2/09 "Grassroots Motorsports"
12-18-2008, 07:14 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
2/09 "Grassroots Motorsports"
Just got my new "Grassroots Motorsports" in the mail today & the cover story is "Dial up your 911" by Patrick Long. I've spent some time with him including right seat in a Cup & needless to say, he knows his stuff 
He's also one of the nicest, sharpest guys you'll ever meet. Worth checking the news stands for if you aren't a subscriber
He's also one of the nicest, sharpest guys you'll ever meet. Worth checking the news stands for if you aren't a subscriber
12-18-2008, 10:16 PM
#5
Racer
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: new jersery
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my copy also came in today's mail . it will make for some good reading over this weekend after i shovel out they say 6-8'' coming tomorrow in north jersey.
its read up and do your homework time than modify.
3 months
to open track
its read up and do your homework time than modify.
3 months
to open track
Trending Topics
12-22-2008, 02:27 PM
#11
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Atlanta area
Posts: 281
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For those who have read the article (also those who have not), how many agree with rowing down through the gears in a reguar transaxle as opposed to skipping gears on the way to the ultimate gear for the corner? He says "the common practice of holding down the clutch and banging through the gears" is lazy (for us) "and hard on the engine." He thinks that "going through each gear helps keep the platform neutral, thus helping handling and braking."
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.
12-22-2008, 02:36 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
For those who have read the article (also those who have not), how many agree with rowing down through the gears in a reguar transaxle as opposed to skipping gears on the way to the ultimate gear for the corner? He says "the common practice of holding down the clutch and banging through the gears" is lazy (for us) "and hard on the engine." He thinks that "going through each gear helps keep the platform neutral, thus helping handling and braking."
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.
12-22-2008, 02:55 PM
#13
Race Director
I am not certain what Pat Long said, but you can have alot of debates on skip shifting or not. I tend to skip shift, but I can see both its highlights and weaknesses.
1) Benfit. 1-2 fewer rev matches this you can focus on nailing the braking and then rev match just once to the new gear.
2) downside. It can be easier to overrev the lower gear due to your timming being off. Plus the rev match can be more jerky causing the balance to upset.
Rowing though with rev match
1) benefit. Always in and keeping the rear working at optimal. Some brake and some engine braking. Going though each gear means less change in RPM per shift so less load on the syncro, but you do engage them more
2) downside - extra rev matching and greater chance for errors. Plus in some braking zones this can cause you to brake longer since you spend more time rev matching than that just braking.
Personally I think skipping a gear works for when you skip one gear at most. 5 to 3 or 4 to 2nd and is best when the you are not at the top of higher gear. IE at 5200 rpm in 4th going to 5000 rpm in 2nd. The acually rev speed is as difference as you may think as you are really chaing 1.5 gears rather than the range of two full gears. Skipping two gears gets me all messed up. Since the you are dropping so many RPM and so much speed.
Two intersting examples.
Turn 1-2 at PIR. Entry is middle of 5th gear. Hard trail brake to 5000 rpm in 3rd. I skip 4th for two reasons. 1) not much time, 2) I am too busy trail braking to do an extra rev match
Turn 3 at Cal speedway.
5th to 2nd. Top of 5th 5800 rpm or so down to 2nd at 5500 rpm. Here if I skip it is very easy to do it too soon and over rev 2nd. Since nearly all the braking is straight line it is better to go down through the gears although I tend to like going 5th to 3rd then to 2nd skipping 4th.
1) Benfit. 1-2 fewer rev matches this you can focus on nailing the braking and then rev match just once to the new gear.
2) downside. It can be easier to overrev the lower gear due to your timming being off. Plus the rev match can be more jerky causing the balance to upset.
Rowing though with rev match
1) benefit. Always in and keeping the rear working at optimal. Some brake and some engine braking. Going though each gear means less change in RPM per shift so less load on the syncro, but you do engage them more
2) downside - extra rev matching and greater chance for errors. Plus in some braking zones this can cause you to brake longer since you spend more time rev matching than that just braking.
Personally I think skipping a gear works for when you skip one gear at most. 5 to 3 or 4 to 2nd and is best when the you are not at the top of higher gear. IE at 5200 rpm in 4th going to 5000 rpm in 2nd. The acually rev speed is as difference as you may think as you are really chaing 1.5 gears rather than the range of two full gears. Skipping two gears gets me all messed up. Since the you are dropping so many RPM and so much speed.
Two intersting examples.
Turn 1-2 at PIR. Entry is middle of 5th gear. Hard trail brake to 5000 rpm in 3rd. I skip 4th for two reasons. 1) not much time, 2) I am too busy trail braking to do an extra rev match
Turn 3 at Cal speedway.
5th to 2nd. Top of 5th 5800 rpm or so down to 2nd at 5500 rpm. Here if I skip it is very easy to do it too soon and over rev 2nd. Since nearly all the braking is straight line it is better to go down through the gears although I tend to like going 5th to 3rd then to 2nd skipping 4th.
12-22-2008, 04:04 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
For those who have read the article (also those who have not), how many agree with rowing down through the gears in a reguar transaxle as opposed to skipping gears on the way to the ultimate gear for the corner? He says "the common practice of holding down the clutch and banging through the gears" is lazy (for us) "and hard on the engine." He thinks that "going through each gear helps keep the platform neutral, thus helping handling and braking."
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.
I am a DE instructor, not a racer but I have never found it to my advantage to go rowing.