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Message text written by "Thana, Peter {High~Palo Alto}"
"Not to bring up this issue again, but does anyone have comments about the
relative importance of this principle on gated courses vs. mini-road course
type layouts?
Peter T
'99 Z3 2.8 Coupe"
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RE: Gates vs mini road courses.
The driving technique is, essentially, the same. In ALL cases the
course is about 8 feet wide. (Unless you're the first car out! <G>) That's
the path cleaned off by the people who ran before you. ALL courses get
faster during the day.
The course is a little bit harder to SEE when gates are utilized.
Make that a LOT HARDER to see when gates are utilized. Here in the Bay Area
we have been utilizing mini road courses for several years. We evolved into
it when the various organizers discovered
1) People didn't get lost;
2) Thus many ran the first time because they didn't feel they'd
look like fools;
3) They came back and ran the next event because they enjoyed the
first one;
2) It's safer because a driver is more likely to stay on course
rather than becoming lost while having his/her foot to the floor.
As for driving gates, it will be touted as offering more "freedom"
because you can approach a gate at a wild angle, get through it, and then
carry on to the next one while hanging the car out at a wild angle. Do not
be fooled; this ain't the fast way. The course is 8 feet wide. If you use
your "freedom" you will be out in the marbles that form just off line on
all courses. If the course area is sandy, like Marina sometimes is, you get
a mix of sand and rubber marbles. Despte the concrete surface you will lose
traction, thus speed.
If you maintain the discipline learned while driving a mini road
course when having to deal with gates, you will set the fastest time
possible while your competitors are having a joy ride going sideways with
the resultant slower times.
Having competed in both styles (including the gate's ancestor,
gymkhanas with backing up), I personally prefer mini road courses. That
makes an event into a driving competition between drivers rather than a
course-following exercise. The on-going success of SF Region events
utilizing mini road courses indicates to me a lot of other people share my
enthusiasm.
--John Kelly
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