The easiest is to put your foot down and pass them on the straights. That assumes you have more acceleration than the other driver. If that isn't the case, that's where things get more interesting. Another passing technique is to late brake someone. Just wait a little longer to hit the brakes and get your nose inside of them. That way, you take away the apex and they have too slow more than normal and you can hopefully complete the pass in the corner. Also, you can use a VERY late apex to try to get on the throttle earlier and come out of the corner faster and thus have more speed to pass at the end of the straight. The most common passing technique is to be patient and wait for the other driver to make a mistake. When he/she does, be there ready to pounce! Mark Utecht
There is not a magic bullet. The set up for optimal handling will be different on different surfaces. For gravel, mud and ice (with studs or good tires), I like a locked rear and center diff. In this set up, hard throttle will induce oversteer as the rear gets constant torque where the front will "release" torque by slightly spinning the inside front. However, since the two diffs are welded the rear keeps digging. What you have experienced with the center unlocked is all the torque getting dumped through one spinning tire. On pavement, locked diffs are BAD. I've tried it and learned my lesson. Because of that, on a Subaru, best case is all three diffs are limited slip. That means $$$$. However, there is very little drop off if you just have two limited slip diffs. If you can only have one, I would put it in the front as that would be the most likely end to spin the tires. Mark Utecht
For tires, I would recommend the Winterforce http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?make=Winterforce&model=M+S in a 225/55/17 size. They are 83.00 from Tire Rack. I ran these tires on our 1999 RS and they worked great. The issue of debeading tires has more to do with driving style and pressure than anything. Keep at least 35 psi in the tires and don't slide into ruts and you will never debead a tire at a rallycross. Mark Utecht
First, I would take as much weight out of the car as possible. Weight is everything. The next thing is tires. Right now, I think the best tire out there for RX is the Winterforce I mentioned in the previous reply. For suspension, the budget option would be KYB AGXs. If you want to go a little better, Hot Bits rally suspension is what we are running and we like it alot. It comes with springs and seats, all you need is tops. They have integral reservoirs and work great. I would also consider welding the center and rear diffs if it will NEVER see daily driver use. Also, a 20 mm WRX rear sway bar helps add a little oversteer. It's sort of obvious but make sure all the suspension components are healthy. One loose tie rod will negate alot of high tech goodies. Mark Utecht
That's amazing. I didn't read Mark's reply before I typed my own. I guess he knows his stuff. Either that or neither of us do! Mark Utecht
The AGXs are NOT a shock that will last long in abusive situations. No "street" shock will. If you want something that will last, go for the Hot Bits or better. I run AGXs on the Mustang rally car in the front and replace them about twice a year. However, they are cheap enough that it is still the right choice for me on that car. We have Hot Bits on the ice race/RX car because I got someone else to pay for them. Mark Utecht
I would mostly agree with this, but suspension is a big issue too. If you have struts that aren't damping your springs properly in compression (or at all, like my old ones), then you're going to be delivering a lot more peak force into the tire when you bottom out the suspension. That, combined with tires that had really, really thin sidewalls, was 90% of my problem, I believe. And I think I've debeaded more tires than everybody else local combined over the last few years.
Like I mentioned in the reply regarding building a RallyCross car, if there are worn or failed suspension components, all bets are off. You must have a sound starting point, mechanically, before any of my suggestions should be used. Mark Utecht
thanks Mark - what is the particular reason for the added sidewall? is running something with a smaller profile like a 225/45/17 (the size of the winter tires I currently have - hankook w404) going to be problematic?
Nope, it's simpler than that. The size I listed is the only size available that will fit an STi. All other 17 inch options in the Winterforce are even bigger.
What's your experience like racing in the rain when visibility and traction is limited, standing water in grooves and cracks. I often wonder how a driver racing in a open cockpit car racing in these conditions especially when there's roastertail's spraying water in their faces. And how does it effect Rally on gravel? I would think in some cases it would help with traction.
