Hey guys, I figured this would be the place to ask this, so I attended my first HPDE at Streets of Willow about 3 weeks ago. I had an absolute blast and cannot wait for the next one! Now with that being said Im looking for some answers as to why the rear came around? Im almost positive it was me letting off the throttle almost 90% as I entered the turn which caused all the weight to shift to the front?? Usually im pretty good with keeping my foot planted while in the turn as to not disrupt the balance but now that I have it on video it seems that Im lifting off quite early as I enter the turn. Any tips or pointers would be great, the s2k is an absolute blast to toss around on the track. The car is only a weekend driver but attending an event like this really makes you appreciate the car that much more, Ill probably only be able to attend about 2 track events/autox in a year so I dont plan on making it a full blown track car.

The car was actually pretty neutral and did not exhibit any understeer, it was only those two times in which the rear came around, most of the time I was able to countersteer and add throttle like in the 3rd scene posted in the vid.

Setup
MY02
Bilstein pss coilover (F345/R285lb/in)
Eibach front bar on stiff (416lb/in)
Eibach rear sway bar on soft((515 lb/in)
F205/55/16 continental DW 90%
R 225/50/16 continental DW85%
Stainless braided lines with ATE type200 fluid(gold)
New stock pads

Alignment
F-1.8
R-2.5
stock caster
Rear toe 0.2 total
Front toe 0

temps that day were in the 100-105 degree range

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrxypZS45CE&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0er4U66pmRE&feature=plcp

 

Get a stiffer front swaybar.

 

It looks like you spun on the lefthand after the chicane when running clockwise correct?. This is a common place to spin for a lot of people new to SOW, since while it feels relatively flat it is still very much a downhill corner, so lifting exaggerates the already significant forward weight transfer. Your theory was correct, you lifted.

 

And/or go back to stock rear sway,

1st HPDE? Where's your instructor?

 

The AutoX'ers love to say that a stiffer front sway is the answer. I personally disagree.

anorexicpoodle's assessment is correct. It's a combination of lifting, not countering early enough, and that particular turn is off-camber because it is still "going downhill" when the track turns left; the slope continues even when the track doesn't.

Find me next time and I'll sit with you for a session and/or take you for a ride. Ask the staff for Mike with the white CR.

 

 

I'm curious, why are you running such skinny tires? Also, it would help if you unwinded the wheel earlier in the turn.

 

Stiffer front sway isn't always the answer, but it looked like it took verrrrry little input to get the rear around. Like the kind of input that would upset the car in the rain, but shouldn't have caused that much drama in the dry.

 

I agree with psycho and the poodle. Don't lift, stay on throttle. Additionally, since you're in an AP1, if you don't have a rear BSK, then lifting is that much worse due to the dynamic toe.

And yes, that corner is off-camber.

 

I think the answer's more nuanced than "don't lift". You lifted while you were still traveling in a straight line, with no ill effect. You got into trouble when you started dialing in steering input while still engine braking. You car's weight was still on its nose, allowing your unweighted tail to come around.

Next time try getting slowed down in a straight line (ideally using brakes instead of just engine braking), then get off of the brakes and back onto the gas (gently) before turning in for the corner. Don't try to combine slowing and turning until you have more experience with how your car behaves at the limit.