what is the best way to start fine tuning your skills? Is there a good guide or book for autoX solo2?

I know the basics but can;t seem to find the sweet spot between hitting corners to fast or to slow to maximize my avgerage speed.

 

there are a TON of books out there (see the stickies at the top of this forum for a wealth of information), but the BEST thing you can do is get seat time. every corner and situation is different.. I played around today at the Auto X with different braking methods and various entry speeds into the corners. my best time BY FAR (2 seconds) was wen I came to nearly a crawl, made the turn, then blasted out of the corner. several corners I actually had to drop into 1st on my way out. (that was a fun one on video! hehehe) When I finished the run, the announcer said he'd start taking donations for my next set of front tires since I smoked 'em so bad coming out of the corners.

back to the point... SEAT TIME!!
have someone who knows what they're doing co-pilot for you and critique you while you're driving.. best bet is someone else in your car type/class that is noticeably faster & more experienced than you. don't ask someone that drives a Vette or 427 Cobra replica to teach you how to drive a FWD car through the cones. get someone else with a mid-sized FWD car and pull them around the track. you'll learn a lot... best advice I can give you though it "slow in, fast out."

 

Very well said...slow in fast out.

 

 

I hate to point out the obvious but Fast in Fast out is faster.

 

Gotta go slow to be fast. Except in RWD.

 

Just in case you're mathematically inclined, here's an equation for you...

Limit[Maxima, entrance_speed->infinity] = BULLDOZER

 

or entrance_speed<exit_speed=Plowtime

 

ok here's another Q

to brake or not to brake in turns...

I see 2 methods....

1. brake in a straight line then turn then gas (more controled turn?)
2. brake into the turn then gas (increased traction/control when brake force puts weight on front tires?)

 

It all depends on driving style. GH sharp and Brian Preibe run similar times however you watch Brian and He quite obviously takes the fast in fast out line (come in to hot, Snap off thorottle, Rotate car to point coner workers are getting ready to get cones, Wait for car to be pointed were you want. Apply gas and hang on) and GH runs smoothly and In control. (G Stock Celica's). Brian's car is set up loose as they get and thats the only way he can drive quickly like that. That's how we've attempted to set up matt's car and we just can't get it to be that loose without putting junk tires on the rear. I'll have you know I've been 2nd overall FTD a couple times with Cooper Cobra's on the rear of his car in the rain. Matt either needs alot more rear spring or alot more rear compression.

 

I favor style #1 because if I turn while braking I'll understeer more and lock up the fronts.

As I finish braking straight I let up slightly and begin the turn. That way I'm still keeping the front contact patch pretty much stable but setting the suspension for the turn. Assuming I squeezed the brakes hard enough and at the right time I feather in the throttle as soon as I can, usually right after letting up on the brake. Then open throttle and unwind the wheels as the turn allows. Summary - 10% turn while braking, 40% turn transition brake to gas, 50% turn while accelerating.

That works for me on soft springs and same size tires all around. Could change completely with my new tires and spring setup this fall.

 

- There really isn't one best way to take every corner ever created. You have to be able to drive whatever the situation warants.

- "Slow in, Fast out" usually works on road courses, but AutoX is a lot more difficult than road racing. You have to look ahead to see how your exit from one corner will affect your entry into the next one.


- The three best pieces of advice I can give you are the following:

1. Look ahead... REALLY far ahead. Things will make a lot more sense. Trust me.

2. A more tail-happy car is faster. Period. Look at my signature for my suspension setup, if you want a model.

3. Drive aggressively enough that you spin your car every once in a while. If you didn't spin your car, you just plain weren't at the limit. *Please note that aggression doesn't mean rice-boy wheelspin.

 

that's the strange part.. I drive a lot faster if I keep the rear end from sliding around... plus the front end plows so bad that I can't brake or accelerate much while I'm turning.. if I'm "coasting" through the corner, I can run a LOT faster. there's basically just not enough tire on the front end to make them go in any more than one direction. If I loosen up the back end, it just makes the problems worse, as then the back end is squirrely while I'm trying to keep the front end pointing the right direction.

at the last auto X, I goofed around with a few different styles around the track.. hanging the back end out while going into the corners and spinning the tires coming out, I netted about a 58.2.
keep the back end in line and accelerate through the corners netted me about a 57..
if I haul a$$ through the strtaights and slaloms, then slow down and coast through the corners, then haul *** once the wheels are pointed forward again, I net a 56.1. hmmmmmmmmm

 

Brake before the turn and coast through then when your through the main curve full throttle out.