Drifting

[RSVI]

We all like to see a bit of drifting. Watching the skill of the driver handle the car round the corners.

Here's a clip i found and posed this question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZQuOhBV ... ed&search=


Wouldn't it be quicker to go round the track in the normal fashion or is drifting a quicker way round the track?

[RSVI]

Didn't release how much work was involved in drifting.

Inside footage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjaxez9O ... ed&search=

[Daveperc]

Rallycross without the mud!

[BRETTCOLLINS]

More fun is a 4wd Car

[QuantumJohn]

Drifting is purely the skill of getting the car sideways and controlling it there.
All the time the wheels are slipping, forward motion is being lost so it is not the quickest way round a track.
That doesn't apply to rallying where the corners are slippery because of gravel/mud/ice/snow and are often tight enough for necessary use of the handbrake.

John

[RSVI]

So with that being the answer (and i agree) drifting is the slower way round a track


WHY?? ? ?

Surely if one of the drivers thought, "sod this" and used the racing line he would win?

Or are there rules on a "drifting" race?

[Daveperc]

Oh that life were so simple! If it was just a question of forward motion then everyone would simply drive the shortest route round a track (ie the inside of each bend) and that would be that!

However, there are three important factors:
- first the friction between a tyre and the surface is limited, and is also different laterally from fore and aft;
- secondly, to change direction you have to lose momentum from the old direction, and gain it in a new one - that requires the car to accelerate towards the centre of the circle of the bend.
- third, the friction is a factor of many things, including the vertical load on the wheel, and since the centre of gravity of a car is somewhere above the road, a car puts extra weight onto the outside wheels, and less onto the inside as it corners.

So, if lateral friction is low (ie it's slippery) one simple way to get round is to use the thrust of the car to propel it in the new direction - this rerquires "drifting". (Think of the films of hovercraft or similar cornering in the everglades).

Rally drivers use the stiff sidewalls of tyres gripping in the mud/snow to reduce momentum in the old direction, and the power of the drive to accelerate them towards the centre of the arc they are turning through, to maximise the gain of speed in the new direction. They use techniques like left foot braking to disturb the balance of the car to get it to rotate to the right attitude more quickly.

Hope this helps - it really needs some diagrammes but I'm sure you get my drift!

Dave

[RSVI]

Thanks Dave.
Did you answer my question somewhere in there?


You've got your head switched on with this topic Do you put it into practice?

Interesting the way you've explained it, make sence.

Thanks

Adam

[RSVI]

I'm sure you get my drift!

Dave

Boom Boom! !

[Daveperc]

Still learning in RS, and to be honest there are not that many roads/times round here to really push the car (safely) - and the thing is so damned quick that one has to constantly aware of the law.

Lived in Norway for 5 years, and certainly "practiced" there. First 2 years with Escort RS2000 - probably the best balanced "sideways" car I've ever driven on snow or tarmac. Main challenge was loading several v large bags of sand into boot in the winter to move the weight onto the back wheels.

Even more fun was SAAB 99 2Dr Turbo (with water injection). Basic proces was:
- approach bend fast and tun in too early
-lift off (or l foot brake) to throw weight forward and unstick the back - car shifts to oversteer
- floor the throttle and use wheelspin to correct the slide (nb rather than steering as would be normal)

Coupled with this the turbo lag, and the subsequent WI lag. meant that the power built steadily through the bend so you were catapaulted out at huge speed!

Best drive ever was Oslo to Stavanger over the mountains (about 200 miles) which normally is 5-6 hours on their roads (mostly like a good B road today). Did it in 3hrs 20mins by leaving at 2.00am and going for it! Very close shave with an Elk that failed to stop at a give-way sign!

Ah - those were the days!

Dave

PS - max speed limit then (as now) was 80Kmh (= 50 MPH) - you do the maths!