Wet conditions during a road race or track day event really shows where the talent lies. Rain introduces constantly differing grip and vision levels. The good drivers can "see" where the grip is. There is a different look to pavement that will offer grip when wet. Usually, that grip is off line even though there may be more water there. The good drivers will find the grip by making slight or major adjustments to their line on the track. The spray off the cars is also an additional challenge. In closed cars, Rain-X is the best thing ever. A good new coat of Rain-X eliminates the need for wipers unless the precipitation is just a very slight mist. You need the water amount to be high enough to form drops on the windshield. Then the drops will be carried away by the air moving over the glass. In open cars, the driver will treat his/her visor with Rain-X and maybe drill small air holes in the visor to help prevent fogging from the 100% humidity. Lastly, the proper tire choice is key. Too much tread void and not enough water equals lack of grip and overheated tires. Too much water and not enough tread void equal crash. On gravel, rain can help grip, to a point. Moisture holds the road together. Think of baking flour in it's dry state. It is very fluffy and you can easily drag a finger through it without much resistance. Add water to that flour and it becomes a sticky paste. Dragging a finger through that mess will take more effort. That's why a wet road will have more grip. Now, if there is deep standing water on a gravel road, it can really throw the car around. This is all about the added resistance of pushing the water out of the way of the tires. Anyone that rode their bicycle into a lake when they were young understands the resistance of water. On both pavement and gravel surfaces, it is best to avoid deep standing water where possible. However, a good driver can take advantage of a wet track or stage and find the grip when other are not able to. That's what wins races. Mark Utecht
I realize its been a while since anyone has posted here... but Mark, if you still read this, just did my first autocross in the Talon yesterday. You mentioned to me at the tech day that you used to race one. I guess I don't have any real concrete questions for you, but do you have any tips for rallycrossing/driving a turbo AWD DSM? I want to race it in SA in future events, so I can spend as little as possible on it.
The best advice I can give is to get out there and run events. Seat time is seat time, no matter what you are driving. On your specific car you will be much faster if you learn to carry momentum through the corner as opposed to letting the grip and power mask your mistakes. Concentrate on being smooth and fast will happen on it's own. Thing of the straights as something you have to do to get to the next corner, not the corners are required to get to the next straight.
So what advice would you give to others who have been Rally Crossing for a while who would be considered intermidates. What types of things should they be starting to focus on developing to get them to the next level? What did you find to be helpful when you were moving up the ranks? And how and when should a driver consider themselves ready for the next level? From my own experienced I've found there are four different levels a driver goes thru. 1. Technical knowledge-has a good fundamental understanding to apply some of the materials they have learned from reading and research. 2. Physical-capable of executing the knowledge they have learned from materials and experiences, ability to make calculated inputs. 3. Intuition-Has extensive experience, is able to capitalize on abilities and knowledge, reacts and applies techniques comfortable with ease, is able to forecast a few steps ahead. 4. Subconcious-Ability to switch on and empty their minds, to operate without actually operating processing data effortlessly.
Well, I'm really glad you ask such easy questions! When I was getting started, I knew I needed to make a big change when I started to slow down doing the same things. It was a sign I was overdriving. For RallyCross I think the most valuable "advanced" technique would be left foot braking. Everyone likes to have fun learning pendulum and handbrake turns. However, LFB can be used in EVERY corner. Pendulum and handbrake only apply to certain corners. When you can come into a corner with LFB, switch feet on the brake so you can make a downshift and have it be one smooth action, you have learned the physical theory of LFB. I would like to expand on your 4 levels. My comments are added after yours. 1. Technical knowledge-has a good fundamental understanding to apply some of the materials they have learned from reading and research. Things that must be understood to "complete" this level are weight transfer, friction circle and the relationship between the two. 2. Physical-capable of executing the knowledge they have learned from materials and experiences, ability to make calculated inputs. Signs that this level is complete is being able to use weight transfer to correct vehicle handling and when things go bad, being able to understand why they went bad in terms of weight transfer and friction circle. 3. Intuition-Has extensive experience, is able to capitalize on abilities and knowledge, reacts and applies techniques comfortably with ease, is able to forecast a few steps ahead. This level is easy. This level seems to be the point at which, with some regularity, you see vehicular disaster coming and you do things with the controls that avoid the disaster and much to your surprise, it works. Do NOT confuse this with blind luck behind the wheel. You must have intended to do something and it worked as you had hoped. You are just surprised that it worked. 4. Subconcious-Ability to switch on and empty their minds, to operate without actually operating processing data effortlessly. When a driver is at this level, anyone that rides with or watches this driver learns things by what the driver is doing. It is also when you finish a run or stage thinking you were slow and you just set a stage record or fastest time of day.
