no skill required to drive a road/street course race?!

[indyracefan]

To those who believe there's no skill involved to drive a road/street-course race, or that's it's easy spend an hour and watch this video. Granted it's not an IndyCar but the overall effect is very similar to an IndyCar. Watch his hand & head movement, listen to the acceleration & braking, watch the car twitching & sliding through the corners always 'on-the-edge' and the driver control required.

[Bombardier R142]

Who has ever said there's no skill in road and street courses? I've heard many similar statements about ovals, but the skill set involved in R/S racing seems to be pretty much agreed upon.

[Justhalc]

Who has ever said there's no skill in road and street courses? I've heard many similar statements about ovals, but the skill set involved in R/S racing seems to be pretty much agreed upon.

Agreed, I've never heard anyone say that

[vintage]

He's driving an Atlantic car, not an FIL car. Agree with previous poster, no one ever says it doesn't take skill to drive - were you just looking for an excuse to post this video?

[Ydawg]

Yep - after watching the first 10 minutes, I am convinced that Juan's grandmother
could definitely do that. BTW - nice video. Not sure where you are coming from
though with the post title.

[mdkiel]

Watch his hand & head movement, listen to the acceleration & braking, watch the car twitching & sliding through the corners always 'on-the-edge' and the driver control required.

Not to mention the dexterity needed to pull off a well executed fist-bump!

[SnakePitLounge]

Only skilled trace track is a dirt oval

[Spike]

Only skilled trace track is a dirt oval

"Trace track?" Speaking of skill.

That aside, is it the track that has the skill, or the driver?

[Spike]

Not to mention the dexterity needed to pull off a well executed fist-bump!

Now that is an important skill.

Never underestimate the impact of the coolness factor.

[AFColt]

Pretty awesome video!

[JMFVET]

Great video. I agree the premise of the string is a bit lame but there is one telling item related to skill. This car had a manual transmission!

I know that the paddle shift transmission is faster but the need to clutch, brake, accelerate and shift in unison is a skill that is missed in all OW racing as far as I am concerned. Paddles are convenient and fun and fast, but the more things the driver has to do the more opportunities for small mistakes turning into big passes. F1 is and wants to be the pinnacle of all racing technology. I am fine with that. I would like IndyCar to mandate manual transmissions. Is it lower tech, yes. Is it better racing from viewer standpoint and for driver challenges, I again say yes. In know it will never happen but a man can wish.

[Spike]

Great video. I agree the premise of the string is a bit lame but there is one telling item related to skill. This car had a manual transmission!

A manual, yes, but remember it is a sequential manual (pull to shift up, push to shift down) and you don't use the clutch once you get rolling.

[vintage]

the only difference with the operation of the two transmissions - IndyCar and Atlantic - is using the paddles to shift vs. using the stick. It might cause a bit more trouble to have to take the right hand off the wheel to shift, but not much. Otherwise I believe it's the same clutchless no-lift shift.

[JMFVET]

the only difference with the operation of the two transmissions - IndyCar and Atlantic - is using the paddles to shift vs. using the stick. It might cause a bit more trouble to have to take the right hand off the wheel to shift, but not much. Otherwise I believe it's the same clutchless no-lift shift.

My mistake. I thought Atlantics had a conventional manual. That said, even just taking their hand of the wheel offers a tiny opportunity for error by one driver and opportunity for another. A real manual would IMHO be the best for all INDYCAR series, top to bottom.

[Spike]

Don't forget that even in a "conventional manual" (a straight-cut, non-synchro, dog ring gearbox - like a Hewland, or Staffs, or whatever) you don't use the clutch once you are rolling. You still lift off the throttle ever-so-slightly on upshifts and match revs on downshifts but you don't touch the clutch pedal.