In a message dated 5/5/00 3:45:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Todd wrote:
> I've specifically been focusing on being agressive this year and GEEZ
> seems to reflect this, but I'm beginning to think I've reached the limit
> on how far just raw pushing it can take me.
>
> My theory is that aggressiveness will take you to a certain level at
> which you'll plateau. Only by being smoother can you keep the car
> settled and put the power down (in a relatively high horsepower RWD
> car) and ultimately generate more grip for better times.
There is some truth to that, but more cornering grip and bigger lateral
"numbers", regardless of how you obtain them, *may* not be the answer
to a faster time. Bob is likely taking a better *line* than you are in some
places, and getting through certain parts of the course quicker than you
even though you're pulling higher "numbers" in those areas. An example
would be a slalom in which one driver pulls the maximum lateral g's that
the car can generate around every cone, when another driver might be
able to negotiate that slalom by running a tighter (and shorter) line through
the cones which might not necessarily generate the same peak lateral g's.
> Thus my corollary is that even though I'm being scored at 99%, that
> rating is based on the peak and sustained values I can generate. If you
> were to put Bob in my car, his G's would be even higher and thus my
> ratings would go down in comparison.
If I understand how Geez figures this (Byron or someone correct me if I'm
wrong), the usage numbers are based on how closely the driver comes to
the peak numbers seen when he drives the car. Therefore lower "peaks"
by another driver can actually generate usage percentages similar to those
of the first driver, as long as the second driver stays equally close to his
lower
"peak". (I'm not sure I even understood that explanation myself <g>).
OK, a friendly wager: I'd bet that if Bob and you had both driven your car at
Lemoore, Geez would likely have shown your peak numbers as being *higher*
in some places on the course than his, but he actually may have negotiated
those portions of the course as quickly, or more so, than you. He may have
used a line which was straighter in some places than yours, loading the car
less (and generating lower Geez numbers) but letting the car use its power
to push the car forward, instead of against the cornering loads of the tires.
Another consideration: that straighter line may also be shorter, so he drove
less distance to get through the course.
GH Sharp
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