SCCA Top 10 Racing Mistakes
03-26-2008, 06:35 PM
#16
True enough. But suggesting trailbraking as a way to keep the car balanced in a turn and reminding drivers to get on the gas later, rather than earlier -- well, those two pieces of advice are simply wrong. (And as it happens, both are particularly bad suggestions for 911 drivers.)
Like I said, most of the other stuff in it is fine. But those two 'reminders' sound like the kind of wisdom you'd get from a Corvette-driving newbie trying to sound like an old pro after his first weekend at the track.
Like I said, most of the other stuff in it is fine. But those two 'reminders' sound like the kind of wisdom you'd get from a Corvette-driving newbie trying to sound like an old pro after his first weekend at the track.
Bear in mind, all my race experience has been in formula cars (with the odd spec miata race). I can't comment intelligently on hustling a 911.
Last edited by prg; 03-26-2008 at 07:02 PM.
03-27-2008, 08:42 AM
#18
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: 20 Minutes from Road Atlanta
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looking at the cars that are in Group 4 Sprint and Enduro C this weekend at Road Atlanta Club Race, I will need to pay special attention to #9. It is a thing of beauty when you pull it off and 1 car length in timing can make a difference. Thanks for the reminders.
03-27-2008, 10:55 AM
#19
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
I've heard Jackie Stewart give the same advice re don't go to the throttle until you can commit to the throttle. If you are on and off and on the gas, in general you may have overbraked or braked too early. This advice may not be the fast way around in a 911, but it is pretty applicable in a open wheeler (esp one set up with a little understeer.) His statement about not applying the gas until you get to the apex is wrong, but you want to be able to make the apex before going to throttle. Exit speed is clearly king, but a few tenths on corner entry is often what seperates the front of the pack from the middle of the pack.
Bear in mind, all my race experience has been in formula cars (with the odd spec miata race). I can't comment intelligently on hustling a 911.
Bear in mind, all my race experience has been in formula cars (with the odd spec miata race). I can't comment intelligently on hustling a 911.
From the first few laps it was very evident that the car was severely understeering everywhere. So I started to trailbrake everywhere. By the end of the day I was trailbraking very deep on all corners, up to the apex transitioning to throttle immediately just as you describe. What was amazing to me that even with these bad conditions and virtually no grip, trail braking balanced the car very nicely and all I needed to do is be careful with the throttle application to control the subsequent power oversteer due to bad track conditions.
As I did not take any lap times nor had a base for comparison, I m not sure if with a better, more balanced alignement and my usual driving style of my 911 I would be faster. All I can say at this point is that I really liked trailbraking so deep which eliminated any understeer and truly balanced the car, so in my view it is possible to set up a 911 and be able to truly follow the classic technic described in the article and in your post.
03-27-2008, 12:22 PM
#20
Race Director
I did a 90 minture endro last november on a 1.5 mile track. We had 46 cars take the green. My racing laps were in the 1:14 to 1:15 range and the fastest cars were turing 1:04's with ease. The slowest cars were turining 1:19-1:20. I also had 90 minute battle for the lead (no require pit stops so we did not stop). Anyway that race was alot of fun. So much race craft was just working on getting through traffic and letting faster cars by. There were 3 or 4 times the first place car in class got shufflled back to 3rd just by letting faster cars pass only to regain that spot in traffic 1-2 laps later. It was alot of fun and you really had to be on your game. The good thing about 90 minutes of racing however is you have time claw your way back should you get freight trained by 2-3 faster cars passing at the same time.