Found out what "Lifting" means, the hard way at Blackhawk Farms Raceway

[rodneym]

Bob and Tommy got it.
It's not that your rears locked but the speed differential between your tires and what your un-throttled drivetrain wants to do, will cause a braking effect, throwing the weight of car to one corner, and that's where you lost it.
If you haven't done a traction circle in your Cobra, you're missing alot. Keeping the balance of the car is paramount.
It's true for any car but the Cobra will accentuate these issues. They're great cars to learn on. Driving other sports cars will be much easier.
Speeds are faster nowadays but the skill was greater in the 60's.

[John McMahon]

...another thing you also need to know when you are with an instructor, is what 'line' you are taking.

The Cobra is very unforgiving at 90 inch WB and many times you will need to take a different line into a turn.

I learned the hard way with an instructor that drove a Busch North car.....told me I was not driving the Cobra right...for a couple of years, I had been driving the Cobra that way....he got behind the wheel proceeded to blast around Watkins Glen at about 130 with me.

.....and what he found out, the hard way (with me in the passenger seat) is that if you take a Cup Car line with a Cobra, you may go backwards thru the uphill esses at 100+ and almost put it into the armco.

Be careful out there and always ask questions.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Bob and Tommy got it.
It's not that your rears locked but the speed differential between your tires and what your un-throttled drivetrain wants to do, will cause a braking effect, throwing the weight of car to one corner, and that's where you lost it.
If you haven't done a traction circle in your Cobra, you're missing alot. Keeping the balance of the car is paramount.
It's true for any car but the Cobra will accentuate these issues. They're great cars to learn on. Driving other sports cars will be much easier.
Speeds are faster nowadays but the skill was greater in the 60's.

I think just about everybody got that the rears didn't actually lock, and its actually the applied speed differential between the engine-braked rear tires and rest of the car that causes them to skid. The deceleration also causes weight transfer away from the rear and onto the front wheels, further exacerbating the loss of grip in the rear and allowing momentum to swing the tail end towards the outside of the turn.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by Buzz

I think just about everybody got that the rears didn't actually lock, and its actually the applied speed differential between the engine-braked rear tires and rest of the car that causes them to skid. The deceleration also causes weight transfer away from the rear and onto the front wheels, further exacerbating the loss of grip in the rear and allowing momentum to swing the tail end towards the outside of the turn.

Yup yup. Put a disproportionate amount of weight on one corner and watch the scenery go by real quick. It's a contant balancing act.

BTW (Buzz), I wasn't arguing about the locking up. As I'm sure you're aware, street and freeway 'skills' don't translate to the track, not one damn bit.

[galla4]

Jimbo: Glad to hear you and that great looking car are OK. There is something to be said to have an instructor that races these cars and can share the pertinent knowledge without you learning the hard way (remember our friend Todd, he know his Cobra stuff). Hang in there. FYI, I only did two 360's this weekend but I was just bustin cones!

tim