What's The Key to Faster Lap Times?

Car control!

To go fast, we need to let the backend hang out. The key to fast lap times is to dial in the slip angle of the tires, and the yaw of the car. Too much yaw isn’t fast. Not enough, and we’re simply not using all the traction available. So, how do we dial it in? To find peak traction, we need to be willing to step over it a bit. The key to doing this safely is to develop our car control skills and build confidence we can handle it when we step over.

You can always practice this going into turn T1! But, if you’re looking for a safe environment to let the car hang out, develop your car control skills, and have a blast kicking off the season, come out to our Advanced HPDE Car Control event at the Thompson Speedway Skid Pad. Bring old tires you want to use up or bring new tires you want to test out. Shake out your car (and driver) before the full season starts.

Space is limited and interest is high, so returning NCR/NER HPDE drivers will have priority when registering. This event is intended for drivers in the solo run groups.

We’re trying to balance the sweet spot of cost and time on course. You’ll get more than double the time on course as a typical AX, and our cost is about 40% of some similar events. The day will run from around 8:00 am until around 5pm. We're shooting to maximize the time on course for everyone.

There will be a 90 minute pre-event live zoom, and we'll share the video after. It's required that you either attend live or watch the video before the event.

There will be coordinated exercises focusing on sensing and managing the car, and time for you to focus on what you need most. Do you need some practice catching the backend? Cool. Want to develop your feel for slip angle? This is your chance. Wanna drift? Do it. Do you know what breaks free first on your car, the front or the rear? How can you make the opposite happen? Come to our Car Control event at Thompson, and you can find out! One of the best things you can learn is what it takes to get the back to come around. Knowing what it feels like is half the battle. Building the confidence that you can control things is the rest.