The upside of having a clutch/transmission problem is that I was able to really focus on my braking technique. Without all the fancy foot work, I had a lot more finesse going on. The trick is to maintain that finesse while doing the footwork.
Initial brake application can be pretty brutal, especially in a car with ABS. In most cars, the ABS is worse than a really good driver, but ABS serves as a safety net. By preventing lockup, it prevents flat spotting tires, which can ruin them, and it prevents the lousy deceleration of a locked up tire. Anyway, the initial brake is the hardest brake, and requires less finesse. Then release starts almost immediately.
Are you familiar with the "limousine stop"? The driver gradually reduces brake pressure as the vehicle slows. As it comes to a stop, a passenger will be hard pressed to detect the exact moment the vehicle stops without looking out the window. Braking in racing is sort of like that. But instead of 35 mph to 0 mph, the speed change may be 115 mph to 45 mph. But the goal is to make that final release of the brake pedal almost undetectable (other than brake lights).
Limousine-stop-smoothness combined with mountain-dancing-on-three-pedals.
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Initial brake application can be pretty brutal, especially in a car with ABS. In most cars, the ABS is worse than a really good driver, but ABS serves as a safety net. By preventing lockup, it prevents flat spotting tires, which can ruin them, and it prevents the lousy deceleration of a locked up tire. Anyway, the initial brake is the hardest brake, and requires less finesse. Then release starts almost immediately.
Are you familiar with the "limousine stop"? The driver gradually reduces brake pressure as the vehicle slows. As it comes to a stop, a passenger will be hard pressed to detect the exact moment the vehicle stops without looking out the window. Braking in racing is sort of like that. But instead of 35 mph to 0 mph, the speed change may be 115 mph to 45 mph. But the goal is to make that final release of the brake pedal almost undetectable (other than brake lights).
Limousine-stop-smoothness combined with mountain-dancing-on-three-pedals.
- mark 5-25-2012 3:39 pm