It's extremely rare that a really fast driver will share a tip that he knows makes him better and faster. This latest bit was no exception and even my good buddy,driver Phil McClure and my driving instructor Michael Culver from the Skip Barber driving school initially refused to share this latest tip.
I've always had trouble finding driving shoes that fit well and were flexible enough to allow full movement of my large feet(size 13) when racing. My Oakley Race Mid shoes were certainly flexible enough and looked cool but they stretched enough in a few races to make them pretty much useless. I even tried getting them one size smaller but they killed my feet and would'nt work with the Flame Retardant socks I like to wear. I've also tried a few shoes at great expense and have always felt they were lacking in some way or another.
When I went to Germany this past april for a driving school and visits to Stuggart and Leipzig to the Porsche factories, I noticed that nearly all the factory test drivers were wearing Converse Chuck Taylor basketball shoes in factory colors. I just figured these guys were being typically goofy and since I never did any ride-alongs with them and just followed in chase cars,I never noticed that they were actually using them as driving shoes.
When Phil(also a big guy with big feet like myself) hinted that I try a pair of "Chucks" to see if they worked,I just figured he was dishing payback for the last nasty joke I layed on him. When Mike also suggested I try them to solve a more serious problem I was having with a new car I'm thinking of switching to,I decided to give them a try.
I bought several pairs of classic black "Chucks" in various sizes from 11.5 to 13 and dumped them all in the clothes dryer as suggested before wearing them. I followed the further suggestion of wearing them around for a few hours straight from the dryer to stretch and conform them to my feet. I gotta say,these things work extremely well. They look goofy and most racing bodies will insist that you at least wear FR socks (I always do anyway when racing) and some won't allow them at all but they are as good as or better than any driving shoes I've yet tried. I have been using them the past three weeks and made quite a few laps in my Cobalt racer and my drag car as well as dusted off my Trans Am on the street and have found the Chucks to work well in all these applications. If you wanna know if these shoes made me faster,the answer is yes.
The wide upper sole and much narrower heel section lend themselves well to heel-toe downshifts and quick footwork. I've found that even with the goofy pedal arrangements of the Trans Am,I'm able to get a quick throttle blip and full brake pedal application without much effort. I found the size that worked best for me was a 12,which is one size smaller than I normally wear. My Chucks stretched a bit but have settled nicely and the asking price of $26.00(on sale at JCPenny) was right on. I've ordered a few pairs of custom Chucks in the Beltfeed Racing colors and look forward to looking good and driving faster with them. Note that only the classic Chuck Taylors still have the really flexible soles and that the hightops have better ankle support.
Phil and Mike wanted me to clearly state that they both have uniform and shoe sponshorship deals and that neither of them endorses use of shoes other than those they are sponsored by. OK
.......... Also note that I own no Nike,Converse or GHD partners stock. I also had a previous minor sponsorship deal with a vendor that provided me with free Simpson and Puma driving shoes. That deal was cancelled due to my not participating at national events as agreed upon. The shoes were fine and the vendor was really nice to me.
BTW,that Oakley link shows the new style shoes,mine look a lot different and I bought them from a vendor at a race.
I've always had trouble finding driving shoes that fit well and were flexible enough to allow full movement of my large feet(size 13) when racing. My Oakley Race Mid shoes were certainly flexible enough and looked cool but they stretched enough in a few races to make them pretty much useless. I even tried getting them one size smaller but they killed my feet and would'nt work with the Flame Retardant socks I like to wear. I've also tried a few shoes at great expense and have always felt they were lacking in some way or another.
When I went to Germany this past april for a driving school and visits to Stuggart and Leipzig to the Porsche factories, I noticed that nearly all the factory test drivers were wearing Converse Chuck Taylor basketball shoes in factory colors. I just figured these guys were being typically goofy and since I never did any ride-alongs with them and just followed in chase cars,I never noticed that they were actually using them as driving shoes.
When Phil(also a big guy with big feet like myself) hinted that I try a pair of "Chucks" to see if they worked,I just figured he was dishing payback for the last nasty joke I layed on him. When Mike also suggested I try them to solve a more serious problem I was having with a new car I'm thinking of switching to,I decided to give them a try.
I bought several pairs of classic black "Chucks" in various sizes from 11.5 to 13 and dumped them all in the clothes dryer as suggested before wearing them. I followed the further suggestion of wearing them around for a few hours straight from the dryer to stretch and conform them to my feet. I gotta say,these things work extremely well. They look goofy and most racing bodies will insist that you at least wear FR socks (I always do anyway when racing) and some won't allow them at all but they are as good as or better than any driving shoes I've yet tried. I have been using them the past three weeks and made quite a few laps in my Cobalt racer and my drag car as well as dusted off my Trans Am on the street and have found the Chucks to work well in all these applications. If you wanna know if these shoes made me faster,the answer is yes.
The wide upper sole and much narrower heel section lend themselves well to heel-toe downshifts and quick footwork. I've found that even with the goofy pedal arrangements of the Trans Am,I'm able to get a quick throttle blip and full brake pedal application without much effort. I found the size that worked best for me was a 12,which is one size smaller than I normally wear. My Chucks stretched a bit but have settled nicely and the asking price of $26.00(on sale at JCPenny) was right on. I've ordered a few pairs of custom Chucks in the Beltfeed Racing colors and look forward to looking good and driving faster with them. Note that only the classic Chuck Taylors still have the really flexible soles and that the hightops have better ankle support.
Phil and Mike wanted me to clearly state that they both have uniform and shoe sponshorship deals and that neither of them endorses use of shoes other than those they are sponsored by. OK
.......... Also note that I own no Nike,Converse or GHD partners stock. I also had a previous minor sponsorship deal with a vendor that provided me with free Simpson and Puma driving shoes. That deal was cancelled due to my not participating at national events as agreed upon. The shoes were fine and the vendor was really nice to me.BTW,that Oakley link shows the new style shoes,mine look a lot different and I bought them from a vendor at a race.
For those who'd prefer a more classic looking approach, I'd recommend to try the good old Clarks Desert Boots for driving.
