Tom Berry
2009 Driver of Eminence award
7 Solo National Championships
2015 ASP National Champion
2003, 2007, 2008, 2009 BSP National Champion
1995, 1996 DSP National Champion
Pro Solo
One over all Challenge Championship, Runner up to over all and 15 Class Championships and 10 Challenge Wins
TOM BERRY NOTES
- Started in 1976 when he was a freshman at University of California Riverside and saw a flyer for UC Riverside Auto Club
- He described the experience as very archaic compared to what we do now
- They were racing in parking lots
- He continued doing it from '76 to '79
Were you always around cars?
- Not very much, very little exposure but I was always interested in cars
- "It's still a passion for me, it's not just something I do for a living."
First car/s?
- Honda Civic 79/80 that my then girlfriend (now wife) Theresa had and we repaired and started racing.
- Life happened - marriage, kids and work so Tom didn't race for a decade and came back on the circuit in '91
How does that help driving different cars?
- It helps you adapt easily in different conditions
Left or Right foot braking?
- Left, most cars respond to left foot braking
"We have our weekend events to practice and I just show up with a helmet at times."
It is eye opening for people to ride with others for progression of their driving skills.
TOP TIPS on Slaloms
- I was doing it wrong for years.
- We didn't have data acquisition or a feedback system so you mainly learned from watching and riding with people.
- SETTLE THE CAR BEFORE YOU ENTER, changing the speed before entry - presents the car on the slalom much smoother, as opposed to standing on its nose.
- Braking a bit later, it's not about how he is applying the brake, it's how he's letting go of it (in reference to Brian)
- When I started in '76the parking lot we practiced in was like a long line, very archaic
Data system?
- DL One
- I'm not a techie but Marshall and Christine set it up.
Coming off the brakes and release it much easier
Learning by watching - you should try getting in somebody's car because you can always learn a little something from everybody
Challenges and experiments - change the car and try a different set up
If you are stagnant and you haven't changed anything - if you're not tying different stuff you're getting passed up.
It's like business - if you're business plan hasn't moved in the last 5 years, then you're not successful.
WALKING COURSES?
- It's easy to do too little or too much
- I walk it once and analyze it - and then I walk the second time
- I vocalize the course and it helps me solidify in my head
- Half a dozen KEY CONES
- A mistake I made was walking the course too much - you're no longer forcing the brain to look ahead
- Looking ahead - I'm not sure I do that well. I think it's more important for the beginners than intermediate people.
- Don't concentrate too much on looking ahead, focus on THINKING ahead