endurance racer. Lots to discuss here. We also address what works best in the rain from a driving and set-up perspective. Tune in for our new series! Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

Good news, we have a new episode of No Dumb Questions for you. Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, we address out-braking someone in a turn. We also dive into whether we’d rather work with a driver with no technical background who doesn’t argue with setup, or a driver with a technical background who is also driver-seat quarterbacking the changes and second guessing setup. Tune in for our new series! Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

…And we’re back with a new episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, we address how to give better feedback to someone helping with the setup, and how we could have called F1 Abu Dhabi for Red Bull, Mercedes, and Race Control. Tune in for our new series! Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

Welcome to a new podcast series, No Dumb Questions. Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, we address how to get comfortable with high speed corners, how to approach a situation where a faster setup is not what makes the driver most comfortable, and what we are most looking forward to in 2022. Tune in for our new series! Jeff is one of the very best race car engineers in the world. He’s engineered cars at every level, and every type: NASCAR, karts, club racing cars, Indy, GT and Prototypes, and even Top Fuel dragsters. But what sets Jeff apart from many engineers is how he can explain what he’s doing, what a car is doing, and even how the best think.

Today’s podcast is a “special” episode… that’s because we just launched the Speed Secrets Sim Racer Academy, and I wanted to have a conversation here with my team who has helped make this happen. Anker Berg-Sonne, Conor Murphy, and Ron Gale are my guests today. Why should you care? Why should you listen in? If you’re a sim racer, you will be interested in hearing about the Sim Racer Academy. If you’re not a sim racer, there’s some things we’ll talk about that will still help you be a better driver. There are things here that apply to motorsport – and maybe outside of motorsport – around teamwork. We’re thrilled to finally be able to share Sim Racer Academy with you all, and we hope you are just as excited as we are!

This week is an important podcast episode with a special announcement. I’m taking a break from the podcast for “a while” to work on some new exciting things… :). How long is “a while?” I don’t know. But I will record a few random episodes here and there when I get an opportunity to record a conversation with someone super interesting, or I’m at a fun event. My Speed Secret: Drive with the end in mind. I’ll still share free information and new content through Ask Ross posts on SpeedSecrets.com, eBooks, and on YouTube (SpeedSecrets1). Keeping sending in your questions and comments by email. And in the meantime, check out Virtual Track Walks, webinars, chalktalks, and Speed Secrets Weekly. Until next time! Keep learning and having fun. Check out Speed Secrets below! SpeedSecrets.com

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets Podcast, Brian Ghidinelli, founder of Motorsportsreg.com, joins me to talk about how to make a comeback in racing, focusing on the basics – vision, braking, steering, throttle – first, then racecraft and the track, the importance of focusing on one’s own performance and not the lap times or competition, and how competitive nature can interfere with having fun! Brian also shares his personal experience with preparing to compete in the SCCA Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October 2021, and how Hagerty purchasing MotorsportReg.com has impacted Brian’s life. We also get into how the pandemic has impacted the motorsports. Brian’s Speed Secret: You see in your own performance what you want to see or what you can see - you have to get someone else without your filters to help find the details. Check out Brian below! Hagerty.com MotorsportReg.com @ghidinelli When eight-year old Brian was told he would never curl his tongue because it was hereditary, he practiced in front of the mirror for days until he learned. He has stubbornly ignored conventional wisdom since. Brian was the founder of MotorsportReg.com, a CRM, commerce platform, and marketplace that makes it more fun to organize and attend motorsport events. He is currently the Managing Director of Hagerty Motorsports since Hagerty acquired his company in 2019. Behind the screen, he leads a team helping more than 1,300 clubs, racetracks and sanctioning bodies organize, promote and manage 7,000 events annually. Behind the wheel, he is a national racer, championship winner and two-times winner of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race. Previously, Brian co-founded San Francisco design and technology firm VFIVE. Award-winning web work for Macromedia, Yahoo and Billabong led to an acquisition by global agency IconMedialab. He also once played the role of journalist, flying in a Soviet-era helicopter to cover the TransSyberia Rally from Moscow, Russia to Ulaanbataar, Mongolia for SPEEDTV.com. Brian lives near Sonoma Raceway in San Rafael, California with his wife, dog, racecar, motorcycle and shifter kart. He is a dual American-Italian citizen thanks to his Nonno. He serves on the board for Thunderhill Raceway Park.

On this week’s episode of Speed Secrets podcast, my good friend Tom Long joins me to discuss all things driving styles! We uncover what a driving style is, which driving style is the fastest, and different driving styles for RWD vs. FWD vs. AWD; and for aero versus non-aero cars. Tom also dishes on the importance of “hand speed” – the quickness of turning the steering wheel into a corner. Tom’s Speed Secret: It’s all about quality seat time, not just the amount of seat time. Check out Tom below! Facebook: TomLongRacing @TomLongRacing Tom Long is a professional racer, coach, and development driver. As a Mazda Motorsports factory driver, Tom will continue in his role as the lead development driver and series official for the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup series. The role is not a new one to Tom, who has been the lead development driver for Mazda’s Global MX-5 Cup car since its inception. Racing fans can also cheer for Tom in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Series GS GT4 class this season. Tom will also continue coaching clients at road racing tracks throughout North America, helping both driving enthusiasts and racers enhance their skills. Racing is on the schedule for 2021, too: Tom will be competing in the GS GT4 class of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Series.

Mark Martin, owner and runner of W2W race team, joins the podcast to discuss winning strategies and balancing being a team owner and driver. They cover what makes the best endurance drivers, the pros and cons of starting a race team, and the importance of having and listening to a coach.