Customer Reviews

Speed Secrets II: More Professional Race Driving Techniques

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's a lot of good info in this book, lots of stuff to provoke thought, and it is presented in a very simple and easy to understand format that communicates the points well - like a military training manual (but with a little more humour)

Unfortunately, it tends to rehash subjects discussed in Speed Secrets and Inner Speed Secrets, which means that the amount of new material (for owners of the other two) is roughly half of what is already a pretty thin book.

Between the three books, there is one outstanding book in there. If Mr Bentley writes another installment (as he threatens to do in this book) I hope he compliles all his books into one big one, adds a couple of new chapters to cover whatever new material he wants to add, and then edits it into a coherent whole.

If you liked Speed Secrets or Inner Speed Secrets, the author's two earlier books with similar titles, you'll enjoy this one too. This takes off where those two books left off and adds a lot more advanced stuff. I've definitely seen the benefits, in terms of both confidence on the track and in my lap times, from applying the techniques in all three of these books. Bentley obviously has spent a lot of time thinking about how to drive a race car, but he's able to convey his insights in a very clear fashion that's easy to understand and fun to read.

I've been a big fan of Ross Bentley's writings since I first read Speed Secrets. Inner Speed Secrets, while more challenging, made a big difference to my racing. Now, Speed Secrts 2 may be his best book yet. It's certainly the most in-depth and detailed book I've read on the subject - and I've read a lot. It's a perfect combination of Bentley's mental and physical approach to racing. While I'm not planning on making a career driving race cars, I now know exactly what it takes to do so. The chapter on the "complete driver" is fasinating, and like he says, it's almost a "job description" for a modern-day professional driver. If I was planning on making a career driving race cars, this is where I'd start. And the last chapter is the best - I must have read and re-read it 20 times now. This is the best driving book written.

The first few chapters didn't tell you much in the way of coaching you to be better. I think 1/4 into the book, the information is very helpful in isolating and working the different components within a practice session towards driving faster (i.e. work on the entry speed, work on the driving line, work on traction sensing, etc...) I gave it 4 stars, because the book could have deleted the first few chapters.

In the second book of the Speed Secret Series, it goes in racing learning more in depth than the first book, it starts with preparing the racer to be a Complete Race Driver, it shows what racers should have, such as Racing Skills, Physical Skills, Career Skills, Marketing Skills, Mental Skills and Testing Skills.
Also it talks in depth about car preparing and learning new driving techniques and tricks.

All of Speed Secrets Books are well written and easy to be understood by new racers.

I recommend reading the first Speed Secrets Book, then practice the techniques in test days and real races, after the driver understand the book well, he should get the second book to learn more about racing gradually.

I've just finished reading the very best driving book ever - Speed Secrets 2. While all the other books I've read (and that's just about all of them) are useful for drivers just beginning, this book is great for drivers like me - I've been racing for 9 years. It's made me think about my driving in a way I've never done before.

This is the second level of "Speed Secrets". Read the first level first to cover the all-important basics on driving. Do not think you know them all, you will be surprised how much there is covered in the first edition. The techniques will help you become a better driver even in daily traffic. It talks about skid pad time for controlling drift along with concepts and graphics on brake points, weight distribution and cornering. You will outrun the cops in a Dodge Neon :-) Did I just say that out loud?

This is a great book for a newb autocrosser like me. I read it after Henry Watts' book and Mr. Bentley does a great job of going even further with the concepts in the Watts book. This book presents the sport as a thinking person's game, which it is. I recommend it to anyone getting into this sport.

The book is absolutely great. Explanations are given in a very friendly way and are thorough. The book helps you relating physical aspects of the car and track to the way you drive. So, you better understand the behaviour of the car and what you should do in order to balance it, and, as a result, you lower your laptimes and drive more consistently.

Highly recommended.

Reading this book makes you realize how much auto racing is really allegory for life.