Well, wish me luck... Im off to the Skip Barber Racing School~

[slai]

CBR, glad to hear you had a great time. Welcome to the club of converting money into heat and noise.

[P4GTR]

Thanks for sharing an experience of a lifetime... And having the balls to take pictures of your rolex during the instructional.

A hardcore bunch we are.

(A buddy of mine during installation of header on my SE-R)

[slai]

Enjoy, brake late, and apex early

Friends don't let friends early apex.

[JoJo35]

Friends don't let friends early apex.

"An early apex is used to maximize the acceleration out onto the following straight" By braking late and clipping an early apex, you could be hammering on the throttle while the other guy is still slowing down

...unless of course you're coming off a significant straight with a following shorter straight; in which case you would like to maintain your straightaway speed until the last possible second, then BRAKE LATE, dive into a late apex and hammer past the roadblocks who slowed down too early

[slai]

"An early apex is used to maximize the acceleration out onto the following straight" By braking late and clipping an early apex, you could be hammering on the throttle while the other guy is still slowing down

Actually, if you early apex, chances are you're going to run wide at the exit unless you sacrifice your exit speed significantly.

“If the signs point to an early apex (or another problem), you have to instantly switch your concerns from driving through the corner faster to driving away from the corner with the car in one piece.” - Carl Lopez (author of Skip Barber Racing School's manual)

Although, depending on the track (for example if you have a long straight, followed by a sequence of 2 close turns) you can early apex to maximize your time on the long straight, and since the next turn comes up right away, your LOWER speed is of no consequence and it can lead to an overall quicker lap (since the time spent under full throttle of the preceding straight is more valuable)

Of course, in a racing situation, an early apex can be a defensive move to protect track position as well. And really, wheel-to-wheel, there really is no set line.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Um, yeah... Im gonna go with do your damndest to keep it off the wall at 130mph!

Theres nothing quite like the corkscrew to get your panites in a bundle! I had seen these turns on television a hundred times and had no idea what to expect... WOW.

[JoJo35]

Actually, if you early apex, chances are you're going to run wide at the exit unless you sacrifice your exit speed significantly.

[slai]

Um, yeah... Im gonna go with do your damndest to keep it off the wall at 130mph!

Theres nothing quite like the corkscrew to get your panites in a bundle! I had seen these turns on television a hundred times and had no idea what to expect... WOW.

Downhill turns are fun...every survival instinct screaming at you to slow down, yet your brain is screaming at you just as loudly to keep feeding in more throttle to make it through.

[slai]

You're right, I must have been doing it wrong all that time. I'll have to give back all those first place trophies and the championship

Well you are certainly the first experienced racer I've encountered to promote early apexing. First time for everything. There are plenty of drivers far more talented than I who probably don't need to abide by classical driving techniques to get around quickly and win. Hats off to you if you're one of them. Advising the average Joe like myself however, to early apex, is in my opinion, dangerous advice.

[JoJo35]

I learned some very valuable lessons with the car I was driving. I had a "somewhat" modified 1994 RX7 R2. This car was fun, and very competitive for the class I was driving in. The brakes were terrific, and the balance absolutely perfect. Throttle steering through a controlled drift felt easy. I can remember one particular race against a VERY fast ACR Viper. I can remember making the mistake of following his line through a turn, only to find him walking away from me upon the exit when I realized my car was not spooled. I trained myself in calculating the earliest apex, with absolute full throttle exits, often drifting to the line. The sequential twin turbo of the RX demanded engine RPM's over 4500 to engage the second turbo, so I learned to return power on as early as possible

...hahaha luckily for me my hobbies are less expensive now

[slai]

Just curious, which track and turn was this?

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Just curious, which track and turn was this?

Are you asking ME what track and turn?

Laguna Seca, turn 10 is where I spun.

[Dani]

Great update CBR, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Dani

[slai]

Are you asking ME what track and turn?

Laguna Seca, turn 10 is where I spun.

Nope, jojo35.