open track day lapping in a stock Subaru WRX @ HPR 10.21.11 (w/ tips & advice for beginners)

This video shows me driving a friend's 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX at High Plains Raceway (east of Denver, CO) during an open lapping track day. The vehicle owner is riding shotgun. It was his first time driving at HPR, while I've done a few hundred laps, so as I drive, I'm trying to provide some insights on driving technique, gear selection, and of course the best line.

The car is completely stock, with the exception of Hawk HP Plus front brake pads and Motul RBF600 brake fluid.

Here is a map of HPR, so you can reference the corners and track contours to what you see through the windshield:

http://highplainsraceway.com/images/track-map-large3.gif

NOTE: At about 10:12 in the video, I say this:

"... if you get off the brakes, then you get on the throttle, a FWD or AWD car will pull itself out of that corner... better than just coasting through it w/o throttle."

I want to clarify that this isn't always true. It depends on the handling characteristics of the car, for one thing. I was thinking of my FWD Civic that has stiff springs and a helical limited slip differential, both of which really help it corner under power. For a typical FWD street car equipped with an open differential, and mushy OEM springs that allow the inside tire to spin freely when the car's leaning, this technique isn't going to work nearly as well.

Also, in order for an AWD or FWD car to pull out of a corner cleanly under power, you must be under the cornering limits of the tires. If you're in a corner with the tires sliding (with street tires, the tires are howling loudly), and you try to get on the power to get the car to "pull itself out of the corner," it's just going to understeer more, since there's no traction available for the tires to do anything you're asking them to.

Lastly, I should point out that a properly set-up RWD sports car—e.g., an E36 BMW 3-series—will also hunker down and carve a tighter line through a corner under power, if you're within the tires' friction circle.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• track
• day
• Subaru
• WRX
• first-time
• beginner
• slow
• in
• fast
• out
• grip
• driving
• technique
• tires
• traction
• limit

[DuckyDos]

It looks like you did really well, really smooth lines and consistent.