5 Ways to Get Your Track Time Down
There are those that go to the track to whip their car around and to have a good time. However, there are those who look at track days as a proving ground to raise the bar and improve their driving skills!
September 14, 2016
Ahead of the Competition
Putting your Porsche to the limit is more than just stepping on the throttle, hitting that perfect shift, and braking when needed. There are smaller bits to driving that can shave tenths of a second off of lap times to put you out ahead of the competition. Continue on and see what the pros know to get you and your Porsche across that finish line faster.
Get your lines right
Use the optimal line for racing; it is the largest radius arc through a corner. This line will raise the possible speed at the limit of cornering grip and reduce the power consumed by tire scrub. Hit the three main elements of a corner (the turn-in, apex, and track out) and you’re already in a place where many aspire to be.
Fast in, faster out
In most turns, it’s important to maximize exit speed more so than the average speed through the corner. This is because an extra MPH at the corner exit will add roughly 1 MPH to the average speed over the duration of the next straight.
Go slow to go fast
Trail breaking and late apex allows for earlier throttle application and is faster than a constant-radius path on the track. Following this modified line results in an increased 10 MPH at the exit and an average speed raised by 1.3 MPH.
Consider braking points
When approaching a corner, brake lightly while turning in to shorten the car’s lap time. Controlled deceleration increases front-tire loading while cutting down on rear-tire loading to result in pushing the car towards the apex. Try this consistent light braking as opposed to brake-turn-go to get really going.
Master heel and toe shift
Before you turn in you’ll probably need to change down a gear. The golden rule is to drop to a gear that will allow you to effectively attack the apex while giving you enough juice to accelerate out of the bend energetically. Heel and toe technique is essential to master as it allows you to brake and shift down simultaneously while avoiding transmission shock loads.
Join in the conversation about your tips for great track times right here in the Rennlist forum.
For information on maintenance or repairs, please check out our do-it-yourself technical articles at http://rennlist.com/how-tos/.
