in N2K2, I'm passing on some of the tools I learned from other drivers
during my 10 years or so of active racing experience - particularly those
that I found adapted well to sim racing. Last week I talked about driving
the track backwards....same as a backwards " track walk." Here's another
tool that I found to be invaluable to learn a new road course.]
**Using Short Shifting To Learn New Road Courses**
I first heard this term back in 1987 when I was driving for the BMW factory
team in the SCCA Escort Endurance Pro Series. My co-driver, Andy Evans - a
driver with considerably more experience than I at the time - taught this to
me (and I have sense read about it - in one form or another - in many "how
to" road racing books). We were running most of the road courses in North
America that year and that included Mosport in Canada. Practically every
race event, meant a brand new road course for me. Unlike in sim racing, I
did not have the luxury of bending our race car several times on Thursday
and Friday (practice sessions), while I learned the track. Funny how it
works that way in real racing! .....lol..... But, learning a new road
course quickly is not an easy thing to do for most drivers. You can't just
"go slow"....because while that may give you the opportunity to see where
the track goes....it does nothing to help you quickly develop a "rhythm" for
racing at speed on the track. What I learned is that "short
shifting".....does both!
By definition, the technique of "short shifting" almost explains itself in
the name. You shift short of your normal engine rpm limit. The key is -
you do it in every gear! Example: Let's say you normally would shift your
race car at 8,000 rpm (high limit). So....first gear you run up to 8,000
rpm - shift to second. Second gear up to 8,000 rpm and shift to
third.....etc.
To learn a new road course (using our example) - all you need to do is
choose a lower shift point (say 5,000 rpm when first rolling out onto a new
road course)! Pretty simple stuff here.
After a few laps....and you are getting a feel for where the track
goes.....you might raise your shift point to say, 5,500 rpm.......then to
6,000 rpm in a few more laps....etc. It won't take long before you are
running laps at or near your normal shift limiter. All the while....you've
developed your rhythm for running at that track....because you have not
dramatically changed where your shift points are on the track.....from your
slowest to your fastest laps.
There's one **key** element to add: Never (never means
n.e.v.e.r.).....during this learning process.....NEVER brake later than the
first brake marker ("first" meaning the first one you come to at every
turn). If you always brake at the earliest brake marker....and you are not
at maximum approach speed to the turn.....you can never get into trouble
with too late of a brake point....even if you don't know the track! You can
move your braking points up track in later sessions........when you are
comfortable with your speeds and shifting points. [And, you can use a
similar process by incrementally moving them....just like you did your shift
limits.]
I used this extensively throughout 1987 - running in the ESCORT Endurance
Series. Within about an hour's track time.....I was running at 95% of my
fastest times....by the end of the entire weekend of racing. That is a
quick learning curve (for me at least)......and this works! Try it.
I hope this is helpful to some of you guys who hate road courses!
.....lol......
Regards,
Tom
PS: "Short Shifting" has multiple uses. It will also work if you want to
run conservative laps for a portion of a race.....to conserve fuel.......to
conserve tire wear........to cool overheated tires and brakes. By moving
your shift limit down only a couple hundred rpm.....you conserve fuel, tires
and brakes. AND....you don't upset your "rhythm pattern" of shifting very
much (almost not at all.....your shift points will only change a few feet on
the track). Need to conserve more? Less? Move your shift limit down 500
rpms.......only 100 rpms. See how this works? This is an excellent method
to run conservation laps during the middle stints of a long race......that
are still **consistent** lap times. You'll make your crew chief very happy
if you are driver that can use this "tool" of short
shifting.....effectively!