SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/501768
so is one's method of thinking about the course and the race. For Stewart, this involves pre- running, thinking about the race course, planning, and most importantly, articulating the entire process in concise verbal phrases. This process is quite possibly the way Stewart was able to make a thousand decisions per mile while driving in the actual race. According to Stewart, anyone who was pre- running in the same vehicle was all ears, and his teammates already knew these lessons from spending so much time with him. "On the pre-run for example, I would point out a huge bush right alongside the race course, and let everybody know that bushes like that could be hiding a race-ending boulder. So I would tell them to stay clear," he said. Being able to point out features in the desert, like a stream crossing visible only because of the foliage, would help him paint a mental picture of the course and allow him to avoid a potential hazard during the race. REMAIN RELAXED AND DON'T DRIVE OVER YOUR ABILITIES Staying relaxed, is another key element that Stewart can recommend to any off-road racer. "If the driver is stiff, tense, and using a lot of energy, he will become tired much earlier," says Stewart. "I always thought I had an advantage just because I could really relax and have fun while off-road racing." Stewart also points out that a race driver should never drive over his head. "Too much machine, too much horsepower, and too little experience would surely lead to trouble. Driving over your head, simply means you are out of control and making mistakes. This happens when you are driving too fast for your ability, or when your vehicle is not set up properly," he said. "You should know when you are out of control. If so, just slow down." DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR TIRES ARE? Just as important to knowing the level of your abilities, Stewart also points out that it's important to know where the contact patch of each tire was engaged with the terrain at all times. "Always knowing where the tires are exactly, is extremely important. Because the tire is typically the weak link in off-road racing. The sidewall is the weakest part of the tire, so you must avoid cutting the sidewall on a rock, stump, etc.," says Stewart. "When I was racing a lot, I learned to avoid hitting a rock at 80 MPH by two inches. When you're tired of changing tires that have a cut in the sidewall because you hit a rock, you get much better at knowing where the tires are on the road." Stewart says he knew the race vehicle so well that, for example, when the steering wheel was rotated to the left, even 20-degrees, he could determine how that motion would transfer vehicle weight onto the right front tire and off-load the weight from the left rear tire. The dynamics of how the race vehicle would behave under any number of driver inputs, either through steering, braking, and throttle responses is key information important to any driver and team. SJ ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPRESSIONS ANYONE GETS FROM SPEAKING TO STEWART, IS THAT REGARDLESS OF HIS TALENT AND SKILL AS A DESERT RACER, IF IT WASN'T ANY FUN, HE'D BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE. 070 SCORE JOURNAL