Dan Wendling

Why is it that a car in a spin often hits the inside barrier of the turn? Counter intuitive to me, seems like at the point traction is lost the car would head off on the tangent to the curve at that point?

AU N EGL

Drivers jeck the steering wheel back ONTO the track and go across the pavement and hit the inside

Jason

As the rear steps out, the car points inward. As the car slows the tires regain traction and propel the car in the direction it is pointing.

bobmoore2

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Another thing that often happens is the car slides both outside wheels off. If you're not extra careful at this point you will cause the car to violently rotate towards the infield, because now the inside tires on the pavement have much more traction than the outside tires on the dirt/grass. Then "as the car slows the tires regain traction and propel the car in the direction it is pointing", towards the inside of the turn. Before you can regain control, you've hit the pit wall on the front straight FAST and HARD.

fatbillybob

the late apex turn is designed to be safest because it helps keep you on the track. Sometimes you need to early apex but then sometimes it does not work out and you put 2 wheels off. One way to prevent the inside wall hookup spin is to open your wheel and allow the 2 wheels off if that is where the car wants to go and slow the car to regain control before getting back on the tarmac.

redtopz

What actually causes the car to suddenly dart across the track to the inside is when you go 2 off and apply steering to try to get back on the track and then both front tires are on the track and only one rear. That swings your car violently and uncontrollably across the track and either into a wall, another car, or if you're lucky into the infield. Fortunately, I learned this lesson in Turn 1 at Thunderhill and just had to spend a couple months pulling dirt out of my car and engine compartment. That's why you want to keep 2 off until you can straighten the wheel and gradually get back on track.

froggy47

RacePro Engineering

Coming in late here, but for whatever it might be worth . . . .

LoPresti's Racing Rule of Thumb #29: If the car loses traction in the "first half" of the turn, it will end up on the outside of the turn. If traction is lost in the "second half" of the turn, the car will land on the inside of the turn.

Naturally, this does not take into account the moron who actually believes he is going to power his way out of a spin.

Ed