Clutch-in Braking For Better Performance?

[FTS]

LOLOL, just as please when you are there, I am really curious. Do you know if Peter Kraus will be there? I am almost sure Mike of TPC will be there.

[bman]

The chief instructor for Nasa Mid Atlantic talks about clutch in braking a lot but to his defense he typically talks about it in terms of learning more about your car. I've never heard him say "this is how you should brake", typically it's his way of getting you to try different things to better understand your car's tendencies.

Originally Posted by TRAKCAR

I try to go through all gears on the way down, unless I am taking it easy.
If taking it easy (lazy) I skip a gear sometimes

Funny, I am the opposite...all the gears when I am taking it easy and jumping gears when I am hot lapping.

Originally Posted by FTS

Do you know if Peter Kraus will be there? I am almost sure Mike of TPC will be there.

All the cool people will be there

[TRAKCAR]

Funny, I am the opposite...all the gears when I am taking it easy and jumping gears when I am hot lapping.

Well, to be honest in the slower corners if I see at the end of braking zone I might be going fast I might skip gear 3 and hit 2 mashing pedal too, I was more thinking about high speed part of braking zone 6-5-4-3 where I know I braked a bit late, or the pedal does not feel as good as previous laps or sessions.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by bman

All the cool people will be there

You too, darn it, I am missing stuff

Well I'll bring photos from NY if you guys bring videos from VIR, deal?

[Dell]

I have tried both ways and I didn't see a huge significant difference in braking between the two. With that said, I would add that I prefer to "chase" the gears down through the box with (and here is the key) proper rev matching so the car is completely stable almost like an auto gearbox. The allows me to ALWAYS be in the proper gear with no need to find the proper gear should I need to alter, change, or bail in a situation. The time lost trying to get the right gear, guess the proper rev match at that speed, select the gear, and get back stable is the difference between escaping a potential bad situation and meeting mister armco.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by Dell

... I would add that I prefer to "chase" the gears down through the box with (and here is the key) proper rev matching so the car is completely stable almost like an auto gearbox. The allows me to ALWAYS be in the proper gear with no need to find the proper gear should I need to alter, change, or bail in a situation.

Now, I hadn't thought about this benefit and it is good one. I don't raw the gears down, just jump from higher gear to the one I need to be in; however, I have to admit, there have been few times in which I missed a gear and the corner because my muscle memory wasn't ready for the gear I needed to be in vs. the gear I was scheduled to be in. Hmmm, something to think about.

Do you de-clutch as well with each gear selection going down the box?

[Dell]

Fatih, I found that it was easier to just jump down to the gear I needed but I also found that I had more errors so I started to change to the chasing the gears method. Some time back when I used to visit the racing/DE forum on Rennlist (when it was more civil) we had a thread about going through the gearbox versus skipping to the gear you want and there were definitely 2 schools of thought. I have never seen a pro racer skip to the gear he wants so I figured chasing the gears down the box was of some benefit since they do it. Once I got really good at my rev matching I felt more confidence to do it and the result was a car that felt more stable under braking. If by de-clutch with each you mean that I do the following for each gear, then yes: clutch, select next lower gear, rev match, release clutch. I go through that process for each as if the next gear down would potentially be my last gear selection needed.

Another reason that I didn't state why I chase down the gearbox is that with muscle memory, you will more often have errors grabbing the gear you are used to grabbing in a certain location on track and if the conditions have changed for that event or day or even lap you are more prone to the error of not grabbing the gear you need. Heck, conditions changing could mean you even had more grip and have a higher than normal entry speed that is controllable so 3rd would be better than 2nd.

If that sounded a little like one long run-on sentence it's b/c I haven't had a chance to down my coffee this morning and have a 1 and 3 year-old screaming for my attention. Ah, the joys of weekend mornings.......

[FTS]

Originally Posted by Dell

Once I got really good at my rev matching I felt more confidence to do it and the result was a car that felt more stable under braking. If by de-clutch with each you mean that I do the following for each gear, then yes: clutch, select next lower gear, rev match, release clutch. I go through that process for each as if the next gear down would potentially be my last gear selection needed.

Another reason that I didn't state why I chase down the gearbox is that with muscle memory, you will more often have errors grabbing the gear you are used to grabbing in a certain location on track and if the conditions have changed for that event or day or even lap you are more prone to the error of not grabbing the gear you need. Heck, conditions changing could mean you even had more grip and have a higher than normal entry speed that is controllable so 3rd would be better than 2nd.

If that sounded a little like one long run-on sentence it's b/c I haven't had a chance to down my coffee this morning and have a 1 and 3 year-old screaming for my attention. Ah, the joys of weekend mornings.......

I guess it is something I need to practice and learn, thanks Dell.

I just woke up after watching the F1 race until 6 am, had a little coffee, and here I am What so abnormal about that

[Dell]

Abnormal is what us raceaholics suffering from Porscheritis call normal anyway