147 – James Chartres: Gaining Confidence and Gaining Speed

147 – James Chartres: Gaining Confidence and Gaining Speed

Author: Ross Bentley: Performance & Race Driver Coach June 25, 2020 Duration: 50:11

On this week's episode, James Chartres joins me to talk about how he built his confidence and became one of "the oast Ones" in the competitive world of SCCA, finding the balance between being analytical and just letting go to have fun, making track notes, and turn 5 at Laguna Seca. We also dive into racing sponsorships/partnerships at the grassroots level.

James races a Spec Racer Ford in the SCCA San Francisco region, runs his own team – Kanga Motorsport – and in his spare time is an aerospace engineer for NASA (or is that the other way around?!). As a club racer, James has put together some amazing marketing partnerships to help support his team, too.

James' speed secret: The little changes and improvement add up.

Check these out to follow James!

Web: kangamotorsports.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kangamotorsports/
Instagram: @kangamotorsports
Twitter: @kangamotorsports
YouTube: kangamotorsports


There’s a fine line between simply driving a car and truly connecting with it at the limit, and that’s the space where Speed Secrets Podcast lives. Hosted by renowned performance coach Ross Bentley, each episode feels less like a formal interview and more like a candid garage conversation with some of the most insightful minds in motorsport. The discussions go deep into the tangible details that make a difference on the clock: the nuanced art of trail braking, how to interpret data and video to find tenths, and the subtle interplay between steering input and throttle control. Whether it’s dissecting the ideal line through a complex corner or understanding how a specific car setup change affects handling, Ross and his guests break down complex concepts into applicable knowledge. You’ll come away from this podcast not just with inspiration, but with concrete tips and a clearer mental framework for your own time at the track, be it for competition or personal mastery. It’s a resource built on decades of professional experience, designed for anyone who wants to think more deeply about the craft of high-performance driving.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Speed Secrets Podcast
Podcast Episodes
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 25 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:28
Welcome back to the last episode of No Dumb Questions (...but have no fear, we're not going far)! We sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. Sam Smit…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:13
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! We sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. This episode is a little different… We introduce a g…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 23 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I discuss wh…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 22 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:30
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I discuss th…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 21 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:51
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Ross discusses proper…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 20 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:06
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Ross answers how a dr…
No Dumb Questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:49
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I tackle two…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 18 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:42
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I discuss th…
No Dumb Questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 17 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:00
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I discuss dr…
No dumb questions with Jeff Braun: Episode 16 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:00
Welcome back to another episode of No Dumb Questions! Jeff Braun and I sit down to answer your questions, and we promise – there are no dumb questions, maybe just some dumb answers. On this episode, Jeff and I discuss wh…