2012 Ultimate Track Car Challenge Winner Mike Skeen Shows You How To Drive
by
Jack Baruth
Published: July 25th, 2012
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A few years ago I got a Civic Si race car around VIR in about 2:12 and I thought I was really doing something, man. Had Mike Skeen been at the track that day, he would have had time to cross the line, stop his car, get out, remove his helmet, and have a short sip of The Kraken Rum Gatorade before I trundled past in my little econocar. We’ll have coverage and highlights from this event tomorrow, but in the meantime, watch this video. It will show you just how fast driving is really done: with economical hand motions, solid control inputs, and an utterly fearless mentality.
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This was mesmerizing. I enjoyed this more than Mora at the Nurburgring. A master at his craft. I'd like to follow up with him in a ZR-1. Wait! No, a Ruff Yellow Bird! Take that "utterly fearless mentality"! No, he'd rock that too. I'm going to watch this critically, break it down, and learn. But, the questions remain: What would Mike have done in the Civic Si, or how would Jack compare in the ZO-6? Mike's better? But by how much... great stuff.
Why is the wheel shaking back and forth in his hands during the tight turns? Feeling for the tire grip? The peak of his turns doesn't seem so smooth at all.
That's more than skill. That's confidence in his ride. I've autocrossed C5 'Vettes, but I've never done a track day in one. This guy has no qualms of dancing his car at -- or just barely past -- the limits of adhesion, and absolute faith in his ride and his abilities as he slides 3500 lbs of 'Vette and driver through the esses at a buck-forty plus. Not an easy thing to do with any big-bore car, but with something as twitchy at the limits as a Corvette that's phenomenal. That's skill AND confidence.
I met Mike Skeen when he was driving Spec E30s with NASA-Southeast a few years ago. Watching him destroy a field of spec cars was testimony to his driving skill. The man is seriously fast in anything you give him.