Driving styles

[Lee]

Just a bit of discussion about what is fast!!

I generally have a smooth driving style, that i probably picked up running on road.

But is it fast when running off road? i watch people like Mr Lowe and he is very direct but still smooth at the same time.

So can you be fast with smooth lines or do i need to be more direct/aggressive.

Also i was told that i would need to use the brakes in 2wd to get the back end sliding round mid corner, is this true also?

[Southwell]

Lee Martin is as smooth as they come and one of the quickest out there.

[Lee Martin]

cheers ian.....

its always good to be smooth....

and 2wd brakes definatley help alot....

im on the brakes alot of the time....the key is knowing when to break and being smooth when coming off the brakes and onto the throttle.

lee

[Nick Goodall]

Also you need to get your brakes set-up properly so they're not too full on and you've got a good feel for it.

The other thing that helps is to run the car with knackered tyres or on some ground that's got no grip as this will really help your all round car control and importantly the throttle control - that's one of the things to master with 2wd, 4wd you can get away with nailing it a bit more but 2wd can require super smooth throttle control to be really quick. Racing lines will come naturally after a while, and after a bit of watching.

If you watch some of the top heats at Nationals etc, you'll often think someone is cruising round but if they're not crashing can very often be going a lot quicker then you think - smooth is fast

[Lee]

Thats good to know, cheers.

When you say braking, do you mean braking in a straight line then turning in or do you brake mid corner to get the car sliding?

[Hog]

Depends on the shape of the corners before and after........

Sometimes if it's a straight into a hairpin then brake in a straight line. If it's one corner that gradually tightens into another then trail braking may be needed.

Braking is most efficient when the car is going dead straight. As soon as you add steering into the equation, or sliding, then your braking power is compromised.

[Swiss]

Originally Posted by Nick Goodall

Also you need to get your brakes set-up properly so they're not too full on and you've got a good feel for it.

The other thing that helps is to run the car with knackered tyres or on some ground that's got no grip as this will really help your all round car control and importantly the throttle control - that's one of the things to master with 2wd, 4wd you can get away with nailing it a bit more but 2wd can require super smooth throttle control to be really quick. Racing lines will come naturally after a while, and after a bit of watching.

If you watch some of the top heats at Nationals etc, you'll often think someone is cruising round but if they're not crashing can very often be going a lot quicker then you think - smooth is fast

Nick

You quote "getting the breaks set up correctly" Do you have any suggestions tips regarding this... I know it's a fairly personal thing, (as in levels of breaks) but just a thought?

[LiamD]

I'm always of the opinion that slow is fast, David Spashett is the ultimate example of that.

Maybe that's a few years of 12th circuit showing. I don't really 'rag it' unless i'm bored.