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Originally Posted by Bill Pickering
Actually smooth on the street and on track is equally important and safe. What you are seeing with Rich's driving is the various slip angles the car is going through on the track at various speeds, which requires driver input to correct. Rich turns in hard to keep the momentum of the car up. The 2.5L Boxster is a momentum car on the track. If you drive it like a high HP car (late apex, rely on throttle, etc.) you will be slower than carrying momentum. In a 2.5L car, it's all about not losing speed versus slowing down and then regaining speed.
While you're in the car you'll find that the driver inputs such as Rich's are smooth, not abrupt. In comparison to some other drivers I've been passengers with, Rich is very smooth. I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to drive on the track, but in several spots of a track you are in 4 wheel drifts. These drifts require you to steer the car with your hands and your throttle, constantly changing the inputs to account for the track traction and camber.
At turn 8 in the video, we are drifting sideways through a turn at over 105MPH. Subtle, but you can feel it. And it's lots of fun!
Thanks,
Bill P.
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Bill,
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer. I'd never even known the difference in driving a high powered car as opposed to a momentum car before now.
I've spent time on the track, but certainly not in what you'd envision as track cars (Cadillacs, Lincolns and Suburbans, mostly). What I've learned is a lot like what you had to say about high powered cars...hard on the brakes to get the weight over the front wheels, look across the apex, turn in hard and smooth and power out.
Some day I'd like to get the Box out on a track. It's so much fun on the street, I know it would be a hoot on a road course. Of course, it actually belongs to my wife, so that's a hurdle I'll have to overcome.
Thanks again.