Basic Skillz: The Party Line

From a discussion on NCEuro where the initial poster asked; "What is the party line?" and several folks took a shot at the answer.

EvanM5 wrote in answer: "I'm pretty sure what people mean by that is the standard line, or HPDE line. The one that everyone uses/teaches." Correct.

EvanM5 also wrote: "... the "party line" doesn't really do more than scratch the surface of understanding your way around a track..."

I respectfully disagree.

The "party line" is the basis for establishing a performance benchmark for car positioning from which to progress, but only after achieving a basic level of core competence by following that line perfectly, lap after lap, weekend after weekend. Instead of "scratching the surface," it is one of the fundamental tools in learning how to going fast.

In fact, I see very little difference at the highest level of professional road racing, no matter what the car, between lines that the BEST, PAID drivers take. Yes, there are a million different line choices, but if you look at the top three or four in each class there is almost no difference. I have NEVER seen a winning, professional driver (not a "seat-buyer" but a PAID professional like Andy Wallace, James Weaver, Scott Pruett or Boris Said) take the "tight" line through T2 at VIR, just doesn't happen.

My coaching and instruction business is going crazy because people are tired of the non-scientific, seat-of-the-pants, whispered-to-the-student "do you want to know the real fast way around here?" self-aggrandizing pap from a large majority of self-important newbie "instructors."

My clients (and all serious students of the sport) want to know the proper way around the race track so they can focus on the more important things like when and how to let off the brakes, how to make the car rotate and do more of the work, how to analyze and prioritize effective complex corner combinations for the best possible sector times and how to use data acquisition to quantify performance improvement.

I think a lot of people that look to pooh-pooh the "party line" can't see the forest for the trees and more importantly, aren't disciplined enough themselves to drive ANY line consistently enough to evaluate the very changes they advocate from that "party line." Take a look at the intelligent, thinking and effective drivers that have progressed from HPDE's to successful Pro racing, specifically BimmerWorld's Seth Thomas.

Seth doesn't screw around at all. He devotes deep thought and critical analysis of the geometry, topography and data collected during practice to establish the proper line, then clicks off laps like a metronome, same place on the track ALL the time.

That's what we all should strive for. That kind of consistency. Our own "party line."