**Warning---Oversimplification, but basically true--**
Can I jump in here? My 2 bits:
When you've entered and stabalized in a turn, the front wheels are pointing
one direction and moving a slightly different direction (same for the rears,
but forget about that for now). The difference between the directions is the
slip angle as you probably already know.
The tire makes the most cornering force at one particular slip angle
(basically true for many racing tires, and an oversimplification, yada yada
yada, etc.). This means if you straighten out the wheel a little, there's less
force pushing sideways at the front and magically, you straighten out a little
and follow a bigger curve. But this also means that if you turn the wheel MORE
than optimum, you generate less sideforce (generally) and you follow a bigger
curve too!
Crank the wheel on your family car all the way to one side while cruising at
50mph through your neighborhood grocer's parking lot (ok, don't, bad idea). It
won't turn as tightly as it would if you used "just the right amount" of
steering input.
As for the power wanting to make the car straighten out, this is from weight
transfer off the front end. There's less force pushing down on the front
tires, so there's less force sideways too. You straighten out a little.
This is true when you're oversteering as well.
* Remember, don't turn the wheel far enough and you don't turn as tightly.
Turn the wheel too far, and you don't turn as tightly either. You need "just
the right amount".
Make sense?
Todd Wasson :-)
(Pardon my intrusion!)
