pentax1952: it seems most do know what to do and how to do it, but "that's besides the point". the best advice i can give, in a hurry (but probably also the best advice i can give, period) is "know your subject", for sports photography, understanding what is going on, how, why, proper preparation based on that are essential.(example: for me, with rally: i plan the trip days in advance, i look at the maps with the special stages, the schedule, choose a few spots where i might want to shoot based on the maps and schedule, factors like the time of day and what the light is likley to be like at that time in that spot are important, it is also important to try and move between special stages to be able to see and shoot more; after all this, i go there, preferably long before the road is closed, and walk the special stage untill i find the place i want to be in for the first run -- it might be one i chose during the previous planning phase, or it might be not, depending on many factors, sometimes i use my bike instead of walking, it has the advantage of being slightly faster but not too fast, unlike the car, and it also enables me to move on the SS between passes -- with the car it is out of the question; all the choices i make are based on my photographic experience, but, most importantly, on my understanding of how the race will develop, how the drivers and navigators think and react, the physics of the cars and so on; for "the finishing touch", i tend to think about composition too when i choose the place and technique, i don't jsut want a sharp car in the image, i want an image that somehow makes sense, sometimes, ofcourse, your image just happens, beyond your control, and you must be ready to grab the frame which was sleeping in your mind)
this is valid regardless of gear or brand. the next step would be "know your gear", it should be second nature and should not even have to be mentioned. apart from that, just shoot and have fun. so, in short, i can hardly think of anything pentax-specific (perhaps try TAv mode?
), i was doing the same when shooting a praktica, a nikon, as the various pentaxes, it's jsut doesn't seem so terribly different to me, that's why i keep asking what is it that is not working for people who complain about it, because i honestly seem to have little first-hand experience myself of anything not working for me.
hope this helps, at least a bit