[FUNDAMENTALS] GET UP TO SPEED QUICKLY ON A NEW RACETRACK, PART 3

Follow this four-step plan to get up to speed on quickly on anyone track

Finally, you’re at the racetrack. The logistics are handled, the vehicle is ready, and the homework from parts one and two is complete. It’s time to execute, so let’s jump right into it, starting with the all-important plan.

The plan

1. Track walk

2. First three laps

3. Post-session debriefs

4. Building from one session to the next

Track walk

If a track walk is available, take advantage of it. Whether it’s a track day or a race weekend, actual on-track time is extremely limited. Looking at the environment before turning a wheel at speed provides a massive advantage when you’re trying to get comfortable quickly.

Let’s pause for a second. We’ve all seen videos in which a professional driver or rider leads a track walk and dissects every inch of the circuit. The information may be incredible, but that level of detail, especially on your first visit to a new venue, can also be overwhelming.

Those details are often valuable. It’s just that they’re valuable later. Remembering every seam, line, shift point, and minute detail should not be a priority. First, you need to focus on orientation, structure, and references—fundamental, not incremental, improvements.

What should you be doing on an initial track walk?

1. Confirming corner types

2. Establishing an exit reference or track-out point

3. Identifying the location of the entry apex (hint: work backward from exit reference)

4. Earmarking turn-in references

5. Noting bridge references for elevation changes, blind sections, or places where the next reference disappears

Ultimately, the goal is to build a plan for every inch of the racetrack. At first, your internal map is mostly blank. The track walk begins building that map.

Takeaway

• Knowing the corner type determines which control to prioritize

• Knowing the slow point defines brake release and when you can accelerate

• Using the exit apex as an acceleration point naturally builds direction and force

• Turn-in references establish brake timing, trajectory, and, ultimately, exits

• Bridge references prevent surprises, maintain orientation, and preserve a connection to what comes next

The goal is simple: Remove uncertainty before speed ever enters the equation. To cement the start of your four-step process, write down all of your references on a paper track map.

First lap, first corner, first apex: Author Ken Hill builds force on his out lap aboard his 2025 BMW S 1000 RR at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

First three laps

Here we go. It’s finally time to head out on track. Your heart rate is up, you’re in a new environment, and you’re surrounded by people with hundreds, if not thousands, of laps already in their pocket.

Take a breath, you’ve got this. Here’s what we’re going to do:

1. Build force quickly

2. Scanning = proactive vs. reactive

3. Initial brake and throttle = adjustability

4. Slow points = primary reference

5. Report cards = real-time evaluation

Takeaway

The goal of the first three laps is orientation, force, and references, not a lap time. If those three areas are executed properly, the lap time will be there.

Build force quickly

Maximum speed is not a priority. Rather, you should be telling the vehicle what to do and when to do it. That requires force—acceleration and deceleration load. Without force, the vehicle has little information to offer in return. No meaningful tire load. No suspension movement. No directional control. No feel.

You need enough acceleration to approach the edge of your comfort zone, while understanding that you are planning to use the brakes to offset that acceleration. We are not forcing speed; we are building force progressively and deliberately. We accelerate because we plan to brake. We brake to establish entry speed, direction, and the proper slow point.

And we begin by accelerating from the slow point outward. This is exactly why three-time world champion Freddie Spencer prioritized exits first. Accelerating toward the exit apex naturally builds direction, confidence, load, and orientation all at once, along with being forced to use the brakes for the next corner.

Takeaway

Cruising around at half speed hoping to “figure out the track” wastes valuable time. Building force and load early is essential. Telling the vehicle what to do starts the feedback loop, allowing the fundamentals, references, and feel to come online as quickly as possible. Let’s look at some data graphs to specifically pinpoint these areas.

This AIM data graph highlights three critical elements of the first laps on a new track: 1) Identifying the slow point, which organizes braking, direction, and acceleration; 2) maintaining conservative and deliberate brake pressure to reach the slow point consistently and with adjustability; and 3) building acceleration lap by lap as comfort, references, and confidence improve.

Scanning = proactive vs. reactive

If your eyes are too close to the car or motorcycle, you will constantly feel behind. Every corner is a surprise. That creates hesitation, abrupt inputs, and anxiety. Scanning changes that immediately.

At first, your primary targets are simple: turn-in points, entry apexes, and exit apexes. Establishing these critical references early begins building your internal track map. With them, you have structure. Without them, you are guessing.

Trigger your vision by employing this simple plan: If you are accelerating, think eyes out, scanning for exit apexes, brake markers, and the next section of track. If you are decelerating, think eyes in, scanning for turn-in points, slow points, and entry apexes.

Takeaway

The moment you begin scanning correctly, the environment slows down. You stop reacting to what is happening and start planning for what is going to happen next.

Initial brake and throttle = adjustability

The first 5% of brake pressure and the first 5% of throttle application are critical. Why? Because they create adjustability. Deliberate initial inputs place acceleration and deceleration forces exactly where you want them. Smooth, deliberate inputs create time, feel, and flexibility. Abrupt initial inputs remove options.

