Track and Car Type Specific Driving Tips

[RufusAZ]

Looking through this board, I see a lot of links to sites or vids about driving techniques in general. I'm looking for tips on how to drive a particular type of car (AWD, FWD, RWD, etc) on particular tracks (FIR Main, FIR East, FIR West, PIR).

I know there are probably too many variables (r-comp vs street, etc), seat time and driving styles to accurately describe what to do on any given section of track. I'm just looking for advice on what has/hasn't worked for certain people.

Is there anything like that out there I should I just post a track map here and highlight areas that I suck the most at and ask for advice?

[wgnths]

have you read any books? i have the series called Speed Secrets. some great info, regardless of the car type. obviously, different things work better/worse depending on car type, drivetrain.

where are you having troubles, and what is the car doing that you want changed? much of it comes from experience.

[RufusAZ]

OK, here is a map of Firebird Main in the configuraton we run with PAS. I've highlighted the part in red that I suck the most at.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i187/doco20/firebirdmain2.jpg

By the time I hit turn 5 I am close to redline in 3rd. So, I go in to 4th but my car gets really floaty as I gradually drift out to the right on turn 6. Maybe I'm just not accelerating hard enough but I feel like I'm going pretty fast right there and I see people go off there all the time.

Anyway, I straighten out after turn 6 and downshift into 3rd so i can have the power to get through that chicane. After that left I usually dont brake but just make a hard right while keep a bit of gas going the whole time. After that things seem fine.

[kev]

Rufie,

It sounds like your focusing all your efforts on where your car is in the powerband. Go through that problem stretch in your head and focus on whether you are driving the line you intended and what feedback your car's suspension is giving you.

disclaimer: I haven't run FIR west. I don't have a car with enough power to make it down the drag strip :P

[wgnths]

where are you in relation to the curb, at turn 5? i straddle that bitch, foot to the floor and brake hard and early for 6. otherwise, the car doesn't settle well for 6 and does what you describe.

maybe try braking earlier to setup for 6, and get on the power sooner? that is a tricky corner and you do tend to feel out of control. it's been sometime since i've run main though.

[J0oftheworld]

Sounds like you're doing 5/6 correct. Maybe shift to 4th earlier?
I like to run 6 as fast and (what ebds up being) wide as possible.

[phoenixZ33]

Do you have an STi? If so, I'm betting the car can go fast enough to maintain 4th gear through that section, then down to 3rd gear for the kink.

[RufusAZ]

Yeah, I have an STi.

This last weekend I think I figured out the 5, 6, and 7 section. I shift in to 4th right where I marked the map in red before turn 5. I maintain throttle and take that next series of turns as a big sweeping turn. In order to have enough torque to power out of that chicane (marked 7), I downshift into 3rd toward the end of the sweeping turn (my car is going straight), then take the sharp right and gun it out of the chicane.

This seemed to work the best and I would really catch up to people who were taking that section a lot slower.