How to avoid losing control

[Excaliber]

Most often it's to much throttle in a corner. I've been driving Cobra's for YEARS, I'm as careful as anybody out there.

So last summer, morning coffee run, not really paying enough attention, shifted into 2nd in the middle of a sweeping intersection turn and sure enough, got it sideways. Didn't spin it, but darn close. I wasn't even giving it much gas, just a little. I KNOW better than to shift IN a corner,,, whew, the second you quit paying attention these cars will bite you.

[mdross1]

Practice, practice,and more practice.Staying with a particular setup you will get better with time knowing what to expect.Anticpating problems by reading the road ahead of you.

[digginfool]

Since so much of this topic has been about tires, what do you feel about the Goodyear Eagle F1 that comes on the BDR? Also, about the BDR's 2" longer wheelbase?

[Voyager]

Replace the tires! I’ve had SPF 2920 for 6 months. Any time I get on it, the BF Goodrich T/A radials spin. I’m trying to wear them out so I can get BB or Avons, but they won’t die, they just squeal.

Go to a local autox and discuss setup physics with the drivers. You won’t be able to duplicate their specific setup, but at least understand the cause and effect.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by Tommy

Larry,
My Cobra is not a SPF, but I've spun it at least twenty times on various tracks. The simple, but worthless, answer to your question is that you likely demanded more of one or more tires than they could give. The usual suspects are entering turns too fast or exiting turns with too much power. The quickest way around a race track typically involves getting as close to loss of control as possilble without stepping over the line. The only way to avoid losing control on the track is to drive like you do on the highway and don't stray too close to loss of control. Of course that will give you a slow lap time and leaves me wondering why you'd go to a track to drive that way.

One of the safer ways to learn what you and your car can and cannot do is to participate in SCCA Autocross events. The speeds and venues are usually safe enough to allow you to step over the line and lose control without doing any serious damage. After you get comfortable at autocross, step up to faster track day events where the consequences of loss of control can be a lot higher.

Spot on, get into Autocross first, then go to bigger faster tracks and you'll be o-k.........
Good Autocrossers generally make good road racers, good road racers generally don't do well at Autocross!!!!!!!!!!!!
Start off slow with Autocross and work your way up, starting at the top is not the best way to learn how to drive these cars fast and safely.........

David

[Dallas56]

Guys, this is a lot of good information, a bunch of stuff to follow up on, Bondurant book, autocross events, etc. Thank you for all the helpful responses. I am not blaming anything about my SPF for my weekend loss of control at track. Almost certainly, that happened because I did something wrong or failed to do something right as a driver. Right now, I'm just trying to learn what all the right and wrong driver things are. Larry

[whichonetodrive]

Larry, now you understand why when I took you out in my car I told you, you dont need a monster motor in one of these cars. now you have a really big learning curve to try and catch up to a 427 high horsepower motor in a car that weighs just a little over 2300pounds that can get away from you anytime you press that little pedal on the right. but if you look on youtube you will find many people that "know what they are doing" crashing there cars. just keep your foot from going to the floor and the car will behave nice.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Most often it's to much throttle in a corner. I've been driving Cobra's for YEARS, I'm as careful as anybody out there.

So last summer, morning coffee run, not really paying enough attention, shifted into 2nd in the middle of a sweeping intersection turn and sure enough, got it sideways. Didn't spin it, but darn close. I wasn't even giving it much gas, just a little. I KNOW better than to shift IN a corner,,, whew, the second you quit paying attention these cars will bite you.

Yes!!! It happens to me frequently. I used to slow down coasting going into a turn, then downshift to 2nd when I needed to pick up again, which would be part way through the turn itself. The rear end will break loose sometimes when doing this - it is very dependent on temperature and other road conditions (e.g., damp or sand). The Goodyear tires suck but don't like to stay on the road very well...

Now I keep on the throttle, brake through the turn and downshift when I'm going straight(er), and haven't had the rear break loose for a long time...

Another thing, though, is even on straight runs, with the right road conditions, it can also break loose. I had turned off a rural highway cross road onto the main highway (speed limit 60) and was trying to get up to speed quickly. On the shift from 2 to 3 the rear started to break. Again, cold tires on cold pavement. This was about 3 weeks ago...

Yes, it's not the Cobra's fault. It's always the driver not knowing the limits of the hardware... The thing is those limits can and do change dynamically.

This is one place where traction control would be nice.... Anyone done it?

A man's got to know his limitations.

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Most often it's to much throttle in a corner....the second you quit paying attention these cars will bite you.

I found this out the hard way, going through a U-turn freeway underpass in Houston, TX one day and everything was good, then all of a sudden I wondered why everyone was going past me in the wrong direction and all the horns were honking.

It happens so quickly that you don't remember it....either that or it was an alien abduction and they put me back on the road backwards after they were done with their.......uh.........