A deliberate initial brake application gives you the ability to adjust pressure, timing, and weight transfer while establishing the correct entry speed and trajectory for the corner. A deliberate initial throttle application stabilizes the vehicle, transfers weight, and confirms direction before greater acceleration loads are added.

Let’s look at a zoomed-in graph of a brake and throttle track, highlighting how the initial application works over the first few laps.

Deliberate initial brake application establishes the slow point almost immediately. Light, controlled pressure, combined with proper eye timing and scanning, creates the adjustability needed to consistently arrive at the slow point while confidence and pace build with each lap.

Slow points = primary reference

The slow point is your anchor. If you know the slow point, the rest of the corner begins organizing itself around it:

• Control priority relative to the apex

• Brake-release timing

• Turn-in point

• Lean-angle or steering-angle rate

• Exit direction

Ultimately, you have permission to accelerate. This is why identifying slow points before even venturing onto the track is absolutely critical.

Takeaway

Slow points determine how deeply into the corner to brake and where to begin accelerating.

Report cards = real-time evaluation

If the track has 12 corners, there are 12 opportunities every lap to evaluate how you’re doing. Every lap should answer the following questions:

1. Did I approach the corner by type?

2. Was the slow point where I predicted?

3. How much time did I spend at neutral throttle?

4. Did I feel rushed or surprised?

5. Am I collecting more references?

6. Was I able to reach the optimum brake-release point?

7. Did I accelerate toward the exit apex without control or line or corrections?

These are your report cards. The best riders and drivers in the world are constantly evaluating in real time. Not emotionally. Not through lap time alone. Through references, feel, and objectives.

Post-session debriefs

OK, the first session is complete, and you’re jacked up. That’s completely normal. There’s always a lot happening between sessions: friends talking, setup changes, tire pressures, shift points. Before participating in any of that, write down your initial thoughts as quickly as possible. Here are several examples:

• “Totally lost in turn 3”

• “Late on the throttle for every exit corner”

• “Too much coasting”

• “Couldn’t identify the slow point consistently”

• “Rushed everywhere”

Get it out of your head and onto paper.

Building from one session to the next

If you have data or video, now is the time to review it, with the goal of reconciling what actually happened with the aforementioned report cards. Did the corner type match your expectation? Was the slow point where you predicted? Did your brake-release timing support the exit? Did your initial throttle application stabilize the vehicle or create corrections?

What if you don’t have any data? That’s perfectly fine. You can still replay the lap in your mind and build notes from memory, feel references, and where you felt overloaded, reactive, or uncertain. In many respects, this is exactly how the best drivers and riders begin developing stronger internal awareness.

And yes, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed here. But this is where the process starts working. Writing your notes organically exposes what is actually holding you back—not guesses, not random advice. This information represents real limitations tied to references, timing, and control usage. That becomes the next step.

If your handwritten notes repeatedly mention coasting, you know where to look.
If every problem can be traced to feeling rushed at corner entry, you need to think about where you’re looking. If exits feel inconsistent, you need to investigate slow-point location, brake-release timing, and initial throttle.

One session informs the next. And so on. One report card builds the next objective.
And so on. Lap by lap, the track stops feeling unfamiliar. You’re building that feeling of knowing that you have a clear, executable plan for every inch of pavement.

This graph compares the first lap with the fastest lap. On the latter of the two, higher brake pressure is applied earlier, while maintaining the same brake-release point and slow-point location.

Summary

I know this may initially seem like a lot to consume and digest, but once you’ve gone through the process a few times, it becomes straightforward:

• Understand track dynamics first—corner types, slow-point locations, and the aspect of the track that lasts longest

• Use scanning and eye timing to establish turn-in points, slow points, and apexes

• Build force early—accelerate because you plan to brake

• Use deliberate initial brake and throttle application to create adjustability and timing

• Establish the optimum brake-release point as quickly as possible

• Debrief after every session and take notes tied to report cards, feel references, and objectives

That’s it. Not “just send it,” but a repeatable process. And this is exactly what the best drivers and riders in the world are doing when they arrive at a new track. They are relying on the fundamentals to speed up the learning curve.

What about all those pro tips? As you go through the process, nuance organically starts to reveal itself. Gearing, suspension settings, electronics, line-choice refinements, and fine setup details quickly rise to the surface once the fundamentals are applied consistently.

Until then, most “setup problems” are inconsistencies in placement, timing, vision, or control usage masquerading as mechanical issues. That’s why the best start with fundamentals, not nuances. Details only become valuable once the foundation is stable enough to expose them.

About Ken Hill

Ken Hill is considered the top motorcycle riding coach in the U.S. He bought his first motorcycle at age 30 and began road racing the very same year. Despite the late start, Ken went on to set track records and win class championships before making his professional debut in the AMA Superbike class, where he finished in the top 10 at age 41. Ken’s passion for learning and, ultimately, bettering the sport, led him to retire from racing in 2007 and devote himself full-time to coaching. Learn more at khcoaching.com.