Dave, Peter, I've always had this question but never really had two perfect example like here in this thread,

If either, or hopefully both of you could have the time to comment, it'd be much appreciated.

Back in the day when I'd race as much as Eon (both 944s), especially in his early racing when he wasn't so fast ( ), I'd stay on his bumper best I could, even make a pass attempt if I hadn't already got him at the green.

When we'd get back home and I'd watch his videos, it looked like there was NO WAY he was able to beat me to the checkers. I'd be thinking GAS GAS GAS....!

Turns out though, he's just way smoother and even though I'm working my tail off on the pedals trying to keep WOT as much as possible, his corner speed was equal to or faster than me and he'd come out of a multi turn complex having gained a car or two lengths.

I see this disparity in styles in these two 944 videos here in this thread.

I'm not knocking George in any way.....as a matter of fact, this is my own driving style.

Ex - start the first video once they're green and you can clearly hear Eon at the Esses, comes in full throttle, eases off to say 7/8, knowing the speed he can keep consistent and then from the second to last bend to the track opening up that back straight, he feathers in the last 1/8 throttle.

Coming to the right hander to the slow section (better example compared to George's video), same thing, around the left/right (near pit entry) to the final turn, he already has a consistent percentage of throttle that he knows he can get away with that takes him wide left before turn in back onto the straight.

George by comparison (and he was at the head of SP1 nearly all weekend, so definitely quick), in the final slow section stabs stabs stabs the throttle from full off to WOT and if he's anything like me, he's probably tapping brake with left foot at the same time.

These are two drastically different techniques and if I am honest with myself, I'd have to say my style (and George) has to be compromising potential speed around an entire lap due to the constant on/off weight transfer.

There are two videos that come to mind....., the Senna NSX video where he seems to stab the throttle, which would make me think that "hey, I'm ok, it's Senna" but the second video I think most people have seen compares Michael Schumacher and Johnny Herbert at Benetton where data demonstrates that Herbert has multiple throttle/brake inputs around the same corner that MS touches the brake, eases back to full throttle once and the end result is MS faster.

Can these two techniques be potentially just as fast or is smoother faster...?

Thanks,

T

 

Here's a GT4 CS lap that was good enough for fourth overall in this session.

 

They both can be fast, as these videos illustrate. IMO however, putting less drama into the car is faster. If the chippy drivers were coached to slow and smooth things down slightly, IMO they would be even faster.

 

I was doing that to get the car to rotate. Plus, I was a little held up by the E car in front of me, so I was trying to time my exit. I wanted to be wot as early as possible coming out of the last turn. I got a significantly smoother toward the end of the enduro, I'll post the final three laps when I get a chance. BTW, this was my first race in over two years (and only fourth in the last nine years), so I was a little rusty.

George

 

LOL, don't worry, I'm not knocking you in any kind of way.

Chris had told me you had a long layoff too, so no worries.

Even in the situation where you were held up, still, there's an abrupt difference to the first video as he's passing E and GT cars, even through the Esses, he feathers back the throttle times when to go the last tenth of power.

Even turn 1 is a good example I missed earlier. You take your downshifts, then on/off/on throttle, where Eon has a constant, but less than 100% throttle until he knows he can apply WOT.

The turn too (3) where you nearly spun twice but before the major steering corrections to save it, stab stab stab.Eon = brake/downshift + 2/3 throttle constant then feathers to full.

You do the same thing at the next two right handers even with clearance to the E car.

Like I said....I've always had this question, I'm not knocking either technique. I drive more like you than like Eon.
It doesn't matter (though I'd like to see any video that's posted) that you smoothed out later on. It was the example that you already posted that made the point I was wanting input on. I classify as a "chippy" driver as Dave put it . Sure both he and Peter had run across these differences and I was just curious.

Good driving George, all things considered, you did a great job.

T

 

None taken... I think I understand you question. I have some video of Heptig behind me using the smooth technique (2/3 throttle until he is sure he has the corner). It's pretty interesting to see the differences... I'll ask him if I can post it.

George

 

Curious also, is that your old car in avatar and do you think 911 and 944's drastic weight bias difference affects your technique driving another car...?

I came from 600cc motorcycles before deciding that my kids would be better off keeping a father figure and switched to caged cars.

I keep a couple of habits from those days like keeping a lot of body weight on the 944 pedal rest (like a foot peg) as this gives me another input as to where my body is going.If I'm heading to my "look through the corner" spot at exit like a bike, my brake and throttle inputs make me get to where I want to be.

And yes, it is interesting, thanks for the response.

T

 

Absolutely... My 993 rotates with the slightest lift, while it took a brake jab to get the 944 rotated at certain corners. I could never get it rotated enough for my liking going through turn 6. Now I will say that the 944 was a pleasure to drive. Very well balanced and I never felt "scared" like I do in the 993.

George

 

George is a very good driver...

 

Thanks Dave, but you should probably replace the "is" with "was"...

 

Disagree.

'Twas a very pleasant surprise seeing you though!

 

Thanks again Dave... Nice seeing you as well.

Ok, here is my video of the last three laps of the enduro. The video out of the windshield was whitewashed so I tried to correct as much as possible so that you can see the track. The first and third laps were by far the fastest SP1 laps of the weekend. I am driving "chippy" as described earlier but I firmly believe that for the car I was driving, the track and the track conditions, it was the fastest way around.

 

Cool.....and that effect did help...

That's a pretty good feat (SP1 fast lap) coming from off the sidelines against Blazer who practically live in those cars....

The one time I noticed that he did get away from you was when he latched onto Eon at one of the sprint starts and pulled away from y'all pack.

I knew it was gonna go down that way when I saw that he was P1 SP1 because Chris and Eon have a long history and I knew Chris was gonna do everything he could to try and play along.

It's ashamed there aren't many SP2s.

We thought about re-configuring Eon's car to SP1 where there are more competitors but we have the rear torsion tube cut where we can't put the bars back.

Really....the only thing that separates his car from y'all is the rear coilover.
And he runs 16" 245s.
When SP1 went from the 888 to the RR, the cars came way closer together.
There are things illegal to SP1 and legal to SP2 like DME chip, exhaust header, etc. that he doesn't even take advantage of.

Ah well....'bout to build him up an SP3 anyway.

T

 

Dang this place blew up!

We found a bad master cylinder waiting for us Sunday morning so rather than pump the brakes for 90 min, I co-drove with a friend in his SP3 (that was me in the yellow car in your video) It could surely benefit from some set up work and some new rotors up front! My first laps in the car were in the race and my final lap was the fastest...

Kinda long last few laps you should have a view of me following you

 

The only reason he got away was because of my rusty race craft... I out qualified him but had a horrible start. I couldn't see the starter from the wing on the SP3 in front of me. As soon as I decided to drop back a little to see him, I heard all the engines winding up. Chris and many others flew by me. There was a car between us that I could not get around (again, rusty race craft). I think I had something for him but I'm not sure I could have made the pass. I was much more confident on Sunday. Part of the reason I was pushing so hard at the end was because I could see him and Wiggins as I approached turn 3 and they were going through 5. I so badly wanted to lap them... If I only had a little more time. I'm still waiting for all the "cheater car" comments for the one I drove.... I heard several on the track.