Advice on Cadwell

Maxx · Post by **Maxx** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 5:44 pm

Luke,

How did you get on yesterday?

Maxx

Pike · Post by **Pike** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:22 pm

Thanks for the advice Maxx, I had a bit of a moment today in the wet but managed 3rd in class with some questionable steering!

Maxx · Post by **Maxx** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 10:10 pm

Well Done Luke

Cadwell is tricky in the wet, see this video of a Lotus-on-Track buddy of mine on a recent trackday http://www.aouv49.dsl.pipex.com/Aquaplane.wmv

Maxx

Andy916 · Post by **Andy916** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:51 pm

Nice one Luke.

Maxx, that aquaplane video - I have a pal who won a 250GP race at club level and got man-of-the-meeting through being particularly gung-ho through that stream over the track at Cadwell. In the heat of the race start he actually forgot it was there; once upon it, in the lead, there was nothing he could do except maintain a slight positive throttle. It worked a treat, but once through he was carrying too much speed for Coppice. The only possibility was to enter Coppice with the normal throttle control and hope for the best. It worked, and he had a big lead by this point. Lap after lap he repeated the feat and won by half a minute! The bike may well handle standing water better than the car, whilst upright and off the brakes ... but when it does slip, it's very sudden of course.

Andy

Maxx · Post by **Maxx** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:20 am

Andy,

Your pal did absolutely the right thing. The mistake the Elise driver made was that he did come right off the throttle and essentially, at the point he lost it, the car was coasting in gear. This effectively means that the cars is being "braked" by the engine, VIA the rear wheels. Therefore there is resistance and any variability in the grip/drag levels between left and right rear wheel will unsettle the car. What he should have done was go through that section on a balanced throttle OR dipped the clutch. If braking is needed then you either have the option of using the left foot whilst keeping a balance throttle or braking with the clutch depressed. Either one is difficult and may create a bit of a wobble but not to the extent that we see in the video.

What made the snap even worse was that it occured on the part of the track where the short(er) circuit hairpin (i.e. the layout used by 5th Gear) joins the main straight. If you look at that area in the dry there is loads of rubber down through there so once wet it will be EXTRA slippy.

If you are on a circuit or a road and you see yourself coming up on a big puddle/standing water, try and take a bit of speed off before it and GO THROUGH ON A BALANCED THROTTLE, it is by far the safest way. Also, if you happen to be on a track and you are coming up on a big puddle but with half a cars width either side (Barcroft at Croft is a good example <cough>), it's best to go straight through the puddle than to put one side of the car in the puddle and one side out.

Maxx

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:56 pm

praying for Sun on monday after looking at this video

Pike · Post by **Pike** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:52 pm

Have a good day Duncan. Make sure you take your camera and get some pics up!

Post by **Stuart** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:01 pm

dynamix wrote:praying for Sun on monday after looking at this video

Yeah, the last thing you want is a crazed 150bhp Sierra driver chomping at your heels in the wet

........wetter the better please

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:27 am

Indeed Stu, Indeed

I've got my excuses ready:

- I was on a cool down lap
- I was listening to the instructor
- I was trying to get some free space on track
- I heard a misfire
- There was a vibration
- The tyres were going off

......

stockcar · Post by **stockcar** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:06 am

my suspension isn't set up yet?????

or is it all sussed now??

alyn