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MotoIQ posted on January 20, 2013 23:58
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| photo: Jim Haughey, K-PAX Racing |
Driver Blog: Randy Pobst - PRI and the Track Drug
by Randy Pobst
Ed: Randy Pobst is a ten-time road-racing champion with over 70 professional wins. He’s also a friend of MotoIQ. When we bumped into Randy at the 2012 Performance Racing Industry Show last month we asked if he’d be willing to share some of his speed secrets in one of our driver’s blogs. And did he ever deliver. Sit back and read about what The Rocket has to say. It will do you good.
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| photo: Performance Racing Industry |
I go to PRI primarily as a racing driver looking for rides. Beyond that, I go just to troll the show making contacts. It’s who ya know in this business. I love talkin’ racin’ with the folks I run into, much more so than asking them for things. This has definitely held me back in my career. Take my advice you gotta stick your neck out. Push your nose in there. Not too far, of course, but enough that the racing community knows you are looking for a drive.
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| photo: Jim Haughey, K-PAX Racing |
I have a great deal going with the K-PAX Volvo S60 in Pirelli World Challenge GT. That ride is my priority for next season, but that’s only nine weekends a year, kids. I wanna race more! How ‘bout you? For years I have had a primary and a secondary series, sometimes even a third. Racing is such a feel-good drug for me and I am admittedly hopelessly addicted. It’s powerful. If it has been a while...two weeks is enough...then I need a fix. The longer I am away from the track, the worse my urge to race becomes. Track days help, especially if I get offers to drive cars - the faster the better. Low-power cars work too, because everything is fast in the corners, and the straights make for a anticipatory buildup. The longer the straight, the greater the thrill in the brake zone and corner.
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| photo: Chadbee Photography |
Recently I was a guest of Chin Motorsports for one of their track days at Road Atlanta – just the fix I needed. Co-manager, Maria Hicks let me take her around at speed in their supercharged Acura NSX. That was a good injection mainlined straight to the bloodstream. My first impression was that the mid-engined Acura was a little loose on entry, nervous on brake application and good on exit. We tried a couple quick shock adjustments on their new JRZ’s, to little effect. That only means we did not yet find the cause of the issue. Remember, if you have trouble figuring out what happened after that last change to the chassis, then face it, nothing happened. Often that is the best answer you can give. If you’re not immediately aware of the change, or worse, make something up, you’re gonna just chase your tail. And if you’re working with a pro engineer, he’ll immediately know he cannot trust what you say.
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| photo: Jim Haughey, K-PAX Racing |
At Road Atlanta I also tried a Spec Boxster, Porsche Club’s version of Spec Miata. A hard-core racetrack machine, if not especially powerful, it was still satisfying to drive flat out – which just happens to be my style. This Boxster was on old tires, and got loose mid-corner, but because the suspension is spec, so we discussed ways to stabilize that, which shall remain secret for the sake of the generous owner who put me in the car.
Monday, January 21, 2013 10:19 AM
So true - there isn't really a "balanced" car. If it's balanced, it's under driven. If one tries hard enough and does things right, they'll find a car either pushes or is loose. The setup is down to what the driver preference is (mild under or over, and where that occurs in a corner).
Monday, January 21, 2013 10:23 AM
I find that I'm fastest when the car is loose. Loose but predictable...as the only thing you can't adjust for is unpredictability (ie. worn bushings, unequal braking, chunking tires etc)
Monday, January 21, 2013 10:31 AM
The first thing i do with each new sportscar magazine? Read Pobst position.
Monday, January 21, 2013 11:55 AM
Amen to bugeye; Pobst is good people, and great to see him chipping in here too. I like the idea of things boiled down like that too.
Monday, January 21, 2013 7:22 PM
Good article, keep 'em coming! boro, I'd say that a car is balanced if the driver can get the car to either over or understeer based on his inputs, and that the behavior is very predictable. Some people prefer either mild under or over and some like it right in the middle.
Monday, January 21, 2013 10:29 PM
Great surprise article! Randy Pobst is very good at converting a driven lap into a written lap. Conveys a lot of useful info very quickly. I always enjoy and learn when I read what Pobst has to say.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013 11:18 AM
Thanks, car freak budso's. Boro, I believe you are on the right track, drivers have a huge effect on how a car handles, and they have different preferences. However, I insist that every car has it's own natural balance. It's own fundamental handling traits. This is what you affect when you change a swaybar setting or tire pressure, etc. If driver is smooth, then driver finds what the car wants to do. That is the basic balance of the car. Pilun is with me here, I see. Turbo Shangbanger (really?) likes it loose, some do. If you are quickest loose, I suggest it may be due to a lack of patience in waiting for the car to point at the apex. Go to power too soon, and it usually cause big understeer, blech. Also, loose heats up the rear tires, takes a toll later in session, and requires good car control; which I'm sure you have, TS. Bugeye and others, thanks a million, keep reading,I appreciate it!
Thursday, January 24, 2013 7:51 PM
Thanks for taking the time to write this Randy, will try to remember the 3 F's. I like that the concept relies on the way one feels, but at a very basic level. So, speaking of finding the limits, I am grateful that you also drove my car (silver Gianni GT3) that day at RA, at the Chin event. You tickled the limits and got the car loose at the bottom of T12. Getting on the power early and hard had been "my" fear, and this confirmed to me that the feeling might have been justified. Anyway, Crawford wing incoming ;)
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 4:19 PM
I felt the fear there, too, FFaust. Wing is just what the GT3 needs.
 
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