50-60 yards? Half of a football field or more? Shift!
No lugging either. Run it up to redline if you're still getting
power there, then shift to third then back down to second
on corner entry. That'll be the quickest way to get *to* the
corner. Once you're at the corner you shouldn't loose much
time with the downshift back to second since you're under
braking there anyway. HOWEVER, If you unsettle the car
with the downshift then you'll probably negate any advantages
you picked up by shifting.
ALL IMHO,
Kent Rafferty
>2. To shift or not to shift? That is the question. Let's say that I'm
>nearing the end of a long straight and I've reached the redline in 2nd gear
>in my car (7000 rpms, rev limiter smacks me in the face at 7250 rpms) but
>I've got some distance yet before I arrive at my braking point before the
>corner. Say 50-60 yards or so. Just enough time to shift up to 3rd for a
>very short time and then of course have to shift right back down to 2nd
gear
>for the braking point or I'll I'll bog the motor down so badly in the
corner
>that it's not funny and my time will greatly be hurt.
>
>So........My question is this: Do I leave it in 2nd and just ride the
>redline (but duck the rev limiter which kicks in at 7250) for that 50-60
>yards or so until I reach my braking point or do I, at redline, briefly
>shift into 3rd and then right back down into 2nd? Or should I possibly
>shift to 3rd earlier, before I reach the redline in 2nd gear, and "lug" the
>car part way down the straight in 3rd gear at lower rpms where the power
>band isn't quite at it's best?
>
>All other things being equal I'm just wondering which one "should" produce
>lower lap times. My car does produce its max power very near the redline.
>I'm not sure where it's torque peak is though (it's a DOHC Neon with the
>screaming 150 horse motor, ooh, ahh). Hmm, what to do. That darn
>Clinique counter is looking better every day. ;^)
>
>Let the beratement, er I mean debatement begin. ;^) Oops, freudian slip
>there.
>
>See you on course.
>
>Eric Linnhoff in KC
>#69DS TLS #13
>'98 Neon R/T
><eric10mm@qni.com>
>
>Running my rig around ninety-five
>Rockin' and rollin' in overdrive
>My heart's beating like a jackhammer
>It's the midnight ride for the gear jammer
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>"Gear Jammer" George Thorogood & The Destroyers
>
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