blk-majik
10-13-2011, 05:40 PM
I LOVE when it rains during track weekends :) Granted, most people with AWD cars say that, but I really enjoy being able to explore the edge at less risky speeds.
Here's a video of one of my wet track days from earlier this year. Sorry for the audio sync issues. I was running a pretty bad boost leak that session, which was probably a good thing ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjeUcSeyCXM
Axis of Oversteer did a blogpost with a long list of tips for those new to wet racing. Here's the link: http://axisofoversteer.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-i-stopped-worrying-and-learned-to.html
Here's most of the content for the too-lazy-to-click bunch, but check it out for some useful graphics and videos that help explain the content a bit better.
1. Look at the track:
Get to know where water is puddling, where rivers are forming, this will change throughout the day, so know what to expect
2. Don't brake in puddles and rivers!
Seems obvious but if you run a particular track often, your braking points will be engrained in your memory and you will tend to want to follow the same pattern regardless. A good example of this was the run into turn 7 (the Toe) at Watkins Glen where a river forms diagonally from left to right, just about where you might think of braking. The right play there is to go against your instinct and actually brake later, past the river where there is no standing water.
3. Cold brakes grab.
If you are running race compound pads remember that on your first few laps your cold brake pads will be very grabby, not much of an issue in the dry but in the wet you might find yourself skating on ABS right when you fist start to pick up speed. Both Stee and I had this same experience in the bumpy braking area for turn 8, but only on the first lap or two.
4. Both axles count.
If you are driving a RWD car, remember your rear wheels have to get passed the river as well. Sounds stupid but there is an interval of time there and if you are only thinking of your front wheels, you might feed power in just that split second too early...
5. Your corner speed is largely irrelevant.
Speed in the rain is not made on the turns, it's made in a straight line, coming out of the turn. Traction is why 911's are so awesome in the rain. (if you do it right).
6. invert your braking, apex and track out.
As there is little speed to be made up in the turns, you want to minimize the time you spend there.
The "Dry line"(blue) will almost always be more slippery so you have two different strategies for turns: the classic rimshot (green) or the elbow (red) where you would come in braking on the inside, park it, turn and shoot out. Which one will work best will depend on the turn, the conditions and your car.
7. There is no rain line.
Regardless of what they tell you, every corner is different, every car is different and conditions will vary. Turn 9 was a good example, the best line through was the dry line. Why? because it's off camber and if you just did the prescribed wide arc you would end up in deeper water and gain nothing. Taking the dry line at the appropriate speed worked for both me and the Freep.
8. Learn to let go of the brake.
Sounds counter intuitive especially if you have ABS and new fangled traction control but that's what saved me at the end of the clip above. In the braking zone into turn 1 the car started coming around. rather than trying to fight it I released the brake which allowed the car to settle.
9. Straight line hydroplaning is scary.
Can't help you there, when you hit a puddle at over 100 and it moves you over 5 feet, it's just unnatural and it sucks and proof that in the end you always have to dance with physics!
Here's a video of one of my wet track days from earlier this year. Sorry for the audio sync issues. I was running a pretty bad boost leak that session, which was probably a good thing ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjeUcSeyCXM
Axis of Oversteer did a blogpost with a long list of tips for those new to wet racing. Here's the link: http://axisofoversteer.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-i-stopped-worrying-and-learned-to.html
Here's most of the content for the too-lazy-to-click bunch, but check it out for some useful graphics and videos that help explain the content a bit better.
1. Look at the track:
Get to know where water is puddling, where rivers are forming, this will change throughout the day, so know what to expect
2. Don't brake in puddles and rivers!
Seems obvious but if you run a particular track often, your braking points will be engrained in your memory and you will tend to want to follow the same pattern regardless. A good example of this was the run into turn 7 (the Toe) at Watkins Glen where a river forms diagonally from left to right, just about where you might think of braking. The right play there is to go against your instinct and actually brake later, past the river where there is no standing water.
3. Cold brakes grab.
If you are running race compound pads remember that on your first few laps your cold brake pads will be very grabby, not much of an issue in the dry but in the wet you might find yourself skating on ABS right when you fist start to pick up speed. Both Stee and I had this same experience in the bumpy braking area for turn 8, but only on the first lap or two.
4. Both axles count.
If you are driving a RWD car, remember your rear wheels have to get passed the river as well. Sounds stupid but there is an interval of time there and if you are only thinking of your front wheels, you might feed power in just that split second too early...
5. Your corner speed is largely irrelevant.
Speed in the rain is not made on the turns, it's made in a straight line, coming out of the turn. Traction is why 911's are so awesome in the rain. (if you do it right).
6. invert your braking, apex and track out.
As there is little speed to be made up in the turns, you want to minimize the time you spend there.
The "Dry line"(blue) will almost always be more slippery so you have two different strategies for turns: the classic rimshot (green) or the elbow (red) where you would come in braking on the inside, park it, turn and shoot out. Which one will work best will depend on the turn, the conditions and your car.
7. There is no rain line.
Regardless of what they tell you, every corner is different, every car is different and conditions will vary. Turn 9 was a good example, the best line through was the dry line. Why? because it's off camber and if you just did the prescribed wide arc you would end up in deeper water and gain nothing. Taking the dry line at the appropriate speed worked for both me and the Freep.
8. Learn to let go of the brake.
Sounds counter intuitive especially if you have ABS and new fangled traction control but that's what saved me at the end of the clip above. In the braking zone into turn 1 the car started coming around. rather than trying to fight it I released the brake which allowed the car to settle.
9. Straight line hydroplaning is scary.
Can't help you there, when you hit a puddle at over 100 and it moves you over 5 feet, it's just unnatural and it sucks and proof that in the end you always have to dance with physics!