Can you extract the FULL amazing powers of your Porsche, or other car, when it really counts? Decades of hard data shows that even we “car enthusiasts” underutilize those abilities by 20-25% no matter how hard we initially try. The only way to answer “yes” to this question is to actually practice. Luckily the Sept 11th CVR AutoX at Lime Rock Park’s B Paddock offers an exceptionally fun way to get that practice with a bunch of friends all doing the same. Register now from the cvrpca.com web home page where you will find the AutoX page link, or by going directly to https://www.motorsportreg.com/.

The Sept 11th AutoX-University course (September 11th Course Map) features several “emergency lane change” maneuvers to help you extract those full abilities. The adrenaline filled “Flick Flick” turns will be a very exciting way to learn and earn this important driving skill. As you get calibrated to the violence needed, you’ll be glad you are in the middle of Lime Rock’s B Paddock and realize that its pavement heaven is the perfect place to master it. Chief Instructor Ed Bougue will start the day off with additional insights and tips on how you can master this kind of Better Driving…Faster!

Before then, let’s examine the first left-right lane change on this course. As you approach this maneuver, still accelerating away from the previous “pivot” corner, your speed will be too great to simply yank the steering wheel from the left to right lane. That would overwhelm the front tires and result in “plowing” straight into the obstacle (pointer cones) ahead. However, transferring more weight will impart temporary super-powers to the front so a decisive stab of the brakes is called for as you enter the left lane box. You will be surprised at how violent, quick, and short lived that braking needs to be. Now with the front tires primed to give their all, you can yank the steering wheel to the right. Chirp, chirp…that sound is your rear tires threatening to overtake the fronts! The rears will demand that their rightful weight be returned immediately and now is an excellent time to indulge them with some moderate throttle (not too much, not too little). Rear tires content, you have successfully headed out of the left lane and completed the first flick with utmost urgency. Great work but victory isn’t yours yet…now you are headed towards the guardrail of the right lane!

Now for the second Flick. With the left tires already at their peak cornering ability and perfectly balanced front to rear, it’s not a great time to ask more of them. So how do you switch that load to the right tires? There is no time to straighten the wheel and re-stab the brakes to prime the front tires again. Fortunately you have hundreds of pounds of stored energy in those left suspension springs and can now unleash that with the Flick of the steering wheel (counter-clockwise) and get to an immediate balanced loading of the right tires. As a beautiful closing act to this ballet, open the steering while adding power and blast out to the next corner. To summarize: brake, flick right while adding balanced throttle, flick left, straighten out and accelerate away. Smoothing out the violent transitions between each of those steps will take a few tries to get the perfect timing but will be rewarded by the clock. Once accustomed to that timing, and surrendering to the massive G-forces produced, cheers from other attendees and instructors await you. Repeat this sequence at each of the Flick, Flick turns and of course don’t forget about the most important “look ahead” skill (see last month’s Pylon Place).

Now you’re ready to apply these refined driving skills when it REALLY counts…at the last AutoX and Hoffman Cup Run Off event, on the new date of October 16th.