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Thread: When to let off the brake?

  1. #11

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    Although theres really not a lot of useful info in here I really think that braking is something thats over looked by a lot of people. The thing that I feel is most important though is using the brake to manipulate the car. The brakes can help a car rotate and also help a car tighten a line, it just depends on how you use them. How and where you brake is all dependent on how your car handles. Last time out my car pushed real hard and my ride height was a major contributer to that, because of that I was forced to trail brake harder then I wished to in order to get the car to rotate.

    What some people forget is that going fast is all about balancing things and using everything thats readily available to you at the moment, and using your brakes improperly can make you or brake you in a corner if you let them mess up the balance of the car. Coming from bikes, where the consequences are much larger and the effects of poor braking are much easier to see, the thing I feel is most important about braking is the transition from being on the brakes to getting back on the gas. Thats the point in which your really setting the ton for the corner. If you come off the brakes real abrupt and get on the gas real hard your suspension is never going to want to take set and your available traction is going to be greatly lacking.


    So in theory I guess what Im trying to say is that you shouldnt really focus on breaking hard and deep into a corner, but rather focus on keeping your car stable and balanced because theres a lot more time to be made up getting on the gas sooner and taking the corner properly then there is late braking. As for me and what I do, I brake deep into a corner and then mash the gas as hard as possible cause it feels cool when the car is loose and slides around :lol:
    Eat me

  2. #12

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    not a big track guy... but i find late/trail braking fun... then use the pedals to control the weight shifting, which controls the under/oversteer... always squeeze the pedals and let off slow and smooth... I think that matters more than knowing 'when'...

  3. #13

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    I try to brake in a straight line as late as I can without blowing the line through the corner. Slow in - fast out works.

    If the car is understeering and I went in too hot, I will try to correct with some trail braking to rotate the car. I usually don't like to do this as you want to do all your braking before the corner and be on the throttle through the corner. It can also cause a spin if you mess up.
    Car Detailing Enthusiast

  4. #14

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    slow in fast out may work but its not FAST.

    Fast in fast out.

  5. #15

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    idealy you want to enter as fast as the "car" is capable and exit as fast ss the "car" is capable

    The hard part is the "driver" doing what the car is capable on entrance and exit.

    That's where slow in fast out comes in... Its much easier to enter slower than the "car" is capable and exit closer to the "cars" capabilities. Its a great way to go if "drivers" skills are not up to par with the "cars" capabilities. Its a good way to start and work up ... But its not fast.

  6. #16

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    there really is no cut and dry way to brake. Your job as the driver is to give your car what it asks. Like josh said, slow in fast out doesn't make for fast times and part of being fast in and fast out is learning what you the driver need to tell the car to do, and when in doubt.... Floor it
    Eat me

  7. #17

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    Quote Originally Posted by jbfoco
    idealy you want to enter as fast as the "car" is capable and exit as fast ss the "car" is capable

    The hard part is the "driver" doing what the car is capable on entrance and exit.

    That's where slow in fast out comes in... Its much easier to enter slower than the "car" is capable and exit closer to the "cars" capabilities. Its a great way to go if "drivers" skills are not up to par with the "cars" capabilities. Its a good way to start and work up ... But its not fast.
    I instruct beginners and that is what I teach people. It is always better to teach safety rather than going drifto through corners on their track day.

    In my 8 years of track driving, I drive this way as my car is my daily driver and only car. If I go off, it can pretty much ruin everything for me as well as for others. If you have a dedicated track car - it is a different story.

    That is exactly why I do not like running with groups like NASA which have track-only cars running with stock street cars side by side - some people have more at stake than others.

    When I say "slow in" I mean going in as fast as you are capable of - not going in too hot that you need mid corner corrections. Lifting throttle, braking etc. all scrub speed off. You're better off going in and accelerating through the corner.

    Of course there are different driving styles, I tend to go on the side of safety rather than lap times.
    Car Detailing Enthusiast

  8. #18

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    well said zk I completely agree.

    But there are different run groups in NASA, there are few track only cars in hpde. But in TT that's a different story. Even in TT we drive safely for fast lap times. Its not a trade off both can be done. We in TT have the fewest incidents out of all of NASA.

  9. #19
    Join Date
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    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    Quote Originally Posted by jbfoco
    idealy you want to enter as fast as the "car" is capable and exit as fast ss the "car" is capable

    The hard part is the "driver" doing what the car is capable on entrance and exit.

    That's where slow in fast out comes in... Its much easier to enter slower than the "car" is capable and exit closer to the "cars" capabilities. Its a great way to go if "drivers" skills are not up to par with the "cars" capabilities. Its a good way to start and work up ... But its not fast.
    I think that's me

    I don't like NASA either... too many cars. Getting stuck behind some really slow car is like no fun.
    - Rob

    WLD a.k.a. Wilson LOL Disease - there's currently no cure for this.

    Learn from your mistake: Start off with spin-outs then power slides.

  10. #20

    Default Re: When to let off the brake?

    for track days I recomend ncrc, lapsunlimited, track masters over NASA hpde.

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