How naive I was. I figured if I showed up with a hot-rodded hot hatch and my own natural talent, I’d be taking home trophies in no time. Instead I found out I had modified my daily car to the point that it would have to run in a class where it was not only non-competitive, it was also dominated by much cheaper and less “prepared” cars than mine. If I’d had a resource like Dave Gran’s Go Ahead- Take the Wheel my expectations on that blustery April day might have been less fantastic.

Unlike so many other books that focus entirely on driving technique or car preparation, Go Ahead lays a realistic foundation for aspiring road racers by explaining, in clear terms, what it really takes to get out on the track and race. Gran does this by peeling back the shrouds of secrecy and hierarchy inherent to most clubs, essentially inviting the reader on a guest tour of the inner workings of a race weekend.

The real purpose of this book is to give novice drivers all the answers to questions they probably don’t know to ask, and in this goal the author succeeds immensely. Gran covers all the bases, from basic car setup to budgeting for ongoing expenses, even going so far as to discuss sponsorship. And while Go Ahead is aimed primarily at those who dream of becoming a road racer with SCCA, NASA or some other sanctioning body, much of the advice and information is relevant to other forms of motorsport, particularly autocrossing and the ever-more-popular track-day driving events.

Aside from the anecdotal chapters that cover all the major subjects, Gran has also included several useful resources at the end of the book. Key among these is a series of cost worksheets-one for safety equipment, another for the race car, a separate one for tools, and another for annual racing expenses. Since racing is never a truly inexpensive endeavor, he has even included a sample sponsorship proposal to help would-be champions secure some assistance with their costs.

I learned the hard way about the joys of borrowing helmets, the expense of destroying street tires and the nuances of secret fraternities. Luckily, today’s novices can skip these unpleasantries and head to the grid with the kind of knowledge and confidence that I lacked those first few events.

Go Ahead- Take the Wheel- $16.95
Written by Dave Gran
Published by Dragon Publishing
Available online at www.goaheadtakethewheel.com

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Long Gone- 81 Rabbit, 85 GTI, 94 Golf, 84 GTI, 84 GTI Cab, 00 Golf TDI, 90 GTI

I'd like to suggest Ross Bentley's coaching series books, Speed Secrets. They're geared toward competitors more than weekend track drivers or autocrossers, but his mental preparation suggestions may really hit home. I particularly like book number 2 because I've had some seat time and am looking for consistency as well as a trained eye. It's almost as good as having a coach to work with. I'm gaining some insights into car prep too.

"If one does not fail at times, one has not challenged himself." - Ferdinand Porsche

I've read Bentley's speed secrets so why not add to it with another take on it.

A scam? How? It's $17.

Its written by a racer with 100% first hand experence.

Quote, originally posted by yourfatherandhis2uncles »

Looks like a scam

If someone wants to get involved in wheel to wheel road racing, this book is a fantastic resource. Once you have a car and are racing, by all means seek out driver coaching books and other resources to hone your skill. However prior to Dave's book, no one had ever provided such a black and white realistic account of what it really take to go racing.

Your comment is pretty disingenuous, especially when flippantly thrown out with absolutely no reasoning behind the indictment

EDIT - nevermind...didn't realize you were just a troll around here. Hope your stay is short.

Modified by chois at 6:24 AM 4-18-2007

Quote, originally posted by yourfatherandhis2uncles »

Looks like a scam

I'm curious how you made that detrmination. Did you read the book as well and arrive at a different conclusion than I did? Or do you just find it suspicious that someone is actually willing to share some valuable insight with other enthusiasts?

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Long Gone- 81 Rabbit, 85 GTI, 94 Golf, 84 GTI, 84 GTI Cab, 00 Golf TDI, 90 GTI

Quote, originally posted by yourfatherandhis2uncles »

Looks like a scam

I got it! You said that because there's no picture of your car of choice on the cover! Either that, or you have read it and it suggests that your car (whatever it is) isn't a good platform for racing.

Quote, originally posted by patrikman »

A restoration to me is some sort of exorcism/brainwash for a car. /rant.

Scam? Not quite sure how to respond to that one other than my car is the yellow Prelude on the cover and my friend Jake Fisher's is the MR2 next to me. So nope, no scam. You also saw that Bryan works for VMG, right? Oh well.

Thank you again Vortex!

Interested in Autocrossing, High Performance Driving Events or Club Racing?

www.GoAheadTakeTheWheel.com

BUY MY JETTA!