And Although I was a rookie and this was my first experience with this kind of racing, I wasn't totally green, thanks to a practice day with Tim O'Neil, owner and operator of Team O'Neil Car Control Center (603-823-5558; www.teamoneil.com). O'Neil taught me one of the most powerful car-control techniques I've ever learned - left-foot breaking, which allows a driver to predictably slide a car through slippery turns and is essential for making time on low-adhesion surfaces.