Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving

As many have stated this book has all the knowledge any racer would possibly need. Nothing in this book is to difficult to understand and is geared towards the beginner looking to go pro. If you truly believe you are relatively knowledgeable in chassis tuning and racing edict then a lot of this will be redundant to what you already know. But i find it useful as i have a few friends that are casual spirited drivers that always ask me questions about driving technique that i can't always break down in the most fundamental way. But every answer that i couldn't explain, i was able to pin point the exact Q and A in this book that would solve our discussions. The next thing is finding answers to chassis tuning problems one does not fully grasp while making modifications. On my quest to improving my cars i thought i knew what modifications would be best, only to find out what i wanted didn't always translate well to the road, even when the parts i purchased were premium parts. This book helped me figure out why certain changes didn't turn out as i planned and i was able to fix my tuning course accordingly. Note- It is best suited to look at this as a index guide not a book to read page to page. The explanations for certain topics are not in order and has bits of each subject explained over multiple chapters. If you are looking for an answer, you probably won't find it under one chapter. Lastly - I no way should you assume simply because you have the knowledge in your brain that you will already drive better. Practice..Practice and practice some more (as with everything in life). You can read about late apex'ing all day long. Not until you actually go out and practice it over a variety of turns will you actually start to grasp what you know.

A number of years ago Ross Bentley wrote some shot books on different elements of driving racecars fast on a track. The Ultimate Speed Secrets is a complete book that encompasses all of his previous books, follows a precise and understandable sequence and includes learning's he has had since the publication of the previous books. As a new entrant into driving a street car on a race track a few times a year, this was an excellent book for me. Ross breaks down the basic elements from how to position yourself at the controls, how to "read" a track for the "ideal" line, how to approach cornering, entering the corner, the middle of the corner, exiting the corner and the dynamics of the suspension and handling characteristics of a race car. For those people beginning a career in racing on dirt, ovals or road courses, this is an excellent resource. For those weekend racers or occasional track day drivers, it is also excellent and will certainly improve your lap times. For the professional, this would perhaps be a nice refresher and reference book for continuous improvement.

This is a great book on high performance and race driving. I've participated in about a dozen HPDE's (High Performance Driving Event) with amazing and knowledgeable instructors. I learned a ton at all of the HPDE's and got to practice some of what is discussed in this book. However, I learned more about the physics, techniques, explanations and secrets to driving fast within the first 150 or so pages of this book than I did at all those events combined. That statement isn't to diminish how much I learned either from my drivers at these HPDE's. There is very little substitute for getting behind the wheel and feeling and practicing all this book discusses but it gives you all the knowledge you need in order to KNOW how to be a faster and safer driver. I think the instructors in the one or two-day events I go to can only cover so much and can only get so deep into the specifics of what this book discusses. Digging deeper into all the physics of driving on the edge and how that applies to your available inputs (steering, braking, accelerating) is extremely helpful. I look forward to reading the remainder of the book but if I only had the first 150 pages I feel like I already got more than my money's worth from this book hence the early review.

I like this book as it has given me some great insights into racing and how the cars are setup (from more of a starting point). Your car needs to be setup per your driving skills and the car's natural tendencies. I very briefly raced Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic and Formula Fiat when I was 18 to 22. I was no where near a true pro level of racer and did it just for the pure thrill of it. Had I sought out a driving coach as the book mentions or had books like this when I started, the experience would have been so much better. Maybe I could have won a few. This is a good read and it has helped me with some hobbyist seat time. Worth the price.

I ordered a used book and it’s practically brand new, I was recommended the book by many and I can see why, Mr. Bentley explains complex topics in a very understandable way, highly recommended!

I began autocrossing in 2016 as part of my cancer awareness outreach program. In 2017 I started participating in SCCA Track Night events on race tracks and this year (2019) drove in the first event of the SCCA's 2019 National Time Trail tour. I drive more to have fun and test my own personal limits rather than trying to win. I compete with my daily driver, which is a Miata MX-5. Not wanting to spend the money to attend a full-scale race training program, I purchased Speed Secrets. I'm now in the process of reading it the second time. This book is brimming with knowledge and insights that will help anyone improve their skills. I've created my personal pre-event checklist based on the insights in this book.

Muy bien

Super intéressant, couvre les bases de la conduite, très bien illustré et écriture agréable

Un libro fantastico. Premetto che non guido nella realtà se non per qualche giro sui kart (seppur abbia il sogno di diventare un pilota di auto da corsa professionista). Tuttavia da assiduo giocatore di simulatori di guida (con con volante e pedaliera g29). Ero arrivato ad un punto in cui non riuscivo più a migliorarmi; e cercando un po’ dei libri sulla guida mi sono imbattuto in questo prodotto. Ancora non ho finito di leggerlo. Ho solo affrontato le tematiche principali che mi interessavano; ma credo che debbano essere lette tutte le pagine (ed è ciò che farò). È un libro che ti da importanti nozioni sulla guida. E seppur banali te ne spiega la reale importanza. Inoltre non manca di aggiungere qualche aneddoto di qualche pilota famoso, allo scopo di alleggerire la lettura (e non farla pesare a una palla di teoria) e fornirti esempi pratici. È scritta in inglese, ma è abbastanza basilare. Ovviamente dovrete conoscere un minimo di parole tecniche in inglese. Non mancano le immagini per renderti più facile comprendere la teoria. Un consiglio che voglio darvi nel caso foste degli aspiranti simdriver: leggete il libro come fosse un classico libro di matematica. Vi studiate/leggete la teoria, guardate gli esempi/immagini che vi fornisce per capire il tutto al meglio, e alla fine come “compito per casa” applicate quello che avete imparato direttamente alla play/pc. Ma fatelo volta per volta, senza raccogliere tutto ciò che avete letto e poi applicare tutte insieme. Metabolizzate ogni singolo consiglio fino a che non diventi automatizzato, quasi naturale. Tornando alla recensione, il libro mi è stato davvero d’aiuto: l’autore del libro è un istruttore per aspiranti piloti ed è uno che ha avuto la fortuna di poter osservare da vicino la guida di alcuni dei migliori piloti di F1, notandone i difetti e i pregi. E ha raccolto tutta la sua esperienza e conoscenza in questo libro. È indirizzato a degli aspiranti piloti reali ma penso che chiunque affiliato col simracing e i simulatori di guida possa trarne un importante aiuto

The title made me pretty skeptical. It sounded like those books which promises you to change your life in 10 steps. But the author is awesome. He is not even super experienced in racing. No he is experienced in teaching racing. I bought that book mainly because I started SimRacing at the PC. And I mentioned that I am very weak because I had literally no driving technique. Before I read the book I thought I knew a lot of finding the right racing line. That was my strenght. But he showed me the real secrets of the perfect racing line. How I can adjust it, how I can find the line, what my priorities should be. But the book grants you everything you need to know. Pedaltechniques, Physical mechanics etc etc. Even though I am not a native english speaker the language was pretty easy to understand. One of the best things you can find in this book is, that the author bores you never. You never read sites over sites with dry theory. From time to time he tells you a small story about his life at the track. And sometimes you understand quotes of driver like Mario Andretti. This is not only a book. It is the racing bible!

Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving by Ross Bentley is a comprehensive guide for both novice and professional drivers. It covers a wide range of topics, including: Choosing the correct line Overtaking maneuvers Adapting to new tracks and cars The mental game and dealing with adversity Finding (and keeping) a sponsor The book is filled with practical tips and techniques to help you lower your lap times and get the best out of your vehicle and yourself. It's a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their driving skills.