What makes a good Co-Driver

[Blanco]

Just wondering what you actually race'r look for from a co-dog?

& what you co-dogs make you think your a Good one?

I know some drivers want lots of input & others dont. :confused:

[navman]

It takes nurves of steel. You have to put YOUR life in the driver hand's.
Can you do that?

[jonnyslick]

someone that doesn't get motion sick...

[chupakabras]

i'm a driver but also a co driver, so, i expect no less that what i do when co driving, you expect from a co not to be just a passanger, when driving your always making decisions, every second, so as a driver you can't distract on anything else, the co d, has to be reading the gps or course notes or what ever you have, and also has to be reading all the gauges posible , every time, and giving a thumbs up to the driver, you know, giving a stop or go, the co d has to take care of everything else that the driver can't do while driving, .. i have seen many in car cameras from others racers and they show the co d as a passanger, w.t.hell, come on, the ideal co d could look like the videos of the WRC rally, those guys really do their homework, that's a good co driver.

[navman]

The co-d has to stay cool and well rested so he can change that big ass tire when the DRIVER it's that big ass rock. That co-d did not see because his head is up gps or in notes or watching gauges or radioing crew. GEEE must be nice to just sit and drive.

[Blanco]

:eek: Wow!!! the more I watch the WRC Rally racing I see how awsome a Co-Dog can be giving you all the info you might need! http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/awesome_dude.gif

[DesertRat]

When i co-drove for a 5/1600 this is what the driver told me:

1.One eye always on the gauges
2.one eye always on rearview mirror
3.Honk slow cars out of the way
4.Know where every tool is in the car
5.keep an eye for a faster line.

[Blanco]

How about the 1st time you ever Co-drove?
any stories? http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/16.gif

Did you get many pratice runs to learn your job?
or did you just jump in during a race sorta clueless & learned as you went? :eek:

[retroblazer]

Looks like everybody else has covered the bases pretty well. Who ever is driving is going to tell you how much they want you to talk. One important element of having another set of eyes in the truck is when cresting hills with turns. A lot of times its hard for the driver to know what's going on on the passenger's side of the truck. So I like to have my codog tell me that I'm clear on his side or that there are things that I need to be careful about, like big sharp rocks. In general, keep conversation to a minimum. I know that'll be be tough for you Cam:D

[Blanco]

In general, keep conversation to a minimum. I know that'll be be tough for you Cam:D

http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/censor.gif

[fj40]

How about the 1st time you ever Co-drove?
any stories? http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/16.gif

Did you get many pratice runs to learn your job?
or did you just jump in during a race sorta clueless & learned as you went? :eek:

First time ever co-doggin in a friends 5-1600, I was doing "LA LOTERIA".... the rock, the three, the jump, the whoops, the car, another rock..... half way in too my shift, he nodded with is head and disconnected his side off the intercom, I got the message.

[Blanco]

So in other words you were talking too much like raffo said? :confused:

I know 1 day I went to plaster city with Rodd Fantelli & we were flying in his Class 8 truck & once I got comfortable riding in passenger seat I I started up some small talk & he said " CAM! I sorta busy right now!" http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/paperbag.gif

[OldStroppeTeam]

So in other words you were talking too much like raffo said? :confused:

I know 1 day I went to plaster city with Rodd Fantelli & we were flying in his Class 8 truck & once I got comfortable riding in passenger seat I I started up some small talk & he said " CAM! I sorta busy right now!" http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/paperbag.gif

Co dog duties covered pretty well as listed above. As for the talking.... When I ride with the Pikes, Gale doesn't even have the intercom in his helmet, so I shout when I need to tell him something. Noah doesn't like much talk , but he appreciates occasional directions and encouragement. Matt love to talk about anything and everything, with occasional interuptions for stuff like terrrain and oh maybe traffic.... Every driver is different, you just have to find the balance..

[AngerIssues]

thought I posted, but I don't see it. My connection has been spotty :p


Anyway I'll start with a funny story: Don't eat beans the night before the race. I'm unusually "bad" in that department, even Cam can attest after one pre-run!

So: co-driving with Mike Coleman one time (7s, I think)... I was really bad. Mike was getting so pissed off at me, he kept yelling at me to stop. Well in a very long race, ya can't just hold 'em ALL! So anyway, when it was one-to-many, he got tired of it and SMACKED me with the back of his hand. Unfortunately, he hit is knuckle HARD on the metal strap adjuster - this made him even more angry!! :mad: I swear to God he was going to stop the truck and make me get out and WALK. I promised to try to hold 'em, and somehow got to the end of my section. It was damn funny, in my opinion.


OK: I expect the co-dawg to:

1) DO: watch the gauges, 'cause I won't be. Oil pressure, temp, etc. I don't want constant details, just "gauges are ok", temp is good, etc. If I want specifics I'll ask for it, but it's good to know you are looking at them occassionally.

2) DO: especially in a LAP race or if there are faster cars out there with us (Laughlin, for example - gulp). When you are getting passed by class 8, or others, you expect co-dude to be looking. Frankly, with my mirror for some reason, I hear the cars come up behind me before the co-dude seems them. I think I need a bigger mirror. I don't like getting hit from behind and I like to be courteous.

