Questionhey dan,
I race in the fast an furious class at concord motorsport.Is a fwd class,Im a top three car every week,this track is a half mile track and very fast. My set up is very close, but we have 1 driver that is just about unbeatable. Are there anything to do for the set up that can get me through the corners better. and anything to do to up my rpms. right now im turning 62 6300rpms. our speed is over 100 coming off the dog leg. thanks,any help would be appreciated.
AnswerMy first answer is reduce your unspring weight. That's wheels, tires, brake calipers, rotors, and so forth. If you're that close to the front there probably isn't much in your set up left to change.
Look closely at your driving technique, and watch the other guy very carefully. Watch where he initiates his turn in, when he gets on the throttle, when he brakes and when he gets off the brake, those things. I've learned that I can work on set up all day and night, and still lose to a better driver.
You can however, try a few things to fine tune it. You will need some accurate info regarding tire temperatures. Go online and look for books on the subject of race car handling, I like "How To Make Your Car Handle" by Fred Puhn- - -it's dated, from the 70's I think but there is some real good info within. Read and reread the section on Ackerman effect until you understand it. It is not an easy subject but when you get the idea in your head and start checking for stuff like that , you might find a 10th. of a second here and there.
Look for areas where you're scrubbing and try to eliminate that. Try to get as much friction OFF the front of the car as possible. If you feel the tires 'grinding' you're doing something wrong.
The last time I won a championship though, I went on a very strict diet and lost about 30 Lbs. of blubber- - - that's what it took.
Good luck, and stay in touch, tell me what you try, and what helps.
Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida
