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A fixed visual marker on or near the track that a driver uses to trigger an action, such as braking, turn-in, or throttle application. Using consistent reference points is key to building repeatable, precise driving.
Alain Prost's Competition Driving describes the process: "On a track, you first study the lines. To help with that, you look for as many reference points as possible around the circuit. Naturally, these include the braking distance marker boards before corners. Generally, a driver can rely on boards being placed 300, 200 and 100 yards from the theoretical turn-in point. But you also need more exact, subtle assistance, which may be exclusive to you. That could be anything from the point at which the track surface alters to a bump or a mark on a wall." The HPDE Curriculum Guide defines them as "any fixed mark or object on or near the track, or landmark in the distance, used by a driver to execute a desired line repeatably. Cones are poor visual reference points because they are easily moved by other cars."