I took my ITR on a track for the first time yesterday (second time i've driven on a track). The track was Brands Hatch (http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/br...atch/index.asp) famous for the BTCC races, GP and previously for Formula 1.

We used the Indy track (smaller segment of the track with two hair-pins. see: http://www.motorsportvision.co...e.gif).

My question is "How is an ITR meant to be driven on a track". I mean a pure ITR (totally stock). The might seem like a silly question but yesterday I realised that the ITR can't been driven smoothly around a track and that is has to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven like a bitch around the rack..
by that I mean a lot of jittering of the wheel around corners and throttle control. You can't coast around some corners because the back end becomes light and kicks out.

On my best lap I drove quite hard, screeched around bends and was really hands-on and I didn't feel as much unbalance in the car as when i was trying to take it smoothly around.

Any comments from regular track day go-ers would be appreciated and remember im talking about stock ITR, no hard springs, no lowering etc.

 

The beauty of a solid front-wheel drive is you can throw the #$%#Y% around...

Try doing that with most rear-wheel drives & you'll meet mr. Wall...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fink2iCe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...I realised that the ITR can't been driven smoothly around a track and that is has to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven like a bitch around the rack..</TD></TR></TABLE>

No no no no no.

The fastest way is always the smooth way. Tires produce the most grip when the changes in forces are not sudden. Throwing a car around feels faster sometimes because of the rotation. But the reality is a smoother, better driver can make a car rotate and produce more grip and therefore be faster.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00R101 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No no no no no.

The fastest way is always the smooth way. </TD></TR></TABLE>

"More gas, less brakes".

I agree. (Although, on autocross courses, "smooth" has a slightly different meaning. Watch Brian Fitzpatrick's winning runs at Solo2 nationals for 2004) --- https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1010922

This is a super-basic oversimplification, but for a lot of track corners, the fastest way is to come in hot, trail brake half-way to the apex (helps car turn in), and get back on the gas before the apex. You want to still have a late apex, but it might be earlier than every other car on the track (especially at a school, where safety comes first. Later apex == safer.)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"More gas, less brakes".

I agree. (Although, on autocross courses, "smooth" has a slightly different meaning. Watch Brian Fitzpatrick's winning runs at Solo2 nationals for 2004) --- https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1010922

This is a super-basic oversimplification, but for a lot of track corners, the fastest way is to come in hot, trail brake half-way to the apex (helps car turn in), and get back on the gas before the apex. You want to still have a late apex, but it might be earlier than every other car on the track (especially at a school, where safety comes first. Later apex == safer.)</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll agree on the smooth point, but a late apex and trailbraking is NOT always or most of the time the way to take a corner. It depends ENTIRELY on what type of corner you're going into. Some corners require an early apex to be driven safely, some require the standard apex, etc.

To the OP, as just about everyone here has stated, smooth is the way to be. Develop your smoothness and correct line first, speed will follow. The back-end coming out you refer to will happen if you're smooth or rough. That's just the natural tendency of the car to rotate a bit. I think you may be confusing us or possibly yourself. The R does feel better when you drive it hard, but not rough. Hard = pushing it, lots of gas, hard on the brakes, etc. Rough = quick, jerky steering, abrupt braking/throttle, etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"More gas, less brakes". </TD></TR></TABLE>

Brakes??? what are those...??

As for thinking the ITR is a hand full on a track go and find a RWD car that has a decent power supply and rip a few laps, you will see that the R does make it easier and smoother just by being fwd with LSD.

 

From my experiences the car likes to be driven at the limit. You can still be pretty smooth, even tho the car feels like it's on caffeine.

 

Also, what kinda tyre pressures did you run on street tyres? Did you check the tyre pressures while they were hot? to much and street tyres can feel greasy

Stock R was super fun on the track

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fink2iCe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I realised that the ITR can't been driven smoothly around a track and that is has to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven like a bitch around the track..</TD></TR></TABLE>
I will concur.
(quoted for safe keeping)

Did you have the power steering belt on the car? Removal of that helps me while on track.