Heel and Toe

[Patrick Washburn]

I'll take a crack at it.  There are two reasons to heel-toe.  Reason #1 is 
that you are in a race car with no syncro's and must match revs in order to 
down shift a gear.  (Note that this is not really even 
necessary...clutchless shifting is not too hard with some practice)  Reason 
#2 is that you are in a syncronized tranny, but wish to smooth the 
transition when downshifting so as to not upset the balance of a car in an 
edgy situation like an autocross.  Increasing the revs so that it matches 
what the revs will soon be when dropping a gear reduces the lurch forward 
you would normally experience.  This jerky "lurch" not only applies quite a 
shock load to the running gear, it imparts a shock load to your tire 
contact patches.  This could be enough to put them over the adhesion edge, 
and cause them to break loose in a threshold braking situation.  Not good.  
Helps in low grip condition like snow too.

Many different techniques, but here is mine:  Apply brake with first two 
toes plus part of the ball of my right foot, clutch in, twist my foot 
around so that I can get a piece of the throttle with the edge of my right 
heel.  Having already selected the lower gear, I blip the throttle and 
release the clutch at the same time revs peak.  (Exactly how much is where 
th epractice come into play)  With practice, this can be done without 
someone in the car ever feeling that you have down shifted.

Pat Washburn 
Wausau, WI
5kcstqw
#26 DStock - SCCA Solo 2 Plymouth Neon - "The Cow Car"

> Anyone please explain the concept and benefits of Heel and Toe.
> I remember years ago when this topic was being discussed among my circle 
of 
> friends (car guys and otherwise) and while one guy was explaining how the 
> right foot is used to heel-n-toe..ie heel to gas and toe to brake at the 
> same time, another guy just blurted out..ARE YOU MAD!...we all had a good 
> long chuckle, beer just guzzed out of our noses!
> 
> 
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Patrick Washburn
C-Tech Trailor Cabinets
Wausau, WI
www.racecabinet.com
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