For the few of us who like to measure ourselves against club racing lap times, I have a quick question...

When we see the time listed for "fastest lap", does that generally occur when there is no traffic? I.e., the guy is pretty much driving solo. Or, does the guy still have traffic to contend with, and he could be putting up an even faster lap if he was out there solo?

Also, let's say the top two in a class are going nose-to-tail and that's when they get their fastest laps. Any guess on how much the drafting is helping those lap times? And, does this happen often (i.e., is it usually the case that the fastest lap time is aided by drafting)?

 

I'd have to go back and look it up to be sure. But at one race my fastest lap on that track up to that point was when I was chasing down the car in front of me. I don't recall any traffic at the time. But it was the enduro with 65 cars on the track so there weren't a lot of clean laps, if any.

 

In my experience fastest laps during practice sessions, qualifying, or races are almost always clear laps. By clear laps, I mean no traffic causes me to deviate from my normal line, braking points, etc. I might pass a much slower car, or get passed by a much faster car during the lap, but its still a clear lap as long as I don't have to do anything that slows me down.

Many of my fastest laps have come when I'm chasing or being chased nose to tail with no passing attempts during the lap. In those cases I think its just extra driver motivation that accounts for the increase in speed. In F class, on the tracks I've driven, I've never noticed the effect of the draft being strong enough to allow two cars to lap faster than one alone.

 

My guess would be that it depends on the race. Some short sprint races may always have some degree of traffic. I would compare those times to the qualifying times to see how consistent they are.

The benefit of drafting is more track specific. The longer the straights= the more benefit.

 

I have had experience both ways, faster laps in qualifying, other times in the race. It all depends on how close the cars are. Every track seems to have places that you might be faster than your competitor. For instance, raced a 914 GT car this weekend that was faster than me on one section of the track so his qualifying time was better, but i had more bhp, so I was able to jump in front of him at the start and so he followed me. His lap times sufferred during the first lap until I was able to pull away. If you are chasing that competitor and you are not racing nose to tail, then you might have your fastest lap. I have had times where I felt the draft and could run a little faster, but that isn't the norm. During a race, and sometimes qualifying, traffic becomes an issue and lap times suffer.

 

you can try to get a draft in qualifying but i've never gotten it to work. I like to get the tires warmed up then try for my fastest time in the next two laps. Other people like to work their way up to there fastest time. When you try to draft someone you usually end up racing them, racing=slow time.

 

I don't think my fastest laps are aided by drafting, but it does help to have a faster car out in front maybe a couple of hundred feet for motivation. In my own experience, I never went as fast in a DE situation as I did when racing / qualifying. Competition will make you go faster than you ever thought you could, sometimes a lot faster. For example, my best DE time at CMP was 1:51 - 1:52 then I went 1:46.6 for a lap during a qualifying session a couple of weeks later race weekend. I never would have thought that a time was that was even possible. Competition has a way of focusing you attention.

 

I think at the club racing level, tire condition and temps will have as much to do with getting a best lap time as anything else. Drafting would become a factor only on a really long track (or NASCAR oval), and even then only under ideal conditions. (Low-hp cars like spec Miatas might have a different experience.)

Guys sometimes beat their best qualifying time in the actual race. The heat of competition will bring out a lot, and having a rabbit to chase provides both inspiration and a certain 'safety zone,' since it's hard to overcook a braking zone when you're right on someone else's tail (unless he overcooks it first).

At the pro level the car and tires are usually set up differently for qualifying (I've got no experience, here), and the drivers are consistent enough so that there (usually) aren't big surprises in the race lap times.

 

Fastest laps usually come in qualifying when you have a drafting partner. Go out with someone who has agreed to work with you, with an agreed passing time and place (unless there is a big mistake). For example I will lead for 2 laps, then you pass me at start finish and I will tuck in. No other passing to mess up lap times. In the right car, you add some bump drafting to knock the times down further.

Race laps are rarely faster for the guys who know the track and their cars and are taking it to the limit. You can not maintain the same pace in a race and have the tires stay with you. If you are not really at the limit for qualifying, then the heat of battle will often bring out the best lap. That should be a lesson that you can go faster when you qualify next time.

 

I agree about a rabbit helping you be faster in race situations.

But this has happened to me numerous times in qualifying.

I'll work a clear lap where I feel I've really nailed it. Been on the edge (at least for me). I feel good about it, relax a bit. Do a lap or two more before going in.

Invariably, the one after what I thought was my hot lap is my quickest.

When you're relaxed, you're smoother.

(By the way, that fastest lap of mine is always slower than Jim Child's.)

 

Been my experience in 11 years of club racing 944's in H class, I've only experienced the draft on one lap at the Glen on the back straight when I was chasing 3 or 4 G cars during a practice session and ran out of R's much earlier than I had been and never did for the rest of the weekend. The difference in the effort during race practice sessions and DE is big and then qualifying is something else! In underpowered cars, it takes a clear lap to get your best time of the weekend, but sometimes you don't get one (particularly on the shorter tracks like Lime Rock where there are just too many equally powered cars and it's a momentum track with one really good passing zone.

 

In my experience, drafting only comes into play at very high speeds--and when you can carry momentum. Like at Roebling.

The fastest lap is when you're alone, especially when you're chasing someone. Anyone in a battle suffers, so frontrunners would be smart to get away from the pack before battling!

Lastly in the race, you're more likely to have more fuel onboard, so your laps can get better towards the end.

PM
NA944