Ultimate Speed Secrets

by Ross Bentley

  The better you know the course layout, the better prepared you will be. Always look ahead, and plan your route through the corners. If you mess up a particular turn, forget it, and keep looking ahead to the rest of the track. It really doesn’t matter where you currently are, so don’t look there. What is happening now on the racetrack was determined by what you did a long time ago. Look now, and plan now, for where you want to go.

  SPEED SECRET

  Look—and think—as far ahead as possible.

  It takes practice to feel comfortable looking farther ahead than you do now, so begin practicing it on the street. You will be amazed at how much it will help and at how far ahead the winners are looking.

  As you drive through the corners, keep your head upright. Many drivers wrongly feel they have to lean their head into the corner to be successful. The weight of your head leaning to the inside of the corner is not going to benefit the handling. Watch the best motorcycle racers: Even as they lean their bodies into the corner, their heads are cocked as upright as possible. That’s because they realize their brain is used to receiving information from their eyes in the normal upright position, not tipped at an angle. So sit up and keep your head in a normal position. When you turn, move your head from side to side, but do not lean or tip it.

  ILLUSTRATION 16-2 As you approach most corners, what you can actually see is often restricted, and the view your eyes give is straight ahead of where they are pointed (left). But you have to see a curved view around the turn in your mind’s eye (right); visualize or picture in your mind the path you want the car to follow.

  Do not concentrate on just one car in front or behind you. Look well ahead, and watch for anything coming into your overall field of vision. Pay attention all the time. And don’t just look farther ahead, think farther ahead.

  The best race drivers have a tremendous ability to know what’s going on around them without having to look. Call it a sixth sense or extraordinary peripheral vision, but it is amazing what a driver notices when driving at speed, with experience. Like a person’s field of vision, I call this a driver’s “field of awareness,” what you are aware of.

  Do you remember the first time you drove fast or skied down a mountain? Your field of vision, or awareness, was probably very small, like looking through a scope. But the more you drove quickly or skied, the more your vision expanded, and the more you noticed around you.

  Personally, there are times when I notice things to the side or behind me that physically I shouldn’t know anything about. But with the adrenaline flowing, my senses are so sharp that I know exactly where a car behind me is, even though the view in the mirror is almost non-existent.

  When I first drove an Indy car, my field of awareness was narrowed by the speed at which everything was happening (just as it was when I first drove a Formula Ford, and then a Formula Atlantic car). But as I became more accustomed to the speed, the more my field of vision and awareness expanded once again.

  Experience in a fast car, at high speed, will help you become acclimated to this speed and increase your field of awareness. But it is something you can also practice while driving on the street. Work on seeing and being aware of everything around you at all times. Use your mirrors and peripheral vision to keep track of cars behind and beside you, trying to anticipate what they are going to do.

  This ability to really know what’s going on around you is one of the most important and amazing feats race drivers accomplish. If a driver has to think about it while driving, it won’t work. But when it’s there, it’s not only a great feeling, but also a real key to success. It will come with experience if you “allow” it.

  All these things—focusing your eyes on where you want to go, looking far ahead, and using your peripheral vision—are what good vision techniques are all about.

  Racing in the rain is obviously a little more dangerous than in dry conditions. Driving smoothly and with full concentration is absolutely critical. It cannot be stressed enough. With practice and the right mental attitude, however, you can gain a great advantage over your competitors.

  Personally, I love to race in the rain. Having spent many years in cars that were less than competitive, the rain was my equalizer. Since wheelspin is the major limiting factor on a wet track, if a competitor’s car had more horsepower, he or she usually couldn’t use it, therefore equalizing our cars. Also, having spent many years racing in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve become accustomed to driving in the rain. Now my mental attitude toward rain is positive, while some of my competitors have negative attitudes toward rain. While I’m loving it, they’re hating it, giving me a mental advantage.

  THE WET LINE

  The general rule in rain driving is to drive where everyone else hasn’t. In other words, off the ideal line. The idea is to look for, and use, the grippiest pavement. Through years of cars driving over a particular part of the track, the surface becomes polished smooth and the pores in the pavement are packed with rubber and oil. That is exactly where you don’t want to be in the rain. You want to search out the granular, abrasive surface. This can sometimes mean driving around the outside of a corner, or hugging the inside, or even crossing back and forth across the normal line.

  Great rain racers were not born that way. They developed the skills to be fast in the rain by practicing sensing the limits, being smooth, and searching out the track surface that provides the most grip. Shutterstock

  Eventually, of course, you will have to cross the ideal line. When you do, try to have the car pointing as straight as possible, so there is less chance for the car to try to spin.

  Since cornering traction is reduced more than acceleration and braking traction in the rain, try driving a line that allows you to drive straight ahead more. That means a later, sharper turn-in and a later apex.

