Track day question

[handyman_321]

I just attended a high performance driving course and I have a question. When you guys take a tight right hand turn, does your right elbow slide over the centre console or down the side of the console???

While I'm asking, where do you put your left foot without a dead pedal, over the clutch or on the floor?

thanks

Handy

[Detlef]

In my GTS with regular seat belts and stock seats, my elbow is on the center console or tight against my body.

My left foot is as far left as possible and I use my left knee against the driver side door for extra bracing as well as holding on to the steering wheel for additional support.

Having strong abs doesn't hurt either

[KepRght]

this is where racing seats would improve driver performance

[Leslie]

I trail brake on some corners in the vette, but then again it does have a dead pedal, although I never use it.

dont know about the Viper-I gotta run that on the track next spring for sure

[handyman_321]

OK I'll have to ask... whats "trail braking"???

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Get yourself some five-points.

What's a dead pedal?

Seriously, if I had a dead pedal I'd remove it. Some folks like them but I don't need any more stuff cluttering up the foot compartment. I feel the car with my butt, not with a foot that spends most of it's time pushing in a clutch.

[KepRght]

OK I'll have to ask... whats "trail braking"???

trail braking is where you apply the brakes with your left foot while still applying the gas with your right foot. huge benifit in corners where you need to slow, but dont want the weight of the car moving foward.

googled produced this:
http://www.getfaster.com/Techtips/Physics23.html

[Copernicus]

I have always known trail braking as the simple act of staying on the brakes while entering a corner. Any application of gas and brake simultaneously would be more effectively tied to heel toeing. I have never been taught to use the left foot in applying brakes, however, I suppose there are different schools of thought.

[Dave Moore]

Quote
trail braking is where you apply the brakes with your left foot while still applying the gas with your right foot. huge benifit in corners where you need to slow, but dont want the weight of the car moving foward.

Quote

I have always known trail braking as the simple act of staying on the brakes while entering a corner. Any application of gas and brake simultaneously would be more effectively tied to heel toeing. I have never been taught to use the left foot in applying brakes, however, I suppose there are different schools of thought.


At the Skip Barber classes I have taken they teach trail breaking extensivly. They have never tought it using the left foot. It is always tought as a right foot breaking exercise combined with learning how to "blip" the throttle for successful down shifting. You learn to break, at the same time rolling the side of your foot on the throttle to rev the engine as you downshift. Matching rev's so as not to unsettle the car while downshifting. Slowly releasing the break as you head toward the apex, rooling off the break slowly and applying the throttle around the apex, thuough the track out. (I think I explained that right). I don't follow how you can trail break with your left, and downshift in the above example.

http://www.getfaster.com/Techtips/Physics23.html
This is a cool article, explaining the benifits as well as the consequences of coming off the breaks too fast or carrying too much speed into the turn.

Anyway I'm still learning, but I like the technique tought by the Skip Barber Schools that I've been trying to master.
Dave

[mvel]

When I was racing formula cars (FF and FA)we left foot braked to save the time from changing from the accel pedal to the brake. Trailing brake was when we braked later and further into the turn. As stated, things got exciting if we goofed and were not smooth enough.

[Steve 00RT/10]

I have always known trail braking as the simple act of staying on the brakes while entering a corner. Any application of gas and brake simultaneously would be more effectively tied to heel toeing. I have never been taught to use the left foot in applying brakes, however, I suppose there are different schools of thought.


At the Skip Barber classes I have taken they teach trail breaking extensivly. They have never tought it using the left foot. It is always tought as a right foot breaking exercise combined with learning how to "blip" the throttle for successful down shifting. You learn to break, at the same time rolling the side of your foot on the throttle to rev the engine as you downshift. Matching rev's so as not to unsettle the car while downshifting. Slowly releasing the break as you head toward the apex, rooling off the break slowly and applying the throttle around the apex, thuough the track out. (I think I explained that right). I don't follow how you can trail break with your left, and downshift in the above example.

I agree. In addition to the above, I thought trail braking was braking into the corner to the point of the braking force actually starting to turn the car as you turn in. Driving my car 500 miles to the track and back once or twice a year ain't near enough experience for me to trail brake...or heel toe for that matter. I try to brake in a straight line. That's plenty enough excitement for me!

Steve

[Leslie]

Here's a good description of trail braking.

http://www.getfaster.com/Techtips/Physics23.html

Last weekend at Mid OH I worked on throttle steering, saves the pads but man is it hard on the tires!

[valentine_viper]

Interesting interpretations of the technique and the reasons for its application. I was taught to use this technique as a way to overcome understeer. By staying on the break during corner entry, you keep the car's weight bias forward. This helps to better "plant" the front tires and improve turn-in. It does seem to work. However, it also creates a more abrupt transition from brakes to throttle on corner exit which can be scarey in a high HP/TQ car like a Viper. Get it right and you pull an especially tight, fast corner. Get it wrong and you will experience snap over-steer just after the apex.