Rallycross: Protect the underside

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emailBy Matt Wolfe | May 9, 2020 12:52 PM

Underbody protection is a unique need within SCCA’s motorsports offerings. Most Solo, SCCA Road Racing, or even RoadRally cars won’t ever encounter a hazard during an event that would necessitate armoring the underside of the chassis.

Meanwhile, even a relatively smooth RallyCross course can still pose hazards that can be minimized through basic preventive measures.

The most common form of underbody protection for RallyCross is a skid plate. A skid plate is generally a flat piece of metal mounted underneath the engine that protects the motor and transmission from debris and impacts. Most skid plates are made from aluminum, though there are certainly opportunities to utilize cheaper, or more exotic materials depending on your goals and budget.

When designing or selecting a skid plate, it’s important to remember the intended application. While RallyCrossing is certainly more intense than going for a Sunday drive down Main Street, it’s not exactly clearing minefields either. While a 3/16-inch or thicker plate may be what is recommended for a dedicated stage rally car, you may be able to use a thinner plate.

“One of the most important things about skid plates is what they’re mounted to,” explains Ryan Thompson of Thompson Racing Fabrication, which has been building and protecting rally cars for years. “The plate needs to be attached to something that isn’t going to deform on impact.

“You also need to consider how that mounting point is dissipating the energy of the hit. It’s also important to know how much space is between the plate and what you’re protecting. If the plate is right up against the oil pan, it’s going to transfer the impact right into the pan when the plate deforms.”

In addition to a skid plate, it’s common practice for rallyists to install some form of protection around the floor pan, wheel wells, and other areas of the car in order to guard those items from mud, snow, and gravel spray. Over time, this flying debris can destroy chassis components, or the chassis itself.

So, what type of material is best for underside protection? “We use a lot of HDPE plastic,” explains Thompson. “We buy it by the roll and use it for pretty much everything under the car. We usually attach it with rivet nuts because they’re light and cheap. You can use weld nuts, but they’re heavier and more expensive.

“Whenever we put something on the car, we always try to think about how this item can be lighter (or) better. We also use the thinnest material we can, because we’d rather save the weight and just replace the plastic when we need to.”

A bonus of installing HDPE panels is they simplify post-event cleanup. The material is nonstick by nature, so mud, dirt, ice, and snow that might otherwise stick to the vehicle’s floor pan will often fall right off with a light kick to the rocker panel. Skid plates also help as they keep a lot of dirt and dust out of the engine bay.

So, the next time you’re contemplating upgrading a component or two on your RallyCross car, consider investing a little time and money into protecting the underside of your current investment. It may pay dividends.

This story originally appeared in the May 2020 issue of SportsCar magazine, the official publication of the Sports Car Club of America and just one of the many benefits of membership in the SCCA.

RallyCross

 

Images by Philip Royle
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emailBy Jim Kearney | 5 hours ago

“I’ve never been any good at _______.”

It could be any piece of the racing puzzle: the starts, braking, high-speed turns, technical corners, strategy, and so on. Condemning yourself to some supposed limitation doesn’t help the learning process, it just gives you a ready-made cop-out. So, do something about it.

The fix: Make a plan to address your shortcomings one at a time and evaluate your progress. Nobody magically gets better just because they are dissatisfied.
When the five-minute board is shown, are you ready to race, or are your mind and nervous system racing on ahead of you?

“I’m afraid I’ll lose focus.”

Some people have a laser focus, others don’t. Everybody loses focus on occasion; the question is how quickly you regain it.

The fix: A good tool is a trigger word or phrase, such as, “back to business,” works wonders. If you feel your focus waning mid-session, quickly utter or think the trigger words. Often, the fact that you have a solution up your sleeve prevents the issues from even arising.

“I’m going to be perfect this time.”

The search for perfection is its own punishment. Every fast lap has a few sloppy moments, and every good race has some messy bits. Shooting for new personal bests inevitably brings you to moments of great pucker, and those may require a deft catch. Ultimately, having perfection as a goal is a recipe for frustration.

The fix: Focus on improving specific skills, and don’t worry about perfection.

