Im looking for any and all the advice I can get!

whats there to know besides get good tires and wipers?

How hard do you guys push etc ?

TIA

 

Disconnect the rear sway bar, soften the rebound on the rear shocks, stay off the grass/curbing x 2, keep the rpms up (not redlined but try to have them up there), adjust your braking zones back, focus on easy throttle and steering transitions, and if you are about to get it all wrong, try avoid those around you (oh and don't assume you can follow folks through turns because of your class/make). Push it as much as you feel confident and remember, you need some torque to keep the rears in line so a slow coast can sometimes be more dicey than a bit faster with some throttle. I am sure others can lend some more concrete fast tips but that's my best recollection from March at RA in the rain (only time there in the rain which I ran w/ the swaybar connected, not shock adjustment and qualified on slicks - so hehe, I don't even listen to me - but I will next time ).

 

Is it going to rain this weekend?

The only other thing that I can think of is that some parts of the track you will be driving differently, and by that I don't mean just slower or on another line. If for example there are parts on the track where it feels like the rear is about to go from under you (T12, or esses at road atlanta for example), you want to somehow be in a position to go through those section on the gas, instead of coasting through them. The esses for example, you will have to basically do your "slowing down" or braking point earlier, so that by the time you are approaching the entry, you are going slowly enough to allow you to drive both through the entry and the rest of the esses on the gas. Coming out of T4, had you left your slowing down section for as deep as you can take it into the esses, you would be forced to be slowing down while entering (or through) the esses. This will make for a tricky ride just to keep it on the track. Same thing for T12. Just do the same amount of slowing down you would normally do, but earlier. This way you will be able to stay on the gas from entry and throughout the whole turn. Being on the gas as you start turning the car is key because the entry of a turn is where a lot of the sideways action in the rain starts. This probably doesn't make any sense in words, but you'll figure it out yourself. To sum it up, the idea is to shift your braking points earlier in order to be able to be on the gas as much as you can through a turn if you need more help to keep that rear behind you where it belongs.

 

Advice? Move up here to Seattle and race for a couple seasons.

Really though, it would be a good idea to talk to people that know the rain line at the track you are running. It makes a huge difference, as well as the suspension stuff. Tire pressures are another thing to consider.

 

Um stay away for the really big puddles put those worn out Azenis back on with the OUTSIDE actually on the outside

Make sure your filter is kept dry if you have an exposed intake, the removal of the rear sway might help, as adjusting the rear tire pressure, maybe even take some camber out.

Make sure above all you can see. Dupont has that ultra slippery windshield covering to keep the rain off. Or lots o Rain Ex

mainly get in any kind of practice possible while only making very small changes if possible. Also push the car just hard enough to step out a couple of times to know exactly where that point is.

 

Excellent advice so far. I can only add one thing to the previous post:

I like to pick a corner or 2 for "traction sampling" -- typically slower corners with NOTHING TO HIT where I intentionally push it too far each time to really get a feel for the car and learn to catch it.

Of course, this was in RWD in a HPDE instructor environment. So forget what I said.

But I'm a big fan for paying attention to track saftey and always picking your battles only with the safest (least dangerous) places on the track. In the wet this is even more important since most of us are less knowledgeable and confident with wet driving (except the guys in Seattle, of course )

 

Jim mentioned the "rain line"...

Ask any experinced winning driver who's been around your track in the wet to explain it. It's awfull hard to describe and harder to drive the first time, but it really works.

I won my first race in very wet conditions while driving this line and I was on very dicey slicks. (thanks to Turfer - if he's lurking)

Good luck and drive like there's a raw egg sitting on your dash - don't break it!

Greg

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Disconnect the rear sway bar, soften the rebound on the rear shocks, stay off the grass/curbing x 2, keep the rpms up (not redlined but try to have them up there), adjust your braking zones back, focus on easy throttle and steering transitions, and if you are about to get it all wrong, try avoid those around you (oh and don't assume you can follow folks through turns because of your class/make). Push it as much as you feel confident and remember, you need some torque to keep the rears in line so a slow coast can sometimes be more dicey than a bit faster with some throttle. I am sure others can lend some more concrete fast tips but that's my best recollection from March at RA in the rain (only time there in the rain which I ran w/ the swaybar connected, not shock adjustment and qualified on slicks - so hehe, I don't even listen to me - but I will next time ).</TD></TR></TABLE>

good point!
you have to drive even more "smooth" in rain because sudden move will upset your traction/balance of the car.

 

Are Azenas good rain tires?? any advice there ??

 

Are AZENIS good rain tires-good question. Just returned from 2 days at Watkins Glen. The track was either damp or dry. The CRX ran fine on the tires w33psi in all 4. No swaybar or shock changes. The places where the track was damp caused no problems for me. If you are concerned about puddles-avoid them as best you can. Most of us were warned to stay away from the painted part of the curbing when it is not dry-becomes something of a skateboard.
I cannot specifically recommend a rain tire. I have RE730s on the Prelude and they are terrific in the wet. I also have a set of Dumlop SportA2 (for sale w/rims) for the CRX-no track time. The Dunlops I have run on in the past have always worked well in the wet. Hope this helps.

 

** Upshift in the puddles rather than just before or after them
** Concentrate on getting OFF of the brakes smoothly - this is a hugely important transition and a lot of drivers completely ignore it, even if you don't trailbrake
** Don't panic - kick back and enjoy it
** Take Jim's advice - I did almost my first whole season of roadracing in the rain and, the first time I raced in the dry, discovered just how slow my car actually was - which sucked.

Kirk

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bulldog_RS20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Jim mentioned the "rain line"...

thanks to Turfer - if he's lurking
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your welcome Greg. It has been a blast to be around and watch your racing skills develop.

Portland Intl Raceway is a perfect example of a track where a "rain line" applies. Offline in the dry and the track is very slick. Just the opposite in the wet. Try different lines around a corner, including the far outside radius, to find where the most grip exists.

Racing in the wet is the same as racing in dry with a bit of additional risk. Smoothness is the key. Drive as if you are holding the steering wheel between only your fingertips. Smooth transitions from throttle to brake to turn in to throttle are required to be quick.

Bottom line is, if you can be smooth and quick in the wet, you will be smooth and quick in the dry. And always have fun.

Good luck

Rick

 

All the above plus 2.


1. Be calm, everyone else is freaked out. Let them over react... you shouldn't. It's only rain. Someone told me once.... "G-d doesn't make their tires stick any better than yours". (spec-tire series however)

2. Be aggressive early, set a good pace while everyone else is ***** footin'.


ECHC- Disregaurd the above.

 

As i say you gotta be aggressive but be Smooth throughout the race. Remember keeping Smooth thru the turns and not to be nervous will get you better times.