All very good answers to my question. Thanks, folks!
I think I was downshifting out of instinct learned in racing
sims -- but downshifting with a steering-wheel-mounted
paddle is one thing, downshifting when you have to clutch
in, brake, and blip the throttle all at once is quite another!
I'll try shiftlessness at the next event and see where it gets
me.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scot Zediker" <mx5_1991@yahoo.com>
To: "Chris Tweney" <cat@pobox.com>; <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: To shift, or not to shift??
> First of all, there are no stupid questions!
>
> Myself, I never shift on course, though I still brake
> with my right foot. Under most circumstances,
> whatever time I would gain by taking a corner in first
> is lost in shifting gears. FWIW, I drive a 1.6L Miata
> (116 hp, RWD).
>
> The only time I find it worth my while to shift is on
> a course with a long, fast section. The course we had
> at 3Com last Sunday is a good example. Leaving the
> car in second, I was bouncing off the rev limiter for
> about half of the back "straight."
>
> Scot - proud to be "shiftless" ;)
>
>
> --- Chris Tweney <cat@pobox.com> wrote:
> > OK, this question has had me fretting since
> > Saturday's event.
> >
> > I was talking to my co-courseworker, Darryl, who
> > said that
> > he runs his Cabriolet through almost the entire
> > course in 2nd
> > gear. Now what I've found is that I'm losing lots of
> > time by
> > trying -- and usually failing -- to heel-and-toe
> > downshift into
> > 1st on the slower turns. So should I just forget
> > about downshifting
> > in autocrosses, or should I work on perfecting
> > heel-and-toe?
> > What are y'all doing out there -- left-foot braking
> > w/o shifting?
> >
> > I'm driving an ES Hyundai Tiburon (140bhp, FWD), if
> > that affects
> > the answer.
> >
> > Anybody want to help a newcomer out? This feels like
> > such a
> > stupid question that I hate myself for asking it,
> > but there it is.
> >
> > ---
> > Chris Tweney
> > http://www.pobox.com/~cat
> >
> >
> >
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