First off, somewhere out there is the answer to the question I'm about to ask.

But I would like to get an answer from those who have experienced it first hand, like you guys.

Anyhow, So what is the fastest way around the track? I was always taught that the fastest way around the track was the "Racing Line" with a little bit of "Drift."

So what are your ideas and comments on this?

I've already visited this webpage: http://www.miata.net/sport/Physics/ awesome webpage!

 

The line that keeps you ahead of the guy behind you.

Warren

 

Going Faster: Mastering the Art of Race Driving

Read and you will learn.

 

I agree with Warren.


Oh and ActiveAero.

Girls are Evil.

Drift is fun to watch, but going sideways is not going forward (even a little).

Chris

 

I believe that an R compound tire works best when it is working within a 10% slip angle. That is not a "Drift" .

Victor Penner

 

The "drift" that I'm talking about is where the tires are at it's maximum. Have you guys ever seen formula one where they're sliding a little here and there. That's the drift that I'm talking about.

 

Phew. I was thinking we were having yet another one of those "No, really, 90 degrees sideways is a lot faster" threads.

There's kind of a happy medium. A little bit of controlled, 4-wheel drift is typically indicitave of the fact that you're going quite fast. Too much though and you're slow.

With Hoosier (road race compound) tires, a little bit of skatiness should be expected in my experience...they're fastest when you're drifting them a bit.

Not sure if I've answered your question satisfactorily - I just don't happen to think there's an exact, formulaic way to describe it.

 

That is not a drift. Further - that type of slide is more of a function of the car one is driving. If you slide a FWD you probably did something wrong. A high horsepower RWD is the type of car you will see sliding and even then it is only in fast turns. Occasionally I will slide the GSR a little through turns such as the uphill esses at VIR or turn 9 at Summit but these slides are not common around the whole track. As Warren stated if you are sliding you are moving sideways which is not forward.
A racing line is not a fast line. The racing line is a defensive line used to keep the car behind you from coming around. It will mean entering corners on the inside and staying there. What you are referring to is the "party line" taught in HPDE events. This is the "ideal" line around a track and is the fastest but unless you are running by yourself in a race you won't be using it.

 

I happen to be in the middle of reading that book right now.

great book.

drive safe,

aj

 

I don't like Kumhos because they are too sticky.

I know that sounds odd, but they don't fit my style. On Kumhos I tend to be abrupt and less than smooth (an understatement).

Hoosiers have what I've heard referred to as "Usable Slip Angle." That is, you can be in the gas and sliding a little (the "skate" Shultz referred to), but still totally under control and pointed in the correct direction.
I am MUCH quicker on Hoosiers that I have ever been on any other tire. They really fit my style quite well.

So, the fastest way around the track???
Is a function of the car, the set-up, the tires, the driver, the weather, etc., etc.

 

Two things:

1. There isn't one absolute fastest way around the track. It will differ from car to car, track to track, person to person, etc. So the answer might not be out there somewhere!

2. Sort of an addition to 1, but Going Faster isn't the only book out there. I'd reccommend reading as many racing books as you can get your hands on. I personally own Going Faster and Carrol Smith's Drive to Win and you can tell that while a lot of what they say is similar, they have different approaches and you can still learn a lot from reading both.

 

2 answers here.

1) The line that maximizes speed everywhere on track (road course) is 99% of the time the fastest way around the track. At an autocross, the line that is the shortest distance and/or the line that allows you to turn the steering wheel the least is the fastest.

2) When you're racing, as Warren said, the line that keeps the guy behind you is the fastest line, because you win

Going Faster is a great book.

 

iloveracing, thanks for the awesome site. Lots of good info there.

 

Going faster and driving to win are both good books. Another one I suggest is "Speed Secrets". Its fairly basic.

 

just as addition..
the reason why a little sliding in the hole car may indicate that u are going fast..
and the reason why the F1 cars slides a little

is that tires can generat up to something like 150% of adhesion when you are accelerating and cornering or braking and cornering at the same time
that makes the small sliding motions to what i understood

neway u need to read racing books and most of them talk about the tire's traction circle..and what is riding the edge of it

by that law u will also be faster if u can go to farther on the tires and corner while braking a little up to accelerating same time..wich is not really and easy thing to control properly but neway

 

do it sideways!

 

According to NASCAR....go left.