  Often, in a race, the rain will stop and the track will begin to dry. Again, watch for, and drive the driest line. This can change dramatically from lap to lap. As the track dries, your rain tires may begin to overheat and tear up. If so, try to drive through puddles on the straights to cool them.

  Since water runs downhill, it may be best to drive around the top of a banked corner. Again, search out the pavement that offers better traction. Also, be careful of pavement changes and painted curbing. Often, they are much slicker than the surrounding asphalt.

  SPEED SECRET

  Look for and drive the grippiest surface.

  RAIN TIRES

  The optimum slip angle for a tire in the wet is less than in the dry. On dry pavement a tire’s optimum slip angle may be in the 6- to 10-degree range; on wet pavement it may be around 3 to 6 degrees. This means you should drive in the rain with the tires slipping less than you would on dry pavement.

  This reduced optimum slip angle range also means the line between grip and no grip is a little finer. Plus, once the tires have broken loose and begun to really slide, there is less scrub to slow the car down to a speed where the tires can regain traction. That is why it often feels like a car picks up speed when it spins on a wet track. It’s because the rate of deceleration is so little.

  A rain tire is usually less “progressive” than a slick. That is, when the rain tire reaches it maximum traction limit (optimum slip angle) and begins to relax its grip on the road, it does so more quickly than the more progressive dry tire. In other words, the rain tire gives you a little less warning as to when it is going to let go (see Illustration 17-1).

  These last two factors, the lack of scrub to slow you down when too much slip occurs and the less progressivity of the rain tire, is why it is critical to make the car slide from the instant you enter a turn in the rain. If you try to drive with no slip, at some point the tires are bound to go beyond the “no slip” range and begin to slide. When that occurs, it is going to take you by surprise. You think you’ve got lots of control, it’s hanging on . . . hanging on . . . and then suddenly it lets go.

  ILLUSTRATION 17-1 This slip angle versus traction graph for a rain tire and a sl
ick racing tire shows that the rain tire is less “progressive.” It reaches its limit quicker and lets go quicker. Obviously, its traction limit is lower than the dry tire because the track surface has less grip.

  SLIDING AND BALANCE

  Instead, enter every turn slightly faster than you think possible and make the car understeer, even if that means little or no trail braking at first. Once it is sliding, keep the car’s speed up by squeezing on the throttle. If the car is set up right, you can gently make it go from this understeer to a slight oversteer, always keeping the tires slipping. With a little practice, you’ll be able to add your trail braking back in (increasing the initial turn-in speed), and make all four tires slip an equal amount all the way through the turn, using the throttle to control the balance of understeer to oversteer, and therefore control the direction of the car by easing off the throttle to rotate the car and vice versa.

  By having the car slide all the way through the turn, it will never take you by surprise. You know it’s sliding. In fact, the car should be sliding almost all the time. Not too much, mind you, but sliding a smooth, controlled amount.

  SPEED SECRET

  If the car feels like it’s on rails, you are probably driving too slowly.

  A car on a wet track takes a set in a turn just like it does in the dry. Recall that “taking a set” is that point when all the weight transfer that is going to take place because cornering force has taken place. In other words, when the car has leaned or rolled in the turn all that it is going to, that is when it has taken a set. This will happen in the rain just as it does when dry, only the overall amount of weight transfer will be less due to the lesser amount of cornering force. It may take a little more sensitivity to feel the car take its set.

  Having suggested the car should always be sliding, like anything, gradually work your way up to it. Don’t try to put the car in large slides all the way through a corner first time out. But don’t drive with the car on rails lap after lap either. With each lap, try entering the corner a little faster, and a little faster, until the slipping feels like it is too much (another tenth of a mile per hour will mean you can’t control the amount of slip).

  SPEED SECRET

  In the rain, initiate slowly, react quickly.

  Your initial turning of the steering should be as smooth, slow, and gentle as possible (allowing the tires to gradually build up their cornering forces). But when the car begins to slide, don’t wait; catch it quickly with the steering wheel.

  As you know, it is critical how you use the throttle and brake pedal in the dry. It is even more important in the rain. Every time you accelerate out of a corner, feed in the throttle by squeezing the pedal down slower than you would in the dry. If you should ever have to lift off the throttle in a turn, “breathe” it, ease out, “feather” it. Do not lift abruptly. That is probably the most common cause of a spin in the rain. Smooth and gentle—finesse—are the keys to driving in the rain.

  You must be smoother on the throttle in the rain, squeezing the throttle so you only get just the right amount of wheelspin. Too much and you’re either slow (you’re not accelerating because of the excessive wheelspin) or you’ll spin; too little and you will be slow. Remember the traction limit.

  If you get into a little bit of a slide or spin, usually the best advice is, do as little as possible. It’s just like driving over an icy bridge in your street car. There is practically no traction anyway, so whatever you do will have no effect, at least no positive effect, although it can often have a negative effect.

