How to run a decreasing radius corner - LotusTalk

lancer360 · 09-11-2009, 06:43 AM

We had a great 24hr autocross over labor day weekend. Event ran from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. I must have put 40+ runs on the car. Course overall was fairly simple, but so wide open you had many different lines. Near the finish there was a significant decreasing radius corner after a short straight. After the decreasing radius corner there was a mild kink and then the finish line. Many cars were taking the entrance pretty wide to try and turn the corner into a more constant radius corner. I chose instead to keep as tight as I could to the inside and go in a little hot. Then I would modulate the throttle to get a bit of lift oversteer to scrub off speed and to help keep the car tight to the inside. I was curious on how others handle a decreasing radius corner.

TedDBere · 09-11-2009, 06:53 AM

A past National Champion once told me to break a decreasing radius into two turns. First turn is a fast sweeper, second turn requires a gentle brake at turn in to hit the apex for corner exit and accelleration.

cemaykan · 09-11-2009, 07:51 AM

Kind of reminds of the Sebring last turn...where a high speed turn gets tighter with a smaller radius..

09-11-2009, 06:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
lancer360 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,215	How to run a decreasing radius corner We had a great 24hr autocross over labor day weekend. Event ran from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. I must have put 40+ runs on the car. Course overall was fairly simple, but so wide open you had many different lines. Near the finish there was a significant decreasing radius corner after a short straight. After the decreasing radius corner there was a mild kink and then the finish line. Many cars were taking the entrance pretty wide to try and turn the corner into a more constant radius corner. I chose instead to keep as tight as I could to the inside and go in a little hot. Then I would modulate the throttle to get a bit of lift oversteer to scrub off speed and to help keep the car tight to the inside. I was curious on how others handle a decreasing radius corner. __________________ '05 Lotus Elise Saffron Yellow, Touring, Sport, Stainless Brake Lines, Moroso Oil Pan, RTD Brace KBS Mark 7 Formula 500 with a heart transplant in progress '09 600cc GSX-R Due to hit the track in August '09

09-11-2009, 06:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
TedDBere Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 486	A past National Champion once told me to break a decreasing radius into two turns. First turn is a fast sweeper, second turn requires a gentle brake at turn in to hit the apex for corner exit and accelleration. __________________ TED

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09-11-2009, 07:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
cemaykan Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 149 Images: 1	Kind of reminds of the Sebring last turn...where a high speed turn gets tighter with a smaller radius..

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