Traffic & Chill: Track Days for Livestreaming
Jakenbake has taken up the hobby of high performance driving events at tracks local to Southern California, racers beware. This live streamer is so hard up to hit lap times he’s been chatting up with his followers that safety has taken a back seat to bravado. Their bet table on if he makes a 2:04 lap time may be the catalyst pushing disaster. Really, don’t do that, just hit your marks.
(video version of this story)
It’s not like any of us haven’t experienced frustration when stuck behind slower traffic on a track day or just any old day on an average freeway, but it’s Jakenbake’s reactions that indicate his lack of understanding about motorsports etiquette. Don’t get me wrong, we like Car Andys but they should remind themselves that they’re still a beginner and perhaps track groups have been designated for a purpose beyond their knowledge. That also rules can exist for a reason despite their lack of understanding why.
Exasperated with frustration isn’t the emotional state most conducive for racing. If Jake were truly practicing to be a better racer, he would be focused on his own performance and not pointing out every flaw he thinks he finds in other drivers. It’s exactly tirades like the streamers that mark a “bad attitude” to professionals in a program meant for training young athletes. Had engineers overheard such a temper tantrum it might be his last on the team. For aspiring racer Twitch fans, it’s not an example you want to follow.
What impulsive fits like this one show is resistance to accept that not every race day will be the conditions you wanted. But that’s what makes it a good learning opportunity. You can imagine how a track director is going to see this if it’s their job to ensure all racers go home without injury. Can you say with a straight face it’s more important to get a 2:04 in a Civic Type R today, or is it more important to go home alive? For that reason, this one belongs in #LiveStreamFails.
It’s even right there in Wiki on Google, for everyone to read. This basic is no different no matter where you go. “HPDE events are not racing. Cars on-track operate under strict “rules of engagement” which minimize the likelihood of dangerous encounters with other cars.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Performance_Driver_Education
Emotional taxation, frustration from drivers in front of you, just adds to the cognitive processing the brain must do to successfully calculate corners at high speeds. Being unable to control one’s own ego during even something as casual as a track day session is a significant sign that any real ability is being impaired by emotion. Maximizing performance can only be achieved if cognitive tasks are not derailed by other thought processes including intrusive thoughts from stressful life situations. If Jake were in a racer’s frame of mind, chatters wouldn’t matter and neither would the traffic. His mind should be focused on hitting all the correct lines, his braking points and carrying more rolling speed through a corner rather than barking about another driver who has gone off the track. Just note the yellow and the position of the car, look for anyone outside the car and prepare for an unsafe situation. It doesn’t mean get pissy and complain about lap times.
It would actually be more educational and more helpful to an audience to learn about what he’s doing as well. Perhaps instead of pointing out other driver’s flaws he could talk about the weaknesses he’s working on and how he’s improving them through methods, so followers can see the learning process instead of just ego. Sincerely hoping he will consider this future content potential with his track days because the example being put on is one all HPDE participants have to fear. The best he can do is whip out ageism to justify his argument. Probably not the best response. Everyone has bad days and I totally have faith Jake can do better.
The edge to taking that extra few seconds off a lap time is keeping one’s chill.
We all love to go fast, but not at the cost of what’s really important.
