Re: Re: Off Track Excursions at the track

[Pat Donahue <pdonahue@xxxxxxxxx>]

Michael asks:
> 
> > From: Pat Donahue <pdonahue@domain.elided>
> >
> > The important part of this is that I realized _before_ I dropped a tire
> > off that I couldn't make it and drove off under control.  Had I waited
> > to see if I could make it the loss of control, even for an instant,
> > would have put me too far off for a smooth recovery.
> 
> I have only been to a couple of driver's schools, and haven't been off trackyet,
> but have come close.  By close I mean that as I was coming out of a
> turn I was catching the rumble strip on the outside of the turn.  At what point
> do you KNOW you are going off?  I was ready to go off, and was going
> to straighten it out and drive straight off if I did, but I was trying to hold it
> and stay on.  Is this dangerous?  I didn't go off, but it was close.
> (this was at Gingerman, so there was plenty of runoff)
> Do you know when your tire drops?  How much time is there to react when
> this happens?

You should be able to feel how much the car is going it's own way.  You
probably knew before you hit the rumble strips that you were going to. 
In the same way you'll know before you drop a wheel if you're going to.

If you wait until the wheel drops off there'll be an abrupt change in
attitude of the car.  When this happens you're officially out of control
even if it's just for a second.  If you can avoid this second by
unwinding a bit you can start taking measures to get stopped/miss
objects that much earlier.  If you think a single second isn't worth a
lot watch the winning margins in lap speeds at a couple of races.

If you can't feel all these things going on you should find a skid pad
to work on for a while.  You can feel the car letting go of the pavement
and feel recovery all at a safe slow speed.  If you still can't get it
you might consider doing all your racing from the grandstands.
- -- 
Pat Donahue  CCA 125031
Vienna, VA
'91 M5 4GTFUL
'72 MGB 8LYFGR&

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