Z-man

Earlier this month I attended NNJR's VIR DE event along with lots of folks here.

At one point, I had Eric S (an instructor who has lots of seat time at VIR) following me for a lap or two. After the run group, he discussed something he noted with me:

Now I've been taught to track out all the way to the right when going through South Bend. (The turn at the top of the Esses, just before the 'valley' prior to Oak Tree turn.) Of course, if you take the Climbing Esses and South Bend at speed and on the proper line, you really don't have a choice but to let the car drift out to the right. Otherwise, if you pinch it in, you most likely will be seeing some grass and dirt beneath your tires: track LEFT or RIGHT!

So back to the story: on the warmup lap, I was obviously driving significantly slower. Eric was behind me and noticed that when I went through South Bend, I still tracked out all the way to the right. Actually, I DROVE out to the right - basically following the line my car would have taken at speed. At first, Eric was concerned that I was simply tracking out and if I were going through there at a higher speed, my car wouldn't make it. When I told him that I was simply trying to follow the line, he understood my reasoning.

So, what is my reasoning for this? For one thing - the track looks vastly different if one takes a varied line through a corner. By driving 'the line' even when the car is going slower, it allows the driver to see what the track looks like from that perspective. The more consistently I can drive the line, the more practise I have at putting the car where I want it. Secondly: At speed, placing the car on 'the line' usually involves more throttle input and less steering input. If I'm not into any notable slip angles at slower speeds, this placement cannot be accomplished with just the throttle, so more steering input is needed. I think it is better for me to drive the car via the steering wheel through the proper line rather than simply take the corner without much attention to where the car would be under normal (faster) conditions.

I think this applies not only on warm up laps, but also when in traffic and when one is unfamiliar with a track and is learning the line, or whenever there is a reason a corner needs to be taken at a slower pace. Of course this doesn't apply when taking a late pass and entering the corner off-line, or when racing and one is protecting his position in a heated battle.

So what do you think? When driving slower through a corner, is it important for you to drive the line?

Please discuss....
-Z-man.

M758

I always stay on line. I like to keep a "mental pictures" of where I need to be at all times.

The only time I am off line is when I am racing and attemping a pass or defending. I also tend to use the same shift points (ie 30 feet past flag stand shift 2nd to 3rd). Reason is this also helps me link what I am doing with where it happens on the track. This way my driving is more natural and I never need to think about lines or shift points. This allows me to focus on racing or cornering grip.

NetManiac

Yes, I try to drive the same line no matter what my speed. I have been reading (off-and-on) this book called Inner Speed Secrets (or something like that), in which they teach you to program your brain. You do this by repetition. And it's suppose to help you drive the line consistently subconsciously.

Joe: I hadn't thought about the sift points before. Good thought, I'll work on that.

DrJupeman

I always drive the line. It is the safest on cold tires and for cool down when I'm not using the brakes I normally need to drive the line, anyway...

Larry Herman

EXACTLY! If you can't drive the line slow, you sure as hell can't drive it fast. It is so much harder to stay on-line at 10/10's that you should always be on the line at slower speeds in order to help with you learn it better.
Actually, I find that in a relatively neutral car, my steering input stays somewhat the same, regardless of speed. As my speed increases, the slip angle on the front tires increases so I need more input, but the rotational forces and load on the rear tires tends to decrease the input, and so it winds up staying the same, although at speed, I am drifting all the way through the corner.

DrJupeman

I find this to be true, too.

Z-man

And that is a beautiful thing!

True what you say about steering input remaining constant regardless of speed - need to work on that one!

Thanks,
-Z.

Bob Rouleau

Drive the line - always even on the cool down.

Rgds,

trumperZ06

I always follow the line !!!

You can't have too much practice... LATE APEXING ...

turn 12 at Road Atlanta !!!

Dan in Florida

Drive the line, especially during warm up and cool down, when there is no pressure and no reason at all not to.............drive the line.

roketman

Driving the line slowly you can pick up little things that you might not be aware of at speed.ie lines, camber of the turn(s),reference points.if you can,t drive perfectly at half speed you can't do it at speed.often times when I get an overly aggresive student I tell them to go half speed and show me perfect for 3 laps,than I'll let them go faster.this makes them realize how intricate the sport is.a great learning experience

Larry Herman

If that's you, Ron, when have you ever driven the line s l o w l y?

kary993

Yes, you should always drive the line. I find many students who appear to drive the line when going fast and when they slow down for a cool down lap they cannot drive it properly. They were simply getting the line "sort of correct" due to the speed. Of course there are those that did not get it and that was obvious and exciting/scarey.

Once I had a student that drove the line fairly well at speed. When he slowed down to get off the track he could not put the car in the line at all. I spent a good day during the warm up laps and the cool down laps getting him to see it at slow speeds. He is a much better driver now.

Always drive the line at any speed.

hrsteel

Why stop at the track? I take proper lines when cornering with a shopping cart at the supermarket. I do tend to over-yaw it a bit though.

RedlineMan

Hey All;

The only time I drive off line is to gain a new perspective and/or try something different. I never do this on the cool down because I don't want to pick up a lot of crap on my tires. I generally do it EARLY in a session for this reason.

I will instruct a student to do so to demonstrate that corners CAN be done successfully offline if needed, just with different reference points and inputs. This can be quite enlightening for some, particularly after continuous drilling on THE LINE has been successful. It offers new perspectives, triggers creative thinking in the more engaged student, and is a good lesson to learn in any event if avoidance is ever necessary.

RedlineMan
99.9 Edge of Adhesion Avenue.
Friction Circle City, USA.