UrQ Track experience w/Lancer

[ccohen5 at compuserve.com]

I had the opportunity to get some track time in a an UrQ and a 
Lancer this weekend and was amazed at the different technique that 
the instructor employed as compared with my previous experience.

He braked hard before starting to bend (not turn) towards the 
apex. A very gentle turning manoever. Then he stayed on the brakes 
right up until the nose was pointing at the apex. Then it was full 
throttle out to the edge of the track as the steering was unwound. 
The G forces were fierce, but very very brief.

While this describes how you turn and handle a 4wd on the track, I 
had never experienced continuous braking and zero throttle 
steering. It all makes sense when you take account of the nose 
heavy UrQ which was as fast as the Mitsu Lancer because this was 
the Sport Q with 300 hp vs the Lancer 260/280. The Lancer ran out 
of brakes despite Brembos and comp linings. The Q ran out too 
because they were worn. Also gearing limited straight line 
performance of the Lancer to about 120 whereas the Q could see 
130. The Lancer was on an M3 tail through all the twists but could 
not stay with it on the open parts of the track.

The use of weight transfer to load the steering so definitively 
was an eye opener for me and I believe a useful tool in bad 
weather. In essence meaning that one should stay on the brakes in 
snow etc.

Colin