Think Fast – The Racer’s Why-To Guide to Winning INDEX Introduction Assumed reader’s background Author’s background Dedications Motorsports principles Fast Fundamentals and Fast Physics Fast Fundamentals 1. Reliability Race track tolerance Big-picture priorities After the Spin The Dog that Didn’t Bark 2. Driver development Training wheels What’s the Plan, Man? Cheap seat time Head game Imaginary speed Why am I doing this? Risk management Turning cash into fun Bring money Skill sets Driving Racing Right of way Qualifying Starting Keep the hammer down Slip control Grip quest Sailing the black lake Driving for data Plateaus and patterns Development driving Race driving Whoa, horsey! Left foot braking Brake slam Brakes are tire heaters Brake bias adjustment Brake heat flow Bigger is not better 181 1 2 3 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 15 15 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 20 20 21 22 23 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 29 29 29 30 30 32 3. Controllability and Consistency Controllability Handling interactions Case study: 1990 Corvette ZR-1 Consistency 4. Grip Limits New tires Downforce is grip Balance is grip 5. Weight and Balance Every ounce counts Weight reduction targets Ballast Pick-up Center of gravity height Front to rear weight bias 6. Corner Exit Acceleration Acceleration potential The fast line Diffs Reshaping the friction circle Cornering balance compromise 7. Track-Specific Setup Aero setup Setting downforce level Rain setup Philosophy break 8. Power to Weight Ratio 9. Myths, Superstitions, and Cheating Myths Superstitions Cheating Fast Physics 10. Tire Behavior Training shoes 11. Tire Load Proportions One tire in isolation All together now Mechanical and aero load interactions Droop limiters Monoshock suspension Third and fourth springs Fully independent suspension 33 33 36 37 38 41 42 43 44 46 47 47 48 48 49 49 50 50 51 52 53 53 55 56 57 57 59 60 62 62 63 63 64 65 67 68 68 69 69 70 71 71 72 Index Balance versus speed Spring rate measurement Blade-type anti-roll bars Anti-roll bar blade characteristics Virtual setup analysis model Asymmetric setup effects Torsional stiffness testing Stiffness improvement: tube frames Monocoque tubs Semi-monocoque tubs Should I? 12. Suspension Stiffness The death rattle of the pullrod Toe stiffness The other four degrees of freedom Double wishbones or live axles? 13. Fun With Dampers Adjustable Dampers 201:What’s Inside? Damper Internals Oil flow case 1: fixed orifice flow Oil flow case 2: variable orifice flow Oil flow case 3: mixed flow Now for the fun part: gas pressure Friction dampers? Adjustable Dampers 202: Speed Tuning Cornering phase definitions: Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3A Phase 3B Phase 4 Effects of damper induced weight trans. 14. Geometry Goals Geometry parameter goals Long wishbones Realistic alignment Force based roll center heights Virtual swingarm lengths Bump steer Minimal anti-anything Minimal rising or falling rate Motion ratios Front caster Front kingpin offset Front kingpin angle Front trail Constant anti-roll bar motion ratio Front Ackermann 72 73 75 75 77 79 80 82 83 84 84 85 86 87 87 88 89 90 90 94 94 95 96 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 104 110 110 112 112 112 113 114 114 115 118 118 119 119 119 119 119 Steering ratio Rear pivot point plane Tripod joint angles 15. Suspension Alignment Alignment equipment “Setup pad” Lever-pivot scales Camber gauge Caster gauge Tilt gauge Steering rack lock Steer plates Toe strings Needle probe tire pyrometer Hand held infrared temperature gun Nitrogen necessary? Setup order Diagonal balancing Inertial cross terms Turn radius effects on toe settings Track tuning Two makes one Lap simulation programs 16. Propulsion System Physics Gentle treatment Power corrupts Cooling control Acceleration optimization Air breathing Paying for power Gearing optimization Upshift technique Quickshift Racing with synchros Downshift technique Speed data analysis 17. Race Car Aerodynamics What’s going on? The balanced approach Balance stability Ground effect downforce Flat bottom aerodynamics Stall Drag sources Frontal area does not create drag Induced drag Pressure drag 120 120 120 123 123 124 126 127 127 128 128 128 128 129 130 130 131 131 132 133 135 136 137 138 138 139 140 141 141 141 142 143 143 144 144 145 147 148 148 148 149 151 152 155 155 157 158 182 Think Fast – The Racer’s Why-To Guide to Winning Multi-car aerodynamic interactions Skin friction drag Maximizing the downforce to drag ratio Engine breathing Aerodynamic performance test methods Computational Fluid Dynamics Wind tunnel testing Track testing Shooting Star Niner Romeo X-Ray 18. The Race Car Recipe The Monday morning quarterback Pick 2 The program team member recipe 183 159 159 159 161 162 162 163 163 164 166 167 167 168 The customers The company structure The boss The design team The manufacturing team The customers, again Your Turn Hardware The driver’s job The race engineer’s job Winning Postscript 168 169 170 170 171 172 173 174 174 175 176 177