I'm sure the "event horizon" occurs at a different place in each or our Cobras.....give it enough time and you'll learn to recognize the warning signs....getting quick enough on the draw to avoid the spinout is the tough part

Here's how it happens:

Experience and......patience, Grasshopper, patience!

Cheers from Dugly

[mreid]

The reason you spun is that driver input to the car exceeded current car capability causing car input to driver to exceed current driver capability. Do as said above. The suggestions address both car and driver capability. Then if it happens again, at least you will know why.

[Hans-Olof Blom]

I have found myself going sideways a couple of times. I have done it at the same place; a straight road that is not flat. The rear tires break loose and the rear end will move to the right because the road is not flat. It happens really fast and with no warning.

I realized I needed to improve my driving skills and attended a racing school here in Sweden. After 2 incredibly fun days in a Radical I also got a racing license.

About one year ago I attended Bob Bondurant's Racing School for 4 days. It was 4 really tough days. The 2:nd day I was so tired that I had problems to get back to my motel. Sooo much to learn and you have to try to be concentrated the whole day. But it was also 4 really fun days.

Last summer I returned to the racing school here in Sweden. I wanted to see if I had improved during the 4 days at Bob Bondurant's Racing School. And I managed to cut my lap times quite a lot. I also managed to make a 360 degree turn but stayed on track.

Before I attended the racing school I found it hard to drive and at the same time keep an eye on everything like e.g. the gauges, especially the rpm. Driving a race car on a track means that it is so much more going on compared to driving a Cobra on the road. Today I feel much more relaxed and confident when I drive my Cobra.

To spinn is not bad as long as you stay on track and you know why. To be able to drive really fast you have to explore the limits. Both yours and the cars.

I can recommend attending a racing school. Bob Bondurant's is one but there are others. To ride with a skilled instructor that points out the difficulties and then will ride with you and give you feed back is invaluable.

One warning; driving a race car like e.g. a Radical on a track is highly addictive.

[Goopie 18]

Just this past weekend after leaving a car show in Southwest Florida (Port Charlotte/ Englewood area), A cobra driver spun out, jumped the curb and hit a bicycle rider. The driver was not hurt, but the bike rider was killed. Witnesses said driver "goosed" the gas a few times then lost control. Car smashed into a big utility box and bike rider was pinned under the car. Driver had to remain in the cobra until electical power to the box could be turned off. Tragic!

[bobcowan]

All of the above information is good. But insufficient. There are dozens of well written books on this subject; and probably the same number of poorly written books.

Performance driving is done mostly by feel. You can't learn it off the internet, from a book, or in a classroom. Those are good places to learn theories and functions. But you can't learn to drive there. Use the books to set up the car close to correct. Use the classroom to learn some techniques and theories. Then use the track and a qualified instructer to learn to drive. When you do it right, it feels right.

[GT350Mike]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

My first thought was tires.........
Cobras require a soft compound like Dunlop Vintage...

Who supplies Dunlops???

[ItBites]

I usually say that I "ran out of talent right in the middle of the corner".

Learned that from a guy with a lot of experience. Liked it and use it too often now.

Get some experience with instruction.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Originally Posted by ItBites

I usually say that I "ran out of talent right in the middle of the corner".

Learned that from a guy with a lot of experience. Liked it and use it too often now.

Get some experience with instruction.

I missed turn 2 at NPR raceway at over 110mph and went for a ride thru the field,didn't hurt anything,but kicked a nice cloud of dust and grass...When I came in a buddy asked what happened??? Told him I ran out of tires/brakes/asphalt and talent upon entering turn 2........In my defense, I was on old worn out tires,but still should have know better than to push them the way I was doing it.........
It happens..........

David

[PatBuckley]

The best way to avoid losing control is to slow down.

[CowtownCobra]

I spent 2 years on the road course at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson exploring the limits and handling of the car. I suggets a good driving school with a ride along instructor. And yes, do slow down and keep the right foot under control

[RACER X #99]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

All of the above information is good. But insufficient. There are dozens of well written books on this subject; and probably the same number of poorly written books.

Performance driving is done mostly by feel. You can't learn it off the internet, from a book, or in a classroom. Those are good places to learn theories and functions. But you can't learn to drive there. Use the books to set up the car close to correct. Use the classroom to learn some techniques and theories. Then use the track and a qualified instructer to learn to drive. When you do it right, it feels right.

Finally, somebody with the correct answer to the OP's question.

Forget all those opinions about correct tires, race set up. Blah, Blah, Blah. You need seat time and instruction from a qualified instructor. Not a racer an instructor. Racers know how to race, instructors know how to teach.

[Excaliber]

Actually, I thought Pat summed it up very nicely.

The best way to avoid losing control is to slow down.