http://pramoda-ravi.kinja.com/what-i...ack-1501792342

"Everyone says "smooth is fast." They're not wrong. The issue with saying "smooth is fast" is that it's such a vast amount of knowledge crammed into one word: smooth. Every time I'm on the track I learn something new, and after a few years of experience this is what I've come to understand by that saying.

Think Ahead. Stay a move ahead. If you're about to apex a corner, think about where the car should end up after the turn. Anticipate what is going to happen next. This is one of those small things that greatly reduces lap times and incidents. If you're focused on hitting the apex, you've probably missed the exit. As soon as you clip the apex, you should be thinking about when to power in, and where the car needs to end up.

Be Calm. As easy as that sounds it's one of the most difficult things. When I'm agitated, my reaction time is slower, and my ability to think ahead is diminished. On the straight away, open your hands, take a deep breath, and relax. You can't be smooth if you're agitated.

Understand Physics. The biggest issue I've seen with new driviers is overworking the tires. Physics has a funny way of butting into what your inputs are trying to achieve. You can do one of three things at any given time: brake, accelerate, or turn. Do two of those three things at once and you overwork the tires to the point where they might lose traction. Brake, turn, and then accelerate. Gauge your distance, what speed you should be going, and how much traction the tires can hold and accordingly do one of those three things. When you start to accelerate, accelerate. Don't go on/off the throttle, do it once and do it right.

Be Gentle. Don't crank the wheel, don't stab the brakes, and don't mat the throttle instantly. Turn the wheel smoothly. When you start to brake, ease into it. When you throttle in, imagine you're on ice. The same idea works in reverse as well; ease off the throttle and ease off the brakes. Abrupt inputs unsettle the car, and those mistakes cause you to go into the grass. Let off the brake too quickly and the weight will transfer to the rear, which will cause understeer as you enter the corner.

Smooth is fast, and that's a true statement. At first it's difficult to know how to be smooth, and seat time is essential to learning how to be fast. It takes time, practice, and a lot of patience. Work at it, and you'll achieve what you've been working toward."

First time attempting to write, i'd appreciate some feedback!

 

well written. thanks for sharing.

 

Figured I could dip into it with very very basic starting pointers. I'll end up writing another one later on with more advanced car control.

 

That was a solid read

 

Nicely written. Thank you for taking time to write that article for the benefit of others.

 

I used to be a strong advocate for the above. I wrote articles on traction circles and preached the idea that knowing basic suspension math was also important. That very few of the best drivers I know knew much about physics did not deter me. I was on a mission.

Clearly (from the way I wrote that first paragraph), I don't believe this any more. But I have gone even farther than just saying that physics is optional. I now believe that this leads to over-thinking and a lack of appreciation for what can't be called anything other than "feel" -- the result from seat-time.

In short: I believe that you don't want to be thinking about the exit or the apex or anything like that. Rather, you should be looking at where you want the car to be several seconds from now and trusting your driving to put the car there.

 

AWD has a way of saying F*&k physics. I'm usually WOT by the point I'm a hundred feet from clipping the apex. That doesn't prove true for a RWD or FWD car. The article wasn't written with platform in mind, but more along the lines of things that you should keep at the back of your head to try and improve your driving abilities.
One thing that paragraph, I didn't go into excessive detail, but if I had to go further with it.. the best drivers understand physics. Doesn't matter if they actually UNDERSTAND the subject, but they understand how physics plays a role in their driving. Do you go on/off the throttle mid corner? Hell no. I don't either, do that and it unsettles the car mid corner which.. when you're at the absolute limit of traction is the difference between wall and a perfect exit.

 

I disagree. AWD changes the application of physics to a point, but I've found, at speed, the impact of the laws must be understood and can't be denied, AWD or not.

 

I agree, and that looking ahead, eyes up and concentration on the car's position now and where you want it to be, requires practice. Do it all the time.

 

My 2c on smoothness. Most smoothness comes from keeping eyes up and not focusing on your current turn-in or apex. The further you are looking ahead the smoother your inputs are. If you find yourself missing apexes, or making mid-corner corrections you probably aren't looking far enough ahead.

For smoothness on throttle/brakes I think Evo drivers actually have a hard time with this and tend to be "stabby". I know I am and I'm working hard to get better. One of the reasons is our car's natural mechanical grip that under normal situations copes with rapid throttle/braking changes without losing traction. Secondly the turbo/engine responsiveness tends to reward rapid definitive throttle particularly with a larger turbo and small displacement.

 

I wrote a long second post which my ISP ate. In short (because I ain't writing it again), the best thing I ever did to increase my smoothness was get a seat that I liked, good belts on a harness bar, and a deep-dish wheel so my legs could be straighter.

 

Sorry for the off topic question, but where did you relocate the ACD button when you added the deep-dish steering wheel?!

 

Sorry. Loss of long post hurt (in this case).

The deep-dish Momo (which sounds more like a kind of pizza than steering wheel) was on a previous car. As a coinky-dink, said car was then sold to the person who wrote the second post in this thread. I'll let him say whether the seat and wheel worked for him, too.

 

We can say how being smooth is extremely important, but it really comes down to seat time. Looking ahead, smooth (with the wheel and pedals), it all comes from experience. Knowing what's going to happen before it happens, reaction, muscle memory.

up here in the Midwest we get lucky and our lakes turn into free race tracks. We use them for every weekend we can until the ice conditions go to crap. This is the best place to build that muscle memory (aka car control). its cheap, safe, fun, and super cheap

 

Think Ahead. Stay a move ahead. If you're about to apex a corner, think about where the car should end up after the turn. Anticipate what is going to happen next. This is one of those small things that greatly reduces lap times and incidents. If you're focused on hitting the apex, you've probably missed the exit. As soon as you clip the apex, you should be thinking about when to power in, and where the car needs to end up.