9-20-2006 - Forget everything you knew about race driving

Driving a 850 HP dirt car is completely backwards to driving a Daytona Prototype

Chatsworth GA - To go fast, slide sideways, be aggressive, pitch the car around, don't worry about your line, squeeze the brake soft then increase the pressure into the corner, lift off quick to make the front grip, and never get to full throttle..........instructions how not to drive a race car?  No how to drive a 850 HP dirt late model fast!

Click picture above for a video of Colin driving this car at night

Colin had about 45 laps at North Georgia Speedway today in this beast of a car as phase 2 of the GM Racing evaluation test.  Colin was able to adapt to the car quick and ran good times compared to the other drivers.  Some of the drivers competed last weekend on the track in the same type cars as used in the test. 

Colin loved the chance to drive the car and really picked up the backwards style of driving.  He said the car moved around so much and had so much HP that everything was super exaggerated.  After about 10 laps he figured out that all the training and practice he has had in his racing career was not only no help but a disadvantage.   

In the end the people from Richard Childress Racing were very impressed with Colin's run and surprised how he adapted to the completely different car.  Having lap times within 0.1 seconds of the regular driver of the car may of helped that opinion.