First time Sunday...advice?

[WeeAsp]

Originally Posted by DonatasSVT

Hi, didn't want to start a new thread. I've run some slaloms with my SVTf. But I have always run using recommended tire pressures:
32 psi in front
29 psi in rear.
I'm still on the factory Continentals.
Does adding 10 psi or so give more grip? I have never seen anyone doing that where I race. That would be a nice improvement if it really helps :)
Also, I usually run in slow tracks where I almost always use 1st gear and due to that I have some wheel spin and understeer. What tire pressure would you advice? Less in rears to cure understeer?

10 psi over factory will help you A LOT.

It does not increase grip (reduces it because of a smaller contact patch), but it does improve your cornering and steering response.

As for the "slow tracks", my knee jerk reaction is to tell you to shift into 2nd. That will allow you to carry more speed through the corners without overpower the tires.

Combine that with the increased pressure and I think you will definite improvement.

That said, my comments are based only on what you've posted and not running in your environment. I could be way off base...

[Dcl2049]

A good strategy for the Focus is to generally start around 40 psi and work your way down until you've found a good number.

[stivo]

There will almost always be someone faster than you, so don't beat yourself up if you make mistakes. Learn the track and try to be consistent. At that point you can make adjustments accordingly.

sometimes going slow is actually going faster through the corners... if you enter the corner too fast you will scrub off all of your speed with understeer.

Most of all have fun and make friends with the other guys out there. you will learn a lot about how to control your car, especially in the wet.

I wish I was going racing this weekend... but I'm always booked solid.

[DonatasSVT]

Hey, thanks for the answers :) I will try higher pressures this or next sunday when I race. Will let you know how it felt.
The last slalom I did was so slow, I even used handbrake in a lot of corners. 2nd gear would be nowhere neeeded as the speed going out of the corners was very low. I hope this weekend we get a little faster track, so I could use your advice about second gear ;)

[WeeAsp]

Originally Posted by DonatasSVT

Hey, thanks for the answers :) I will try higher pressures this or next sunday when I race. Will let you know how it felt.
The last slalom I did was so slow, I even used handbrake in a lot of corners. 2nd gear would be nowhere neeeded as the speed going out of the corners was very low. I hope this weekend we get a little faster track, so I could use your advice about second gear ;)

There is an old saying "Slower is Faster".

While you may not "feel" like you are going faster, you are in 2nd gear. It enables your cornering transitions to be smoother.

That and downshifting costs you about 1/2 a second. If you leave the car in 1st, then you quickly run out of revs that you need for the longer stretches. As a result, you have to slow down to keep from hitting the rev limiter.

Then there is the issue of overpowering the tires in 1st gear coming out of the corner. If your tires are spinning, then you are losing time.

[DonatasSVT]

WeeAsp, I understand your thought and I agree with it
I was talking about REALLY slow tracks where you even do not have to change gear.
This is a video not of my car (did not get filmed:\) but the same track we ran last time: http://www3.videogaga.lt/video?id=nrkdecgdjtdvbrhlxah
Do you think it would be better with 2nd gear there? In some corners car stops nearly to 0mph and IMO car would bog in 2nd gear.
BTW using tires instead of cones is awful

[WeeAsp]

Originally Posted by DonatasSVT

WeeAsp, I understand your thought and I agree with it
I was talking about REALLY slow tracks where you even do not have to change gear.
This is a video not of my car (did not get filmed:\) but the same track we ran last time: http://www3.videogaga.lt/video?id=nrkdecgdjtdvbrhlxah
Do you think it would be better with 2nd gear there? In some corners car stops nearly to 0mph and IMO car would bog in 2nd gear.
BTW using tires instead of cones is awful

Well....

For once I am at a complete loss...

The video you posted is certainly like nothing I expected.

That said, 1st gear is your best option because of the lack of distance.

What sort of event do they call this?

It really isn't an autocross and it really isn't a slalom given that you are on the course for about 20 seconds...

[HaveBlue83]

it's like a drift road coarse...lol...that was pretty cool watching that festiva do that....hehehe

[DonatasSVT]

It's called slalom here This one was pretty short as there was no much space. We had 2 different tracks during that event and had to run each 3 times. That tiny Fiesta was really quick as it is light and got quite agile suspension. Some drivers didn't use handbrake, so it didn't look like a drift course but were a little bit slower due to complexity of this track