Hi,

I have just completed a "high performance driving clinic," and have become an instant addict of lapping. This took place at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, a nice road course, with plenty of curves both sharp and gentle.

After about an hour of high-speed (by my historic standards, at least, if not by the standards of the $70,000 cars which occasionally passed me) driving, I was vastly more comfortable with the speeds and the proper lines to take. I'm going back to an all-day lapping session in a couple of weeks, but I thought that perhaps I could get some pointers from you experienced drivers.

Specifically, I note that the engine hits its top torque at 6500 RPM, and its top power at 7800. That suggests to me that, whenever possible, I should try to keep the engine between 6500 and 8000 (mine's a 2004); especially since I hit VTEC at about 6500. Therefore, I conclude, when I'm going into a curve where I will be down to perhaps no higher than, say, 40 mph at the apex, I should downshift to second, not third, since I redline in second at around 57. It costs me an extra shift, I know, but I suspect that I will get much better acceleration out of the curve, and better control through the curve, in the lower gear. Am I correct? Is this true even if I'm coming off a straight where I'm going 120 mph or more?

Thanks!

--Mark

 

In general, if you can put it in the lower gear without slowing more than you would otherwise, the lower gear is faster. Especially with the S2000.

Case in point... I drove Portland International last Monday and in T7 (old 4) I could put it down into second gear (50-55mph) or carry third and be out of VTEC when I first started accelerating. Using second gear, with the extra shift after corner exit, was a couple miles per hour faster at the end of the straight. Every time.

My car is a '00 model, so your speed for each gear will vary, but the concept is the same. If you are below 5500 rpms in a particular gear, you can probably downshift and be OK. Its also good to note corner entry speeds and top of gear speeds so you don't put it down into a gear before the speeds are down enough. Else you may over-rev.

Andy H.

 

Mark, there are only two turns at Pacific Raceway where 2nd gear could potentially come into play: 3a and 3b. You almost always want to be in the lowest gear possible to have the most advantage when you accelerate. Using 2nd gear on the exit of 3b can provide as much as 5mph more terminal speed before the entry of turn 5. That is easily enough to overtake one or more car lengths! You should be able to exit 3b at third gear speeds so shift at redline while you are tracking out. Remember to drive smoothly or you may need to use a tree to keep your car pointed in the right direction.

Unfortunately, there is no one golden rule though. Turn 9 at Pacific Raceways is a great example for the MY2000-2003's: with the proper line you should pass the 'cone on a stick' (your apex onto the front straight) at ~95mph (exit at 100mph+), but to achieve this speed you must shift mid-turn. Shifting on turn entry between two narrow concrete lined corridors over uneven pavement isn't the best idea in the world. This is why most of the locals short-shift to fourth on turn entry or some lazily bounce off the rev-limiter until they get the car straight. Holding third gear until the last possible moment will result in better terminal speed, but it my end up costing you a trip to the wrecker!

What you should focus on is driving within your abilities and then fine tuning once you can consitently hit the proper line. I hope Don's school took care of you. Who was your instructor?

 

Jerry,

Thanks for this. Yeah, 3A and 3B are my candidates. I only went into second when stuck behind someone going really slow, but I got to thinking about it when, coming out of 3B to pass one of them, I really took off. I didn't spend a lot of time looking at the speedometer, for obvious reasons, but I think I tended to be around 32-34 at the apex of those curves; certainly no faster than 40.

Turn 9 is interesting. I only got to the point where I was red-lining third just before the cone on the stick, but even shifting into fourth there always got the attention of this newbie! Likewise, by the end of the day I was always pushing redline in fifth at turn 1, but I never quite got there, so I did not have to deal with shifting to sixth at that interesting place.

It's a cool track, at least for a newbie, and I expect tht it will get a lot of my attention in the future. I'm doing a full day lapping on the 23rd, with a 1/2 time instructor. I don't know who my instructor was (my bad), and I don't see his picture among the instructors on the Proformance website. Anyone you recommend for my next lapping day?

Thanks,
Mark

 

Mark,

In my '00 it's definitely an advantage to use 2nd in 3a/3b.

Keep in mind that extra downshifts like this should only come once you're really comfortable with driving the correct line smoothly and consistently. But it sounds like you may be there.

Have fun!

Ted

 

In general the rule of thumb for any curve is that you should complete the shifting before the apex usually before the turn in as you brake then continue braking toward the apex. The new gear should be selected so that you are close to but don't hit red line until you are past the turn out.

 

Yes, but a weakness of the S2000 is that it's very weak off cam, thus this thread -- what do you do if a corner is between gears? Exit in the higher gear, and the car's gutless. Exit in the lower gear, and you'll run out of RPMs exiting the corner. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Steve

 

Mark, keep in mind that this is all dependent on conditions. But on an "ideal" flying lap at PR, I'll be in fifth gear by Turn 1. Drop to third before Turn 2. Shift to fourth and then back to third before 3A. Down to second before 3B. I'll be up to fourth again and then down to third at 5a/5b/6. I'll usually stay in third up the hill, through 7, and through 8. Then I'll shortshift to 4th before 9. 5th somewhere around the kink. And we're back where we started.

Other people will have other choices. Some will prefer to go to second before 3a, but I like third to simplify my life in the 3a braking zone and because there isn't much to be gained between 3a and 3b. Depending on how I did in the 5/6 complex, sometimes I'll run out of third gear before I get to 8, but not so much that it's worth shifting up and then shifting down again.

 

I tend to agree with much of the advice given here, but I offer up one caveat. If you're in a steeply downhill and twisty section of track, even with a car that's anemic below the sweet spot, there are times when staying in a higher gear won't cost you much in the way of power and it avoids the weight disruption of having to shift. Witness Mike's comment about staying in 3rd at 3A at Pacific Racways. There aren't many tracks where this matters, but it's something I discovered at my most recent event, and it might be worth tucking away as an option.

CB

 

Thanks, all, for the really helpful replies. I particulary thank Mike for his detailed run though the whole track. I would not have thought of entering 3A in third, and the dropping to second for 3B, but I like that idea.

I'm doing the all day lapping at PR on the 23rd (with a 1/2 time instructor), and hope to put all this great advice to good use.

--Mark