How To : Stick Shift

[Nightwater]

Ok, Heres my problem. Ive done some reaserch and have choosen Buck Baker Driving School. Only one Problem. I dont know how to drive a Stick shift.  Ive also looked on the net for tips and stuff to driving a Stick. To my luck they are perfect and I understand them, But I dont have a car to practice with.  Does anyone know of any quick ways or sure ways of learning how to drive one?? 

Thanks for any help in advance

-Curtis

(Below are the easiest steps I could Find)


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Step 1: Familarize yourself with the pedals. You will see three pedals on the foot board, the gas pedal, the brake pedal and the clutch pedal. They go in this order, left to right; clutch, brake, gas.

Step 2: Familarize yourself with the gear shift. It will appear as the example in the photo. 1st, 3rd and 5th gear to the top, 2nd, 4th and Reverse on the bottom. The area inbetween these gears is neutral.

Step 3: Make sure you are on flat ground.

Step 4: Set the parking break. Put the gear shift into neutral

Step 5: Depress the clutch pedal and turn the ignition over.

Step 6: Keep depressing the clutch pedal and place the gear shift into first gear.

Step 7: Release the parking brake.

Step 8: Slowly lift your foot from the clutch pedal, when you hear the engine slow depress the gas pedal lightly. You will feel the vehicle start to move.

Step 9: Continue to accelarate until the engine reaches 3,000 rpm then depress the clutch once again and move the gearshift into second gear.

Step 10: Release the clucth pedal smoothly while depressing the gas pedal.

Step 11: Repeat this series for each gear until you've reached your desired speed.

To slow by Down Shifting

Step 1: Lift your foot off the gas pedal, and apply the brake once the rpm's drop and the engine slows depress the clutch pedal.

Step 2: Put the gear shift into the next lower gear. Continue to do so until you have reached second gear.

Step 3: Move the gear shift into the neutral position and apply the brakes. Keeping the clutch depressed until you are into neutral.

To drive in Reverse:

Follow the same steps as to drive in first gear however be sure to depress the gas pedal as soon as the car starts to move. If you don't the vehicle will stall.

[justfreaky]

Curtis,
 Ya gotta remember that these things don't shift the same as a street vehicle.
It's forward or back with the shifter lever to move through the gears.
Running oval tracks, you will likely only shift to get up to speed then stay in that gear throughout the race.
Road courses, or auto-cross, will be a different deal.
 No "E" brake on a race car either.
Shifting without using the clutch (speed shifting) will be a learned experience.
 Don't stress; your driving instructor will teach you what you need to know.

Steve

[Nightwater]

Thanks Steve. Im like...AHHHH lol. Hope it comes easy.


-Curtis

[JGRacing]

If they are still using the Cup cars at that school, you will be using a multi-disk racing clutch that does not slip much like a stock clutch.  You will pretty much put it in gear, give it some gas, and let the clutch up.  Once you are moving, you will just let up on the gas, pull it to the next gear, then hit the gas again.  Like Steve said, they will be able to teach you what you need to know.  Not many people drive a stick shift on the streets, so they probably teach people this all the time.  The shift pattern on the cup cars at the driving school (H pattern) will be different than on a legends car(in-line), but will give you a feel for how the process works.  What track are you doing the school at?         

[justfreaky]

Curtis is in the Atlanta area.

Steve

[Nightwater]

So how does a In-Line Stick work?

Curtis

[JGRacing]

The inline shifter on the legends cars just clicks forward to go down gears and back to go up gears.  The gear changes are all in order (2-3-4 etc.).  With the H pattern on most racing transmissions and street cars you can follow the H pattern in the shifter from gear to gear.  Not sure if I am making any sense.   

[Nightwater]

So your saying, in a Legends car you put down on the stick and move it up or down??

[JGRacing]

It is just a level that goes forward to shift down a gear and moves back to shift up a gear.