Skaifey (the book)

An excellent read. One passage that stands out to me is at the start and describes exactly how I view my motor racing, both real life and in Forza:

"You get to the point where you actually scare yourself, and sometimes you get it spot on, other times you could have gone a metre deeper or you needed to be a metre shorter even if you haven't gone off. There is absolutely only one person who will know what went on, no data will show what you felt.

Qualifying in the rain at New Zealand's Pukekohe track in 2004 was on of those times we got away with it. We had a shithouse engine and it rained, so our eyes lit up - we thought we were back in it because in motorsport if it rains it can often take some of the engine power dramas away and this was one of those days. I was fastest in qualifying and Marcos Ambrose was out before me in the shootout and he did a ripper lap. I went out on my run and it was pissing down. I arrived at turn one - which is 5th in the dry and maybe 240kph - and there were massive puddles of standing water. I turned in and it just bolted on me. It's a big fast right-hand corner, hard on the thorttle with full opposite lock and I speedwayed my way around it because there was no way I was going to give up that easily on the first corner of a qualifying lap.

We made it through there and the chicane to get onto the back straight, and the whole way down the back straight, while aquaplaning, you're trying to work out where you're going to brake. You've got no possible idea because you don't know how much tyre grip there is or how wet it is down there because you haven't fired at that corner in anger for more than an hour.

So I went blazing down there pulling grears up to 260kph and I remember when I put my foot on the brake the wheels locked - and when the wheels lock in the rain the engine turns off; it goes silent because the tyres just slide over the wet road. The whole way in I was modulating the brake trying to make the corner, and by the time I got to the point where I needed to turn the car it was bordering on gone, but I let go of the clutch and the brake and it turned and made the apex and fired straight out of the corner. I couldn't believe it. I could have had a hundred goes and wouldn't have got in that good.

When you're driving really well, all that just happens in slow motion. The wheels are locked and the car's sliding, you're gathering up and gathering up, you know the corner's coming so you try to predict the retardation to a point where you say, I've got it slow enough now so I can turn the corner. The amount of decision-making in a short space of time is just incredible. So you've done that corner - phew, unbelievable. But then you've got to get it out of the corner, you've got to put your foot on the throttle and you don't know how much wheel spin you're going to get, you don't know hot much grip you've got. Then it's nice and gentle gear change and get out of the corner, and then the two fastest corners to finish the lap off. I remember the tyres at the apex ofn the first of those quick corners and thinking if I turned it in and slid it, by the time I got there I'd miss the tyre bundle, and it worked perfectly. Honestly, another coat of paint woudl have been enough to have hit the tyres. We got pole by a hundredth of a second, I think, and I remember that lap was absolutely the best I could have possibly driven that car ont he day."

It's balls out, point the car where you want to go and hope you come close to making it, and if you don't make it, better hope you're not too far off. I've often got a wheel or 2 locked on corner entry on my quickest laps, regain control, turn in, hit the apex and hard on the throttle on exit. You just know when you've got it right and you look forward to the next corner to do it all again.

I've got Craig Lowndes' book on order. He's by far my favourite driver and I reckon way more balls out than Skaife. Looking forward to receiving it this week

interesting passage i must get the book and have a good read.
I remeber that race and the qualifying session. it was a wild ride watching it

Skaife is a 120% kind of driver. I remember and interview with Skaife just after Brock was killed in the west targa and they asked him about would he ever do a targa event. He kind of laughed and said that he spoke to Brock and Jim Richards about competing in one and they both told him that he should never do a Targa rally. the reason they gave was you only can drive at 80-90% in those and they both knew he drove at 120% He would kill him self.

Londes book should be good to..

I've only ever driven real race cars on dirt and my experience is it's difficult to drive at anything remotely near 100% in real life. Many times my head has hit the roof on public streets or the car has felt so wide I don't know how I caught it. I already feel like I'm driving a wild ride at about 80%. Self belief will improve that such as my brother who beats 4wd cars in his 2wd Escort. I'm not scared of dying, it's more about "how much is this gonna hurt." We'll see how things go when I start taking him on in my RX-7.

Forza lifts me to what I consider the top of my game when I run my quickest laps but I'm not holding my life in my hands at that point.

great passage from Skaifeys book, very cool.
Ive only read Brockys books and some are priceless, the way he words them are on a reader level not from a top line driver to audience kinda level, well worth the read.

I will get Lowndes bio when it comes out as i think that will also be a fantastic read.

I only read bio's not sure why, but mostly there are of ex baseballers (Joe Dimaggio, Ted Williams, Kirby Puckett, Ty Cobb amongst a few others, no surprises you'll prob say who the hell are they cept prob Joey D)
But the best one ive ever read and got the most out of is easily Michael Jordons, now that guy is just success on legs.
The one i read was about his business and his basketball and how they both interact, a really awesome view into his world.

I think Lowndsy will be very similar, as he seems to have success everywhere, albeit a little spaced out atm, he does it with the right attitude and has fun the whole time.

Pretty much my philosophy for Forza as well, just im a little more unsuccessful with it hahhaaa

It's balls out, point the car where you want to go and hope you come close to making it, and if you don't make it, better hope you're not too far off. I've often got a wheel or 2 locked on corner entry on my quickest laps, regain control, turn in, hit the apex and hard on the throttle on exit. You just know when you've got it right and you look forward to the next corner to do it all again.

Nice work Okrad