[Fundamentals] How working with a track map can elevate your on-track performance

While none of us like paperwork, this simple track map exercise pays dividends in safety and laptime on track.

Paperwork. No one really wants to do it, and in amateur motorsports the only paperwork we seem to pay attention to is the receipts for all the stuff we buy. But when we look behind the scenes at the professionals, paperwork is everywhere: download sheets for the crew chief and for the rider, checklists for the mechanics, and, of course, track maps for everyone.

While we all can benefit from using any of these, track maps in particular can play a significant role in improving on-track performance: specifically, the practice of customizing your personal track map.

Before we get into the actual exercise, let’s spell out what we are trying to accomplish. When riding or driving on track, we ideally want our brain engaged in a state of active attention the whole time, meaning that there literally isn’t an inch or second at speed during which we aren’t focused and don’t have a plan. Losing focus — or not knowing where to focus — signifies a gap in technique.