Technique Question for a Beginner

[jmurgsr98]

I just got done driving at Spring Mountain with NASA SoCal, and my instructor was Mr. Fuller. I was in HPDE group 2 and one of the lessons he was teaching us was to be faster in the corners. He said, to be faster, you need to ease out of the brake and ease into the gas at the same time. I noticed that I just completely let off the brake and ease into the gas, increasing the power/throttle coming out of the turn. I wish I asked him how to properly ease off the brakes and ease onto the gas, but I was also trying to incorporate other techniques he had taught that day.

 

So, my question is, what is the proper technique to use when easing off the brake and easing into the gas when exiting a corner? Is heel/toe the way to do it or do you use your left foot to brake and your right foot to press the gas when exiting a corner?

[FullTilt]

Hi ... My first name is Fulton... Not MR. Fuller. I was your classroom and track instructor at Spring Mountain. We went over a great deal of information during the weekend. We do no recommend practicing heel/toe in hpde 1/2.. that technique is used when downshifting a manual trans in the brake zone while traveling in a straight line. What I wanted you to do is try to minimize the even throttle time between the braking zone/turn in and the acceleration/unwind at the apex. I did not recommend left foot braking to you either. Thus... I wanted you to practice smoothly/gradually unsqueezing the brake pedal (with the right foot) and squeezing the gas pedal very gradually at or before the apex to gain more speed at corner exit and give you an edge over an otherwise equal car in front of you to make passing it possible on the following straightaway. The gradual modulation of pressure on the pedals allows you to drive closer to the limits of traction without exceeding them and upsetting the balance of the car while under lateral forces. I hope to see you out there again..

 

Fulton Haight

Instructor Chief

NASA So-Cal

[Dizmm]

everything you do must happen smoothly. don't think of the brakes (or throttle) as an on or off switch, but more of a progressive slider.

[kbrew8991]

you'll eventually want to heel-toe downshifts on track, but it's better to first nail that technique on the street and then maybe start adding it in on track as directed by instructor/classroom/etc.

[braknl8]

I think your instructor was trying to drive home that you want to gradually release brake pedal pressure vs jumping off the pedal when you are done with your "threshold braking". Do this: hold your hand out with your palm up. Now, with the thumb of your other hand, press the patch of muscle just at the base of the thumb on your original hand...press it HARD. Now, release the pressure....but do it so gradually (smoothly) that you aren't exactly sure when your "pressing" thumb is no longer in contact with your palm. That's how you want to manipulate the brake pedal. Jumping off the brakes just before turn-in will cause a rapid weight transfer to the rear, unsettling the car when you most need it settled.

 

It probably took a while to get from pressing hard to not touching your hand as you were trying to be smooth. Naturally, this is slower. However...do it and do it again until you can be fast w/ out giving up the "smooth" and you've got it.

 

Heel and toe: practice often and start now. On the street, do it every time you stop. Find a cloverleaf on/off ramp and just drive in circles, shifting up and down concentrating on matching the revs exactly. Pretty soon it will be second nature.