5 Ways to Get Your Track Time Down
Whether you're racing or just improving on your own time and skill, these tips are exactly what you need.
Preparation
If you are a beginner, then it is imperative to check and prepare your car for a hard day of driving. Your checklist should be wheels and tires, steering and suspension, the engine, brakes, and safety equipment.
Items you should bring with you are: glass cleaner, a quart or two of oil, rags, an air compressor, tire gauge, and basic tools.
1. Get Your Lines Right
Use the optimal line for racing; it is the radius arc through a corner. This line will raise the possible speed at the limit of cornering grip and reduce the power consumed by tire scrub. Hit the three main elements of a corner (the turn-in, apex, and track-out) and you’re already in a place where many aspire to be.
2. Fast In, Faster Out
In most turns, it’s important to maximize exit speed more so than the average speed through the corner. This is because an extra MPH at the corner exit will add roughly 1 MPH to the average speed over the duration of the next straight.
3. Go Slow to Go Fast
Trail breaking and late apex allows for earlier throttle application and is faster than a constant-radius path on the track. Following this modified line results in an increased 10 MPH at the exit and an average speed raised by 1.3 MPH.
4. Consider Braking Points
When approaching a corner, brake lightly while turning in to shorten the car’s lap time. Controlled deceleration increases front tire loading while cutting down on rear tire loading to result in pushing the car towards the apex. Try this consistent light braking as opposed to brake-turn-go to get really going.
5. Master Heel and Toe Shift
Before you turn in you’ll probably need to change down a gear. The golden rule is to drop to a gear that will allow you to effectively attack the apex while giving you enough juice to accelerate out of the bend energetically. Heel and toe technique is essential to master, as it allows you to brake and shift down simultaneously while avoiding transmission shock loads.
For information on maintenance or repairs, please check out our do-it-yourself technical articles at http://www.corvetteforum.com/how-tos/.
