First off never think that your the fastest one there with the coolest car most likely your going to do something stupid just
like everybody else. And I'm sorry about the illustrations I'm not an artist.
Driving Tips
First off this is an intense sport. At the end of the day you are exhausted. However you don't need to feel this way after
the first heat. How you drive greatly affects how much energy you will have at the end of the day. First off keep both hands
on the steering wheel, unless of course you are shifting. Use your thumbs to steer and periodically wiggle your fingers to
make sure you aren't all tensed up with a death grip on the steering wheel. Just keep your hands at the 9 O'clock 3 O'clock
position at all times because you don't need to shift your hands back and forth across the wheel (they're usually aren't any
U-turns)
Shifting to can be made alot easier. Many people make the H pattern while shifting. This wastes time and looses your speed.
For first just push up and left, for second back and left. For 2nd to 3rd just push forward not right and up. 4th push straight
back and 5th right and up. In any gear you can make these simple motions instead of the usual H pattern. The pedals also offer
some ways to shave off some seconds. When down shifting if you don't keep your rpm's high your engine will rev to try to catch
up and also slow your car down in the process. To get rid of this put the clutch in and rev or blip the engine to a high rpm.
This provides a much smoother downshift. Try it on the street sometime. If you come to a light thats red, you shift out of
fourth and then it turns green blip the engine to about 3000 and shift into 3rd. That gets rid of the slow clutch release
to allow the engine to catch up and allows you to immediately start accelerating. If you are braking and downshifting say
before a turn the same idea can be applied its just much more complicated. Its referred to as heal toe. Clutch is in while
the toe of the right foot is on the brake and the heal of the right foot is lightly on the accelerator to rev the engine to
desired rpm. This allows braking and shifting to be done at the same time. So instead of brake, shift, rev then accel its
done at the same time saving you a few seconds.
Correct steering wheel grip
Tires and Traction
One of the most important aspects is to be able to feel what your car is telling you. Each tire contacts the ground in an
area about the size of your open hand. More contact means more traction and of course less contact means less traction. Turning
will increase traction on the tires opposite the turn and decrease on the tires nearest the turn causing you to slide away.
A simple lift off from the accelerator remedies this. When your car begins to drift to the side don't apply the brakes just
lift of the accelerator. Speeding up will cause traction to shift to the rear tires and slowing down will shift it to the
front tires. So if you are taking a turn and your car begins to drift off the apex (understeer) your front tires don't have
enough traction. Tap the brakes don't hold and the front tires will bite the pavement and you can carry yourself through the
turn. If you get oversteer, fishtailing around the turn you will want to speed up to get the rear tires to bite the pavement
and stop sliding. Feeling what your car is doing can help you decide to brake or accelerate, never slam on your brakes to
remedy a spin out. Just put your foot on the clutch and ride it out then enter the track again if clear.
Turns
Turns are where you can pass that faster car with the bad suspension or the bad driver. There are three steps to a turn.
1. Brake
2.Shift
3.Accelerate.
You brake right before the turn to allow yourself to go as fast as possible as long as possible. If you slow down too
soon you get passed and if too late you'll crash. Keep feeling what your tires are telling you as you enter the turn. As you
brake keep your rpm's high with your heal and then downshift. A straight line allows more speed than a curve so keep as straight
a line as possible through the turn. Start at the outside of the track touch the inside right at the corner or "apex"
of the turn and then return to the outside. This is referred to as your line, the straighter they are and the more they just
flow through the track the faster you'll be.
Passing
Passing is accomplished by getting off your line and heading to where your car doesn't want to go, the inside. For the one
about to be passed never ever give up your line, don't move over for them don't compensate them in any way make them fight
for the pass. Passing on the straight is easy, simply go around. On turns however if you find that the guy in front isn't
taking the correct lines and thus is slower or just isn't fast enough you present yourself by heading towards the inside taking
it and passing with the extra speed your able to maintain through curves and then getting back on the correct line in front
of them.
