Ask Ross: “What happens at the contact patch when steering is applied during the first few rotations of the tire? Is there a momentary increase in grip at the rubber-pavement interface? Does Alonso know something? Or am I chasing unicorns here?”
Q: Until this year, I have been driving a Cayman street car that was modified (suspension, roll bar, etc.) for track use. This setup was a compromise between track performance and drivability on the streets. Over the winter, I purchased a used Cayman race car that ran in the IMSA ST class. A friend who is an SCCA racer, looked at one of my track videos from VIR and explained that the car is set up for people graduating from karting to racing. In his opinion, the car rotates very easily in the corners and he recommended avoiding trail braking in the car. When I was at Watkins Glen last month, I noticed that if I released the brakes too quickly, the back end would tend to come around fairly quickly. In retrospect, I believe this is what you and Peter discuss in your track walks that I was never able to replicate in my previous car, so it caught me off guard, but I was able maintain my composure and control of the vehicle. What’s the best way to adapt my driving to the way my car handles?
Q: What is the best way to deal with cold temperatures on track? I recently drove in the second group at a Super Tour event at Road Atlanta, with temps around 40 degrees. It took me several laps to get the tires up to temp, and in the first few laps I had to make two big corrections. The top drivers, though, were able to drive within a couple tenths of their best time from the day before (when it was warmer), by the second lap.
Q: “My question is about the best line and speed through banked corners. The two I have been on are Turns One and Tunnel at Pocono, and as well as the Carousel on the Summit Shenandoah circuit. I’m not sure if I should be taking a traditional line and hitting the apex, or just travel parallel to the corner and hold a steady speed? Also, do I just keep adding speed to find my limit like a traditional corner? Especially at Pocono, the speeds are high and a mistake ends with a trip to the wall, so any input would be helpful.”
Q: “Is there a “best” way to practice and improve my high-performance driving?”