Re: quattro+rain

[glen.powell@smc.com]

  I was running at Lime Rock in the rain a few years ago on
  virtaully bald yoko A008 RSIIs. They performed *VERY*
  well in the rain, up till about 75-80 MPH. When they
  finally came unglued coming into the right-hander at
  the end of the front straight, it was a real undergarment
  soiler! I lifted off the gas when the steering went light
  and the revs dropped immediately to about 1000 RPM,
  though I was still at 80 MPH in gear with the clutch
  engaged.....managed to get the revs back up where
  they belonged, gathered the car in and then SLOWLY
  let off the throttle again, even had time to say to my
  "victim/passenger", "OH SHIT-- WE'RE IN TROUBLE!".

  I way overshot the turn (there, fortunately,
  is a very nice runoff in this area) and was able to get
  the tires back onto the pavement and brake without
  further incident.  Relatively bald tires
  with sticky rubber will perform *VERY* well up to the
  point of hydroplaning. These same RSIIs also worked
  very well at NHIS in the rain a few years back.....
  beat all the Mod and most of the Prepared cars,
  as well as annihiliating the stock stuff, but speeds
  were all well below that required to hydroplane.

  Moral: Quattros can really let you get
  into trouble with hydroplaning because the traction
  will let you attain speeds that would be otherwise
  be impossible with 2WD and hydroplaning can
  hit all at once and with no warning.

  -glen