Autocross Curves and oversteer

[mightyS]

Now that I have wider tires and bigger sways, I can hold a faster speed in turns. I gained 11 mph in the sweaper turn we have at one autocross site. With stock all season tires and stock sways, I could only go around 44 mph in the turn. Any faster and I would understeer into a wider turn. The new tires are 235/40/17 up from 215 and they are Yokohama AD07 Summer tires. The sways (Perrin 22mm + endlinks) are set to the stiffer setting in the front and soft in the rear.

My problem is now oversteer in the turn. I am holding the turn and I give it a bit more gas to go faster. Then I feel the back end start to rotate. Sometimes I get oversteer even when keeping the gas constant. After some horribly long drifts at the black lake autocross, I learned not to let off the gas, but to give it a touch more. The power goes to the front wheels and it pulls me out.

 

What is the fastest way to drive through the a sweaper? Is it better to keep the speed down and hold a constant line? Is it better to go faster and let the car slide some then fight to regain control as the turn ends?

 

I made a horrible mistake at the last autocross. I felt the oversteer starting, but I overreacted. I countersteered and hit the gas too hard. That flung me to the right and into the grass with all 4 wheels.

[SubyShop.com]

I'm no expert racing driver, but you want to enter the corner a little slower to begin with. Get the car turned in and aim for the apex while easing onto the throttle, just basically keeping the speed constant. Then as you approach the apex, stay on line, keep rolling on the throttle and the car should start to push wide. As you straighten out the wheel, roll on the throttle as you exit the corner. Smooth throttle inputs and staying on line are generally the fastest.

-Franz