RE: Off Track Excursions at the track, Pizzafest wrapup

["Lin, Gary" <Gary.Lin@xxxxxxxx>]

I had an off track the last session.  Going into 1, botched braking, a
little early, Mike Gayle in my mirror (unintimidating;-P), blah, blah.  60?
around the corner on the gator teeth, car won't hold once it gets off the
teeth onto the dirt, ok I'm going for a ride.  I do what 8+ schools have
taught me, hold it steady and drive it off (it will slide off by itself due
to the less tractive surface of grass).  Straightened it up and got back on
when clear.  Mike said he had no qualms about it since he knew I knew what I
was doing. ;-)

You know you are going off when it pushes off the track.  You'll feel the
tire drop off the edge and the car will immediately try to follow the
direction of the straight line vector from that point; Do Not try to steer
back on.  The weighted outside front tire no longer has any traction, and
the rear probably will follow.

Unless you're spinning because you braked while IN the turn or an incident
or something, going off is usually straight.  If so, keep it steady and
scrub speed while on the grass, but don't nail the brakes.  Straighten out
and get back on slowly when clear.  Trying to hold it on when it's
understeering before it goes off is fine (Should have let up slightly and
had it tuck back in, that's why I'm not an instructor yet ;-).

Gary Lin    National Capital Ch.   '88 325is lachssilber

Michael asks:
> 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?

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