[thstone]

Like most things in life - it depends.

I know drivers who are very fast running staggered and others who are equally fast running square. In my experience, there is definitely not a clear "best" configuration.

Depends on your driving skill level, tire choice, suspension set up, and the track. The main idea is that with a square setup the car could be faster on corner entry and may allow the car to carry more speed through the middle of the corner. The downside is greater drag which can reduce staight line speed.

So, you might be faster running square if you normally drive right at the cornering limit at tracks that have long sweeping corners and short straights where the increase in cornering speed will more than compensate for any loss in straightway speed.

Another aspect to consider is that many drivers who run square report that the car tends to oversteer more easily and you'll have to be comfortable and confident to drive at the limit with this handling characteristic.

I would suggest running both ways and see what you like best and which configuration is fastest for you, your driving style, your car, and the tracks you regularly run at.