“Everyone is outspending me.”

Exactly how does that thought aid in your attempts to improve? Getting fixated on the competition’s race equipment is shooting yourself in the foot. Perhaps they do have more power, a superior aero package, and their car handles better than yours. But tell me, how does fixating on any of that make you faster?

The fix: Your focus should be on driving better and improving your car. Work on you.

“I never catch a break.”

Shed this toxic notion from your head right now, then consider this: You are a racecar driver! Most of the world would love to be in your position. In fact, a younger version of yourself would be so jealous of you as you sit on the grid waiting to hit the racetrack.

The fix: Win or lose, enjoy the race weekend – you have the best hobby in the world! Also remember what Pratt & Miller’s Steve Cole says: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

“I’m scared.”

If the car is so unstable that you can’t handle it, you must park it. Driving scared in traffic is a non-starter. Your inputs will be stiff and awkward, adding to the bad behavior of a car.

The fix: Your racecar must be sufficiently compliant to allow you to survive the moments of panic that are bound to arise on track. If the car feels dangerous, don’t go out until it’s fixed. Do not ignore this blinking red light.

Take charge

Racing is like life, so sometimes you need to make adjustments. Successful athletes know this, and they have developed routines that enable them to stay in charge of their thoughts and moods. For every negative vibe you catch yourself thinking, pave over it with a positive one. Over time, it will become a constructive habit.

Whatever your level of motorsports, you can change your mindset as you would a shock setting, but you first need to be aware of the need for change. Step one is to recognize the bad thought, and step two is to pitch that thought overboard and replace it with a helpful one. Then just like a racecar setup sheet, keep track of what works for you. Before long, you’ll stop worrying, see on-track improvements, and the next thing you know you’ll be enjoying every moment of your race weekends – just like you should.
Author and driver coach Jim Kearney has learned a number of secrets through the years, and has used that knowledge coaching dozens of drivers who went on to great success, including Spec-Miata-turned-Trans Am TA2 competitor Tyler Kicera.

A note from the author: I clearly remember what it feels like to do poorly and not know why. I was overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated. This memory now serves me well as a driver coach. Racecars are complicated, but driving them a little better is not. I began coaching in 2010 and my drivers have been on the Runoffs podium 15 times, including six gold medals (two each in FV, FF, FC, FE, HP), two silver (both in FE) and six bronze (four each in FV, FC, P1, FM). I also coached the FRP F2000 champion twice. Ross Bentley also recently noted in his Speed Secrets Weekly that the SCCA Runoffs may be the one of the biggest mental challenges in sport. Ross said: “Guess who I’d get to coach me if I was racing in the Runoffs? Why? Because Jim tunes the helmet.” Check out kearneykdd.com for more information.

 

Part 2

Relax! The age-old problem of pre-race jitters

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emailBy Jim Kearney | 5 hours ago

It gets very quiet on the grid. Your body may be strapped in the racecar ready to race, but your brain may be screaming “jail break!” After all, following the rush to get the racecar prepped, you now find yourself on grid, alone with your thoughts. The question is: Are those thoughts friend or foe?

From where to paddock to the Rubik’s Cube of racecar setup choices to pre-race strategy, hundreds – if not thousands – of decisions are made each race weekend. Many of those multitudinous decisions go unnoticed, but others may bubble into your subconscious, leaving worrisome, doubtful thoughts just waiting to creep from your brain at the least opportune time.

You see, racers are often more aware of the condition of their racecar than their own mental state. They obsess about tire pressures but fail to ask, “Is my brain in the right gear?” Many just hop in, strap down, and hope for the best – but that shouldn’t be the case. So, before the next race weekend arrives, let’s work on those thoughts.

“What did I forget?”

You can’t feel like a superhero if your cape is in the trailer. You need an established process to complete your car prep without fail, allowing you to flip the switch from mechanic to driver. The mechanic looks for what can go wrong, and then prevents it. A driver needs to think that nothing can go wrong. If you are sitting on the grid, worried to death that you forgot to torque the wheels, you’re not going to exude confidence.
Most SCCA racers pull double, or triple, duty in the paddock, acting as both crew and driver, and that much work can leave you with little time to get into the right headspace.

