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direction is a little closer to pointing down the track. Lower-powered cars
tend to use an earlier apex, since they generate less lateral force coming out
of the corner and are less likely to run out of track width at the exit of the
corner; higher-powered cars tend to use a later apex, since they generate
more lateral force coming out of the corner, and need to be "straighter"
before powering out of the corner.
Habit 3: Take the corners by driving IN SLOW(ER) and OUT FAST(ER).
If there's any trade-off to be made between entry speed and exit speed, then
favor exit speed. If the car is pushing and plowing (under-steering) or
sliding tail-way-out (oversteering) as you're trying to exit the corner, and
you're losing time while you wait for the car to recover, then you probably
entered the corner too hot (carrying too much speed).
Track-day drivers - if you can't get to your apex, then you may have
entered the corner too hot, or you may have gotten back on the gas too soon.
Just as autocrossers need to get close to that inside cone in the corner, you
need to get to your inside apex.
Habit 4: SMOOTH IS FAST.
Jerky inputs unsettle the car's suspension and lead to understeer or
oversteer. This doesn't mean that your inputs can't be quick; they just can't
be jerky.
Habit 5: DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT*, to the limit of grip, beyond your
comfort zone, maximizing the load on your suspension while minimizing
distance traveled. Where you can go fast, go CRAZY fast.
* *But not on public roads. Trust me.
* Corollary 5a: Remember the friction circle. If you're braking at 100% of
the tires' grip, then the tires have no grip left for turning at that moment.
Your tires' available grip is being shared between braking, turning, and
accelerating. When you're performing more than one of these actions at the
same time (braking and turning, or turning and accelerating) then remember
that those actions need to share the available grip. This is why your
instructor told you to do your heaviest braking while traveling in
a straight line.
* Track-day drivers - do not pitch and toss the car like an autocrosser;
you'll upset the balance of the car. At best, you'll find yourself in a spin; at
worst, you'll roll the car and hit the wall. Remember habit 4 - smooth is fast.
Habit 6: TRAIL BRAKE.
Approach the corner aggressively, enter the corner wide, brake moderately,
(Below) Harry's Lap Timer - note the accelerometer and lap map on the left.

(Above) Apex Pro Track Coach - note the accelerometer on the bottom left
and the lap map on the top right.
start easing off the brake as you begin turning, but don't release the brake
until the nose of the car is pointed right where you want to go, or you've
reached that inside turn cone (or your corner apex on the track). That
residual, light braking as you're turning will keep the car's weight transferred
to the front tires, helping to rotate the car. When the nose of the car is
pointed where you want to go and you know you're going to be close to the
corner's inside cone (or you know you're going to touch your inside apex on
the track), then finish lifting off the brake and smoothly get back on the gas.
The result should be that you apex within inches of your intended mark and
exit the corner pointed towards your next element. If you can't get within
inches of the cone, or if you're not pointed towards your next element as you
exit the corner, then you might have entered the corner too hot or too tight
("pinched"). Approach aggressively, enter wide, brake, ease off the brake as
you're turning, exit close to the cone, go!
* Tip: if your car's handling exhibits excessive body roll and/or is slow to
respond to steering inputs (and you've already done a competition
alignment), and you're in the street/stock class, then consider getting firmer
dampers (shocks & struts). See the July/August 2019 article describing
Habits Three and Four.
- If you're driving in a class that allows it, consider getting firmer
springs (these may also lower the car) and matching shocks and struts;
a coilover suspension kit includes a combined damper-and-spring setup.
Habit 7: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
Accruing seat-time is key, but this mustn't be just mindless repetition.
As Okas said, practice must have a specific purpose. Focus on one thing

(Left) Race Capture Pro note the accelerometer on
the right and the lap map in
the center.

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der Bayerische July/August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of der Bayerische July/August 2020