3) DO: Raffo brings a GREAT point about those rises in the road, especially right-hand turns on the other side of the rise. Seeing the correct direction to go, especially in the slow, rough, creepy sections, can be tough. If the co-dude can look out his window or any other method to see where the hell course is, that helps. When going fast in curvy sections with lots of trees, the co-driver will also have a better view of the course sooner during sweeping left-hand turns. Once at Caliente I asked my co-driver to comment as to what he saw coming around the corners, because I was hugging the inside path, and there were huge trees. "goes straight", or "tightens", or whatever. I was a fun fast section and we were hauling fanny!

4) Lines/rocks: I have to admit, it's pretty rare for a co-dawg to point out something I don't see. It does happen, but just pointing out "rock", or "tree" isn't really a big help. If you see something not obvious, it's ok to say "got that rock", or "see that car stopped ahead"? Better safe than sorry. Sometimes the driver gets so caught up in looking at the terrain, he might not be looking 200 yards ahead and see something important. Chris Curtis has a great story about Mike Coleman at the Vegas 1000 I think it was. They were on a VERY fast long straight road that was WELL marked with a turnoff to another road coming up ahead. Chris was SO SURE it Mike had it, he didn't say a word. turn in a 1/4 mile, turn in a 100 yards, turn NOW. Mike didn't flinch and just blew through the turn at full speed, continuing on down the road! Chris was like "woah dude, where the heck are YOU going"? Too funny. Anyway, good lines and rocks need to be somewhat "unobvious" to call 'em out, in my opinion.

5) DONTS!! Don't start giving thumbs up to everyone you see. My god that is distracting! DONT yell "YAHOOOOOO" when going over a jump! not good! Try NOT to cough or yell into the mike. Remember at a pit, if you yell to someone for a water or whatever, you just blew the ears off the driver or vice-versa. Don't eat beans (wait, we covered that).

6) radio - huge. Call out every mile marker you see, at least on MY team. Don't assume people aren't hearing you even if you don't get a response. My guys LOVE to hear mile-markers and any other info you can provide. Talk slow and say the numbers like one-five-one (not one-fifty-one). Remember that, depending on the intercom, the driver won't hear what you transmit, so if you say something really important, like "we just lost oil pressure", the driver didn't hear that!!:eek: Try not to strike up a major conversation on the radio.

7) advice: don't be afraid to tell the driver your thoughts on his driving versus the "game plan". If he says he is going to take it easy the first 50 miles, but is out there plowing the front-end, getting air, or flat scaring the crap out of you, remind him of the game-plan. Remind him... to finish first, you must first finish. I will admit I get very RACEY at times. In my opinion I THREW away the win at the Baja 250 because I got impatient with the 7s in front of me, and was annoyed with his dust and his slowness in the silt. How stupid of me. Had I waited, there were LOTS of places to pull over, plus... we were pitting at Valle T anyway. With 100 miles still to go, why take a chance? This would have been a GREAT time for someone to say "cool it ken".. back off, take your time, wait for a better spot - DON'T REAR-END HIM WHEN HE JAMS ON THE BRAKES AND CRASH YOURSELF OUT... stuff like that!! he he.

sorry for the long post. enough for now!




I guess that is about it.

[Blanco]

Thanks for the Input, ken.
Lots of good info...

Diet a is good point besides farting you Driver/Co-Driver to the point of puking, I suppose you should think the night before about whats likely to give the runs or whats gonna make you really have to piss or what ever.. http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/humm_smilie.gif

So why with an open cockpit like the racers have would Farts be such an issue? http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/187857/fullsize/fart.gif
It not like in a street legal Pre-Runner that has windows & a top etc...

I'm assuming it has to do with the pumpers system.. :confused:

[roaringrory]

Some racers wear diapers and I even heard some wear catheters in the baja 1000. :eek:

[fj40]

thought I posted, but I don't see it. My connection has been spotty :p


Anyway I'll start with a funny story: Don't eat beans the night before the race. I'm unusually "bad" in that department, even Cam can attest after one pre-run!

We could start a new thread for this!!!
Nice info Ken, thanks.

[AngerIssues]

So why with an open cockpit like the racers have would Farts be such an issue? http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/187857/fullsize/fart.gif
It not like in a street legal Pre-Runner that has windows & a top etc...

I'm assuming it has to do with the pumpers system.. :confused:


1) some guys really stink worse than others! :D

2) ya, the parker pumper pushes any smells right into your helmet, and depending on where it's mounted, it can be interesting!:mad:

[BajaBronco13]

ya, the parker pumper pushes any smells right into your helmet, and depending on where it's mounted, it can be interesting!:mad:

Wouldn't this be referred to as a Dutch Oven? :D

[wiley-moeracing]

One other thing that helps the driver is if your co-driver also can help chip in for the fees,nobody rides for free, by the way I DO HAVE THE BEST CO-DRIVER/DRIVER/FRIEND OUT THERE

[Blanco]

Wouldn't this be referred to as a Dutch Oven? :D

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/198344/fullsize/dutchoven.gif