Driving style discussion

[A_McT]

Hi All,

Open question for discussion, in fact I'm probably opening up a minefield of debate!! :D

I've recently taken up racing 1/10 off road again and I'm trying to get to grips with the best way to drive the modern cars.

I'm mostly running 2wd on grass and dirt tracks. Generally I try run smooth lines, I don't brake too hard, aiming to keep the rear end in check and carry as much speed through the corners as I can, and applying throttle progressively as the corner opens out.

However I watch some of the other drivers and they seem to take a different approach, braking harder into a corner squaring it off and then driving hard out of the corner. For a lot of people this results in better lap times than me!

I also have a 4wd car but I have only run it at the one meeting but when I did my usual driving style seemed to work much better with the 4wd drive car than the 2wd

Question is, what are people opinions on driving styles? How much do you change your approach for different cars and surfaces etc?...

Thanks in advance.

McT

[Bomberpilot]

Hi
i am in the same situation as you are, in the old days the smooth guys where fast...
These days, especially inddors, where the cars corner on the shims ( bumpstops) on the shock rod, you just throw the cars into the corners...if this is faster? At least on real cars, no.


Greetings
Maurice

[Danosborne6661]

You're quite right in your observation, particularly in offroad. The high bite tracks like astro/carpet can lend themselves to taking the shortest route around the track instead of the most flowing.

I've seen drivers take a very tight line into a hairpin and a tight line out and be some of the fastest guys on track. Where as taking a more traditional wide arching line is just delaying your time of pinning it out of the corner.

Cars are more powerful than ever so this style seems to suit them well. If you were to race GT12 on the other hand, carrying the speed through the corner generally gives you a quicker lap time.

I'm still wishing to see a 17.5t stock class before buggies have my interest again for the above reason :)

[stuey]

This makes interesting reading. If I had a heyday(!!) it was in the mid 90's when being smooth and lasting the race counted for more than now. The style and cars moved a long way from there up to the last 5 odd years, and like some of the guys I raced with then and had a loonngggg break it is not that natural to drive the point and squirt way. The tracks have changed a lot too and are more suited to it. I think the cars can be pushed a lot harder now than I am often comfortable with, and only a lot of practice will help which I can't really do. Probably why vintage racing suits me a bit better!!

[bassman7755]

I'm about 2 years into my comeback and am still working on shedding my "bad" habits.

The biggest thing I had to get over was the instinct to be very gentle on the accelerator at low speeds / tight corners as in the old world this was essential in order to make your batteries last.

To get the most out of modern cars and batteries it seems you need to get on the power early and push the car round corners rather than just let its momentum carry it (if that makes sense).

I hope that helps some fellow old timers make the transition.

[A_McT]

Glad to see the discussions are underway and happy to see I'm not the only one having to try re-educate themselves! Old habits die hard!! Thanks all for your input.

It amazes me that although it's been 28-29 years since I first tried racing with my Cougar 2, I'm still driving the way I learnt to do back then! Nursing cheap, pocket money purchased stick NiCads to last the race. :eh?: Must be muscle memory I guess!

I'll have to try to be a bit more "point and shoot" and see how it goes. I can see how set up becomes even more critical, with all the power available the car needs to be handling perfectly to inspire the confidence to use it. :thumbsup:

[Chrissy Boy]

So glad to see it isn't just me, i'm about 18 months into my comeback and whilst my driving style is still naturally circa 1991 the point and shoot approach does eventually creep in. ;)

[isobarik]

Well preferably i turn right if there is a right turn is it an straight after it ill give it some gas 😀

Mvh iso

[isobarik]

Since the car as so ridiculus fast down the straight you will loose time if you dont pin it thats why the tight lines and slam on the gas, back in the days when the car was fast but slower then todays standard it was all about maintaining speed through the corners.

Mvh iso

[dicky14]

INdoor velcro racing as it has now become is an aquired taste, it has taken me 4 years to adapt my driving style to be anywhere near quick enough. I am very old school with my driving style, as previously said nurse the car round to make it last 5 mins. a lot has to do with tyres as well. the really fast drivers at big meetings will mostly change tyres after every run to get the best performance. i personally like a car to move around on the track so i use tyres that are maybe 6 races old before i feel comfy with them. If you need to learn driving lines take up 17.5 blinky touring car. now that does teach you how to drive:thumbsup:

[A_McT]

So glad to see it isn't just me, i'm about 18 months into my comeback and whilst my driving style is still naturally circa 1991 the point and shoot approach does eventually creep in. ;)

Hi, I'm guessing you do most of your club racing at Coastal looking at your location? I've been to one meeting at the club in the summer, really grippy on the day and very alien to me! My lap times generally improved throughout the day as soon as I stopped grip rolling everywhere!

[Chrissy Boy]

Hi, I'm guessing you do most of your club racing at Coastal looking at your location? I've been to one meeting at the club in the summer, really grippy on the day and very alien to me! My lap times generally improved throughout the day as soon as I stopped grip rolling everywhere!

Yup, i am a coastal boy, and you are quite right, the track is insanely grippy in the summer months! :lol:

[A_McT]

I really need to get my finger out and get down to another meeting at Coastal.

I've missed a lot of racing this winter for various reasons. Amazing how time gets away from you.

[revol]

So glad its not just me! Came back to racing a couple of years ago and when I race on a full carpet track, having usually raced at York where we have mid to low grip, I'm struggling to be anywhere near the pace. I'm usually back to 5 minutes without stuffing it but can't seem to adapt to the high grip. Was at MB last night and clocked a 17.8 as my fastest lap while the quick guys are low 15 secs.
Maybe I need to be more aggressive on the brakes but racing regularly on the York track the last thing to do there is use loads of brake so maybe I'm not developing that side of racing.
Also, my car doesn't seem to have as strong a brakes as some I've seen (HW XR10 Pro, Surpass V4S motor)

[A_McT]

I find the whole braking thing tricky!! Didn't have the option back in the day.

I've had a bit of a play with settings but I need to put more track time into it really. The biggest thing I have a problem with is the fact you're obviously only braking with the rear on 2wd. So it's like trying to use just the handbrake to slow down in your 1:1 scale car!

I'm sure if I could make much better use of the brakes then I could adapt better to the point and shoot style and my lap times would improve.

[revol]

Exactly this ^
Was back at MB today and after a bit of suspension tinkering on the front to try and get more steering I'm down to a 17.2 fastest lap but still struggling with brakes.
I've found that I usually place my thumb behind the stick to push for throttle so I've consciously tried to place my thumb on top of the stick so I can brake quicker but it's still not coming naturally to me.

Watching the fast guys, it looked like they were tossing an anchor out the back! Much stronger braking than I can manage.

[MiCk B.]

Hi,


Brakes, what speedo are you using.


Is the speedo set to 100% brakes and the transmitter to 100%


Ie make sure you are getting full brakes.


Other settings to try are more initial brakes. And decrease the brake frequency. Lower the frequency (drive and brakes) the harsher they are.


MiCk B. :-)

[A_McT]

One thing this break from racing is giving me is the opportunity to read up on setup a bit more, particularly about the huge amount of adjustment you get with the modern electronics.

Hopefully at some point I will get the chance for some testing and practice to see how I can get it to translate to on the track.

Thanks for the brakes advice Mick :thumbsup:

[SimonW]

If you drive old school like me then you need to get more steering, remember that loose is fast, a locked in back end feels safe cos its slow.