  Be smooth with your shifts. You may want to try driving one gear higher in the turns than you normally would, using third gear in a corner you normally would use second in. This will lessen the chance of severe wheelspin by reducing the amount of torque available to the driving wheels.

  AQUAPLANING

  Aquaplaning is one of the trickiest parts of racing in the rain. Basically, it is when the tire cannot “cut” through the buildup of water on the track surface, and it begins to “skim” across the top of the water. Three factors account for this: the amount of water, the depth and effectiveness of the tread on the tires, and the speed the car is traveling. Be prepared for it whenever it rains heavily.

  The trick to controlling aquaplaning is to do as little as possible; be gentle. Aquaplaning is much like driving on ice, the less you do, the better your chances of surviving. Do not take your foot completely off the throttle, as the compression braking effect of the engine and forward weight transfer may cause your rear wheels to slip. Under no circumstances should you hit the brakes. This will only cause you to slide even quicker. Nor should you try to accelerate fully through it.

  Turning the steering wheel while aquaplaning can also be dangerous. Imagine “skimming” across the top of a puddle with the front wheels turned at an angle (as if trying to corner). When you reach the other side of the puddle, the front tires will now regain traction, while the rears are still on top of the puddle with no traction. The front-end of the car is going to follow the front tires, and the back-end is then going to skid sideways, causing you to spin out. Therefore, whenever you begin to aquaplane, make sure your steering is pointed straight ahead.

  RAIN PREPARATIONS

  Your chassis and suspension setup may have to be changed for the rain. Generally, you want to run a softer car: softer springs, shocks, and anti-roll bars (in fact, many drivers disconnect the anti-roll bars entirely in the rain). This will help your overall grip while giving you more feel for what the car is doing. If possible, since there will be less forward weight transfer, and therefore braking, by the front wheels, you should adjust the brake bias to the rear. You also may want to add more downforce from the wings and adjust the tire pressures. Use less pressure if there is a little rain and more pressure (causing a slight crown across the tread of the tire) in heavy rain to help avoid aquaplaning.

  Perhaps the most difficult and dangerous part of racing in the rain is the lack of visibility. When following other cars, you may need to drive just slightly off to either side, not directly behind, to improve your visibility and to avoid the spray and mist. In fact, do everything possible to make sure you have good visibility. De-fog and clean your windows and helmet visor before driving. There are many anti-fog products on the market today, some that even work.

  Driving in the rain can be enjoyable, because it’s an extra challenge, as long as you concentrate on the changing conditions and drive smoothly and precisely. I remember, years ago, reading about Niki Lauda’s claim that he was born with a natural advantage in avoiding visor fog-up. Because he has buck teeth, when he breathed in his helmet, his breath went downward away from the visor. From that point on, whenever there was a potential for my visor to fog up, I would concentrate on breathing downward. Plus, I always install a brand-new visor on my helmet just prior to driving in the rain. Old visors actually absorb moisture over time and are more susceptible to fogging. It’s surprising how much better a new visor is than an old one.

  Passing, being passed, dicing for position. This is what racing is all about. Some drivers can drive fast but can’t race. Others can race but aren’t particularly fast. To win, obviously, you must be good at both. And the techniques used to be good at both do not always complement each other.

  That said, first you must learn to drive fast, then you can begin to race. Many drivers never learn to drive fast because they’re too busy racing other drivers. Others are fast, but never learn how to really race, how to pass, defend their position, and so on.

  COMPETITORS

  I consider other race cars to be part of the track. Therefore, the racetrack is constantly changing as their positioning in relation to you changes. You’ll be much more successful in your racing if you concentrate on your own performance rather than on the competition. So if you think of the competitors’ cars as simply changes in the track layout, you’ll be more relaxed and able to achieve your own peak performance.

  One of the most important parts of passi
ng other cars is to place yourself in a position that you can “present” yourself to take control of the track. Put your car in a position where other drivers can see you easily, and you have the line. Shutterstock

  It’s important to be aware of everything and everyone around you, especially in a pack of cars. Train yourself to be able to be focused and yet able to notice other things around you. Practice this on the street. Concentrate on where you are going, but try to make note of all the other cars around you, especially the ones you can’t see directly in the mirrors. This ability can make the difference between being just a fast driver and being a great racer.

  PASSING

  No matter what, you are going to have to modify your line when passing and being passed. It’s part of racing. With any luck, you can do this to your advantage, not your disadvantage. The goal is to deviate from your ideal line as little as possible while passing and being passed.

  A good habit to get into during practice sessions is to try driving “passing lines,” that is, where you think you may be able to pass competitors in the race. Practice sessions are the time to test the track for grip “off line.”

  In passing maneuvers, the general racing rule is that the overtaking car is responsible for making a clean, safe pass. If the overtaking car is approximately halfway or more past the slower car and on the inside when entering a turn, it is that car’s line. I repeat, though, this is a general rule. The “approximately halfway” is a bit of a gray area.