Q: How should I adapt my driving to a Front-Wheel-Drive car?
In an article you wrote on adapting braking style for each type of corner, you state that fast turns should be approached with a ‘brush of the brakes’ so that the car will be balanced at turn in. In this scenario, there isn’t much need for trail braking to help rotate the car. However, FWD is best characterized by understeer. Thus it seems to me that even in fast turns, trail braking is needed to help load the front wheels to minimize understeer at turn in. Can you address this question?”
Q: How should I adapt my driving to a stiffer or softer suspension setup?
Q: “From a driver standpoint, how do you drive differently in a car with stiff suspension versus soft suspension set-up? What do you feel differently, expect differently, and change how you drive accordingly between stiff and soft suspension?”
Q: How should I break in new tires on the track to make them last longer?
Q: “The question I have is about heat treating to break in new tires and improve tire longevity. I usually heat cycle a set of tires for 20 minutes on a single session, then take the tires off and let them sit for 24 hours. I then put them back on for the remainder of the 2-3 day event. I run a set of tires for about half a season, ~4 events. Is there a better way of getting the tires ready for a season, and is there a normal life of tires that would indicate a replacement point? Could I run tires for a full season without suffering hardening and loss of grip?”
Q: How should I practice and get better at trail braking and my brake release?
Q: “An area I really want to work on is “trail braking” and “brake release.” Do you have some training techniques or drills to use, to focus on & practice on, so I can better feel & use the “end of braking” to best advantage?”
Q: How should I practice being a smoother driver?
Q: “I keep hearing that “smooth is fast,” and I want to learn to drive smoother, but how? Is there a way to practice to be smoother?”