Notes from the novice skid pad

#1

The other week I did some sessions on CMP’s skid pad. Was my first time. The biggest lesson I came away with is that creating the right grip conditions is not infantry simple.

What you want is a surface of reasonably homogenous traction. Variations in the amount of water on the surface makes for a huge difference in the amount of grip. So it’s hard to work on subtlies of over/understeer when grip is varying wildly.

Imagine trying to spend an honest 15secs hauling ass in a circle, but just barely holding it together thru brilliant throttle control. Now imagine doing it with grip going off and on like a light switch. The 15sec exercise on the edge really isn’t do-able under such abrupt traction changing conditions. One heartbeat you are no where near the edge of grip and the next you’ve hydroplaned and you are off in the grass.

I figure that there’s two good ways to do it. Either the wet surface is such that grip is reasonably evenly distributed, or you put on so much water that there is a some standing water…and then you do the exercise in rain tires.

The skid pad at CMP won’t evenly distribute the water the way a perfectly smooth surface would, so the first option isn’t ideal. I’d suggest lots of water and rain tires. Alternately go entirely dry.

#2

Had the same problem at VIR in the spring. dry/wet kind of ruins it. Add walls around the edge of the skidpad and a huge water nozzle to take out your oil cooler. We left in one piece but doing a track day in the rain is probably safer.

#3

Ranger,

The varying levels of grip on a skid pad are part of a good learning session on a skid pad. If the surface was consistent, you wouldn’t learn nearly as much. Yeah it sure would make it easier to slide the car around lap after lap; but with time and practice you can learn to do that in spite of the constantly changing grip. When things go bad on track your grip level changes in big ways very quickly so you can see how learning how to control the car through changing grip levels is a valuable tool.

The skidpad at the BMW performance center in Spartainburg actually has portions of the concrete polished. The polished section(s)is visually indistinguishable but has a fraction of the grip of the non-polished raw concrete.

#4

Ok, but I recall seeing a quote the other day that said “When you hydroplane, it doesn’t matter how good of a driver you are”. There needs to be a middle ground between 50% traction budget and hydroplaning into the grass.

#5

I didn’t see hydroplaning-depth water at CMP. Maybe I went to the skidpad at the wrong time?

It definitely makes things more difficult, but that’s the point. Also why it’s important to look ahead and remember the bad spots to plan ahead.

#6

If you get a chance to see the Test Drive of the BMW M3 with TK on speed there is a skid pad part. I don’t know what the surface was like there but if I remember correctly. All the Drivers had a problem on the skid pad(including TK) except one who had extensive dirt racing experience. he had great car control even when it is sliding.

Proved to me even with a group of Professional drivers, sliding around a circle ain’t easy.

#7

I’ve been on that skidpad at the Performace Center once every year for the last nine years (Z Roadster Homecoming). I know where the polished section is and it gets me every time… so slippery! The first 4 or 5 years we ran it as a traditional skid pad and years since they’ve set up an autocross course on the skidpad… they use that exact area as a transition and people lose it there all the time.

The inconsistency is a great learning tool… as I said in my “race report” from Sebring, I would have preferred a downpour to the drizzle I had to deal with in my afternnon race because it would have been consistently wet. Instead it was wet here, damp there and the transitions in surface in the middle of the turns was a bit trickier than usual.

I love the skidpad… wish I had more opportunities to get on one for some practice!

#8

Skid pads are great for car control!

Practise, practise, practise hitting a long drive or doing a pitch shot onto the green.

Then remember the words of Indy Jim, “It isn’t the arrow, it is the Indian.”

Wish I could be like Hollywood Skeen. Yep, I need more practise. Or, more likely, I’ll not reach that level of talent. But I’m still enjoying the golf game.

Regards, Robert (golf is really boring) Patton

#9

I agree that the varying surfaces on a skid pad make it a better learning experience. It’s just difficult to learn in the short time span you have.

I cut my teeth on the skid pad at Summit Point Main doing Friday at the Track (FATT). Not only do the surfaces vary, but it’s sloped, there are undulations and you’re driving clapped out a Caprice with different tires at all 4 corners and the most unsupportive seats possible. The thing that’s really great about that program is that you ride along while other students take their turn at the wheel. If you’re astute, you’ll be mentally driving right along with them.

Back in February I drove the skid pad at VIR in my FFR Cobra. I was awful insofar as I was not maintaining a drift around the circle and I spun nearly every lap. But I did come away from it understanding more about the wet traction capabilities of my car and how much quicker I needed to be with the steering. Later, it transferred directly to the track when, coming out of T1 in the wet, my rear tires broke away. Instead of lifting, I caught the spin with the steering and drifted through the turn in spectacular fashion. 'Course, the only other person to see it was the corner worker. :wink:

My point is, every little bit helps. So, you weren’t the Drift King. The main thing is that you reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Try to understand why and apply that knowledge whenever and wherever you can.

#10

I’m just a noob, and only in HPDE2 to boot, but varying traction surfaces at VIR in March taught me tons about car control, and how fast you have to react to counter a loss of traction.

I’ve definately got to say that I’m much more comfortable at the edge than I ever have been due to that experience!

the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c95HsWzjDnE&eurl=http://not-mpower.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-04-19T19%3A28%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

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