Video: my racing accident

[Catman]

No Swift has a cloaking device!

[280Z Turbo]

I just looked at the video again.. I still can't tell how your rear end stepped out..

You can only go so fast with a bad line through a corner.

[NomisR]

You can only go so fast with a bad line through a corner.

Yeah, but doesn't explain the rear end losing it and going off like that without weight shift..  I'll have to watch it with volume at home..

[BimmerM3]

Wait.. what did you do?  Did you let off the throttle? 

Or did you do a n00b move like I did once.. went through a turn completely off the gas..   Not pretty...  good thing the west coast tracks all have plenty of run offs, and rocks too..

Why would it be bad to go through a turn completely off the gas?

[Rupert]

It screws up the weight balance of the car so that the rear end is looser. If you go into a corner with your foot somewhat on the throttle, and then suddenly lift off, what happens?

It's also slower.

[r0tor]

I think there is a rather good possibility that he hit a "dirty" spot on the track do to his "irregular" line

[r0tor]

Why would it be bad to go through a turn completely off the gas?

It really depends on how the car is setup.  Some need plenty of trail braking to keep the front end planted while other cars need some throttle to keep the rear end planted.

[r0tor]

Welcome to the world of racing slicks.

They grip really really good...and then they're gone. They don't fool around like street tires.

Yes, and then combine that with the fact that they generally do not give you the audible feedback of a street tire and have very narrow operating temperatures they can be very hairraising....

[2o6]

I'm guessing he let off too soon and upset the rear when he came out of that kinda fast sweeper.

[Onslaught]

Why would it be bad to go through a turn completely off the gas?

You do not want to do that in my MX-5.

[Rupert]

You do not want to do that in my MX-5.

Been there, done that, got the scratches.

[280Z Turbo]

I remember when I started driving on track...I went through corners with the clutch pushed in. I kicked that habbit real quick.

[MexicoCityM3]

That sucked but it's just the realization of the risk of track driving. I finally spun the M3 last Saturday at our track here. I just spun at about 70 mph in a dry, sunny day. Fortunately didn't hit anything (did not even leave the track). Turns out I had bent a lower camber arm on a previous event and I was running positive camber on my rear right.

If you go to the track it's not if you are going to lose it, just when.

[BimmerM3]

It screws up the weight balance of the car so that the rear end is looser. If you go into a corner with your foot somewhat on the throttle, and then suddenly lift off, what happens?

It's also slower.

Well I understand the concept of lift throttle, but I was talking about never being on the throttle to begin with.

It really depends on how the car is setup.  Some need plenty of trail braking to keep the front end planted while other cars need some throttle to keep the rear end planted.

That's sort of what I was thinking. Ignoring weight shift (which I know is totally impractical, but bear with me), the tires would have the most cornering traction while you're off the throttle. Obviously weight shifts complicate that, but like you said, it depends on the set-up of the car.

[NomisR]

Well I understand the concept of lift throttle, but I was talking about never being on the throttle to begin with.

That's sort of what I was thinking. Ignoring weight shift (which I know is totally impractical, but bear with me), the tires would have the most cornering traction while you're off the throttle. Obviously weight shifts complicate that, but like you said, it depends on the set-up of the car.

Not being on throttle in a MR car means you have your weight in the front as you would be engine breaking,  So if you're going too fast and not enough grip on the back, your back end swings out since the weight is rear biased. 

[BimmerM3]

Not being on throttle in a MR car means you have your weight in the front as you would be engine breaking,  So if you're going too fast and not enough grip on the back, your back end swings out since the weight is rear biased. 

Ah, good point. I wasn't thinking about engine braking.

[Rupert]

Well I understand the concept of lift throttle, but I was talking about never being on the throttle to begin with.

I should have specified that it depends on the car...

[rohan]

I don't remember letting up, and the video seems to confirm that. I had the pedal to the floor until the car started to spin.

two small quick jerks on the wheel in a row.  First one unsettled the car the second one set it to spin.