[s-cars] RE: Who's in charge? (longish)

[serge]

Its been really fascinating following this heavily opinionated thread, so
I'll chime in with a novice perspective. Early this summer I attended my
first Q-club event. Car control something or other at Lime Rock. It was
great fun. My 95 avant had just undergone the full RS2 + stromung treatment.
It felt great, even better with race gas. The car already had the Big Blacks
over Porsche rotors installed (thanks again Paul, Bob, Ray...). The car had
the stock suspension (I believe avants are set up slightly stiffer than the
sedans of the same vintage). I had purchased a set of OZ Superlegs along
with Kuhmo MXs (245/40/17) and was really exited to get them on the car for
the event.

However, I received an email from the event organizer, urging beginners to
stay away from maximum performance tires. I was skeptical, but decided to
show up w/ the stock wheels and all season Bridgestone Cosco specials
(225/50/16). I know some will disagree, but this was the best decision I
made (WRT the car). By the end of the two day event, I learned how little I
really knew about car control. And it was miss piggy (and my instructor)
that showed me. She pushed and squealed, when my timing or my line was off.
The limited traction revealed every improper input. The relatively long
suspension travel was great for feeling the weight transfer. With the
relatively hi HP I was able to get a good feel for throttle steering.

Did this make me want to strip my car down to nothing, lower it until the
oil pan scrapes, put fat slicks on it? Or better yet just get something
that's even lighter and faster from the get go?  Maybe later. But for now, I
learned a great deal about car control in my daily driver.

We all want to make improvements to our cars and it is logical that we would
want to improve our skills. It is also logical that we learn with what we
have. I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon this great car and with it this
great community of people who are all willing to help one another (even
Pizzo). It is especially rewarding to me to be able to enjoy this highly
capable car in a controlled environment. Of course if someone were to hand
me the keys to a well prepped dedicated track car, I would not decline. But
I will continue to enjoy taking my big fat car to the track for now.


Serge, green group, Filanovsky

95 S6 Avant





> Instructing at any level, our best hope is that being in CHARGE means that
> the car is always in CONTROL.  Control, at the limit of adhesion, seems
> oxymoronicly ascribed to the right seat without pedals or wheels.  Think of
> the old
> "buddy" system of drivers ed, where there was a steering wheel and a brake on
> both sides of the car.  That's the only situation that I can think of where a
> loss of control can be faulted to the "charge" in the right seat.  Short of
> that, keeping a keen tune to the tightness of the wheel nut is a bit of skill
> and
> a bit of luck.  IMO/E exponentially more of both required as we find higher
> HP/skill ratios with the latest of street wheeled arsenals.
>
> Many of the schools below take active measures and approaches to keep the nut
> behind the wheel:  Tight.  It doesn't take "Danger Ranger" to go off track or
> have a crash, we watch the pros do it every single week on ESPN.  Those are
> pros at the limit of adhesion with optimal chassis and skills.  I don't think
> you'd find much agreement on your position in any instructional setting, and I
> know you won't find it at Barber or Roos.  Cars are balled up all the time,
> ask anyone that has been there, credit card charged for that = "you're in
> charge
> and charged, whomever was in the right seat".  After my incident last year, I
> just consider it pretty good that I've been pretty lucky for so long.
>
> My .02
>
> Former something
> SJ
>
>
>
> In a message dated 10/24/2003 12:42:44 AM Central Daylight Time,
> steadi at comcast.net writes:
>
> Bullshit,
>
> 20 years of racing and instructing for race schools like Skip Barber, Bertil
> Roos and Fast company give me the right to say that.
>
> As the instructor YOU are in charge, In charge of the driver and in charge
> of the car.  I can Spot a "Danger Ranger" in 2 seconds then it's time to put
> on the choke chain.
>
> NEVER ONCE in all those years have I ever had a student get out of control
> with me, EVER.
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