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Re: Rain - The Great Equalizer

To: MHKitchen@aol.com
Subject: Re: Rain - The Great Equalizer
From: "Jack W. Drews" <vinttr4@FORBIN.COM>
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 15:53:25 -0600
Rain racing is indeed miserable.

However, I raced Formula Fords for four years in SCCA and found rain 
racing quite rewarding.

You can go just as fast down the straights, and this usually takes your 
competitors a couple of laps to figure out. Both braking and cornering 
must be done considerably slower, of course.

I found that running with just two tires off of the regular racing line 
gave me a significant cornering advantage because there wasn't any oil 
or rubber on the track there, just virgin asphalt.

Using these techniques in a race several years ago at Blackhawk Farms, I 
came from a first-lap spin which put me in dead last place all the way 
through the field for a second place finish.

I must also admit that you can't see a darned thing, especially with 
open wheel cars, and you have to just simply disregard the possibility 
of cars spinning in the impenetrable mist ahead of you.

I would not do any of this with my priceless vintage car, but was 
willing to do it when running for regional championship points in SCCA. 
(Another difference between the SCCA and Vintage attitudes, mine 
included!)

uncle jack's racing (a squealing tire is a happy tire...)

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