Racing Line

[captaineddie1975]

I just read with interest Mr. Mitchell's article in Sports Car--"Maximizing the traction circle"
When I attended Skip Barber's school in 11/82 Bruce and Carl were hot on the idea of trail braking. When I attended the Bertil Roos Advanced School in 4/86 his people taught the "classic" line. Now I read an article which seems to imply that the weekend modified racers at the local bull ring have it right by just hugging the Inside. Can this be right? Of course I realize that racing situations do not always permit the use of any one of these lines all the time unless one is running by him or herself but I generally have used the classic approach as I like to have my braking completed and be full on the throttle approaching the apex. I am wondering what the rest of you much more qualified and experienced racers prefer and have had success with?

Captain Eddie
"We may be old BUT we are slow!!"

[EYERACE]

bull ringers must hung the inside, else someone else get inside of them.

classic line is nice to teach 'cuz it sounds good to the audience if you're a newbie..........imagine this next thought quietly thought and mix in a very tiny grin/excitement that starts only towards the end of the thought and a little confidence grows too........"Yes," Mr. Newbie mulled, "I'm learning the classic line - that's how i can go fast!" ............

and then of course there's the guy that trail brakes and can get the car to rotate a little. now if you were letting someone who's a newbie drive your car, do want them going out and trying to rotate the car????? back it into something would happen occasionally too. stand in the shoes of a pro school - it's about selling tickets

when actually it's about seat time and finding your own style but knowing the different mechanics from which to base a grasp of what one does do that works for them - classic vs trail vs whatever

[Mark H]

In The Unfair Advantage 1975 Mr. Donohue (the greatest driver ever!) explaines the 2 driving or actualy braking, styles 1. the old, classic or European style and 2. the new, unproven (excopt by him), American style...as he dubed it.

So this is not a new revalation?? But SC has never been on the cutting edge.
I think drivers have used both, now if they realize it or admit it or a combo of both who knows? Different times during the weekend require different driving styles ie. traffic,a pass on the last lap for the lead, trying to get the pole, crusin with a 10 sec. lead or trying to show off (or crash) in T-1 at RA?

[Peter Olivola]

Don't be so quick to claim trail braking as a U.S. "invention." Donohue learned it from Walt Hansgen (an ex-patriot Brit,) who learned it from Sterling Moss. Donohue's most significant contribution (aside from his considerable skill at employing it,) was to organize the engineering justification and develop the "language" now used to teach it. The RRDC ran advanced drivers schools in the sixties using the same material now used by Skippy. In the seventies, when those could no longer be justified, the same material was taught at seminars at the NY auto show.

Yes, I am that old.

In The Unfair Advantage 1975 Mr. Donohue (the greatest driver ever!) explaines the 2 driving or actualy braking, styles 1. the old, classic or European style and 2. the new, unproven (excopt by him), American style...as he dubed it.

So this is not a new revalation?? But SC has never been on the cutting edge.
I think drivers have used both, now if they realize it or admit it or a combo of both who knows? Different times during the weekend require different driving styles ie. traffic,a pass on the last lap for the lead, trying to get the pole, crusin with a 10 sec. lead or trying to show off (or crash) in T-1 at RA?

[EACIII]

I think the answer is it all depend. Some corners you want to trail brake, other you want to be on the gas when you turn in. Are you trying for a quick qualifing lap or trying to pass the car in front of you. It is clear from the drawings in SC that the trail braker will be able to go inside the classic line driver going for the apex. Also all the corners in the articale were 180 degree corners. How many pure 180 degree corners are there on a road course? When we used to use NASCAR 1 and 2 at NHIS I would brake after I turned in. Was it the fastest way through the corner? Not sure but it allowed you to pass others into the corner. Also note that all of the testing was done with a front wheel drive car not a formula race car.

[Daryl DeArman]

It is whatever works for the momment. If you are by yourself, either qualifying, trying to increase a lead, or close a gap, you want to take the path that will yield the lowest lap time. If you are in a 'race', lap times don't mean squat, it is about position.