The fix: The list of things to be forgotten is lengthy. A checklist lets you do the work without worry. You want a strong sense of being ready, not a question mark.

“I’m just not that good”

Many drivers harbor the notion that they are permanently doomed to last place. Instead of fretting that others are naturals, why not think about how you can improve? The evidence is overwhelming that successful performers aren’t naturals; they work hard at their craft. Also, the more frequently they put in quality time, the better they get. Lamenting that you didn’t win some genetic lottery is the ultimate excuse.

The fix: Ask yourself, where are you weak and what is your plan to do something about that? Like virtually every other task known to humankind, driving a racecar is a learned activity. Set achievable goals for each race weekend and concentrate on those.

“I’m really nervous. Does this mean something’s wrong?”

Everybody has nerves. Some drivers are as cool as cucumbers, others are hot tamales, but most are in between. Getting pumped up just before a race is rarely necessary or helpful.
“Let nervous energy out like a deflating balloon …”

I follow Jackie Stewart’s model, letting nervous energy out like a deflating balloon. I withdrew from interactions and aimed for a quiet, emotional flat line. It is about discovering what works best for you.

The fix: Nerves should be viewed as allies, not enemies. They are alerting you to be on your toes. Pay attention, but don’t freak out. It will feel better once the car rolls off the grid.

“Is the problem me or the car?”

Drivers often make multiple racecar setup changes to make the car better. Sadly, this creates uncertainty, and uncertainty breeds tenuous inputs and takes you farther afield. If you made multiple changes, there is no way you can ascertain what did or didn’t work, and now you’re even less likely to be able to concentrate on the race at hand.

The fix: Go back to your most basic racecar setup sheet and try things one at a time. It takes longer, but then you know what works. Confusion is kryptonite to confidence.

“I’m mad! Everyone out of my way!”

This approach works well in the movies, but in the real world, anger is a drag chute handicapping your performance. For short bursts of time there may be some gains as you push past prior levels of commitment but driving while enraged results in serious inconsistencies and has a major adverse impact on your judgment.

The fix: You want a sense of firm resolve behind the wheel, not a red mist of anger and desire. It sounds simple, but cool down, then race.

“I’m tired.”

Pay special attention to this one. This is more of a mental idiot light than an anxiety balloon, but it’s not to be discounted. Racers are often unrealistic about how much they can accomplish in any given timeframe. They believe they can tow 10 hours and be fresh in the morning. You need to acknowledge your condition and get some rest.

Admittedly, in the throes of the race weekend, this can be a very tall order, but just know this: some of my biggest wrecks occurred when I was exhausted. I stubbornly refused to recognize the problem.

The fix: Persistence is grand, but only up to a point, and “I’ll be fine when I’m in the car,” only works to a degree. Arriving exhausted is simply no good, so plan ahead.

 

Engineering the race car

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emailBy RACER Staff | 13 hours ago

The fifth installment of the Race Ready video series from SAFEisFAST.com — the online educational resource for young racers — focuses on how a driver and engineer can best work together to find the setup sweet spot. A group of top IndyCar and sports car drivers explain just how drivers and engineers develop a relationship that delivers results. Legendary driver, engineer and designer Jim Hall also features in the trilogy of videos linked below with his guide on race car systems and dynamics, as does 12-time SCCA National Champion and famed Corvette engineer John Heinricy.

 

SAFEisFAST: Racecraft

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emailBy RACER Staff | May 28, 2020 9:47 AM

Speed may get you the pole, but what wins races is racecraft — that ability to keep your cool and make the right moves despite a snarling pack of competitors breathing down your neck.

In the seventh and final edition of Race Ready video series from SAFEisFAST.com, the online resource for young racers, an all-star panel of champion drivers explain just how they do it.

Join Lando Norris, Jean Eric-Vergne, Takuma Sato, James Hinchcliffe, Mike Rockenfeller and more as they guide you through the following topics:

• Racing in the Rain
• Corner One: Risk versus Reward,
• Late Braking
• Defending versus Blocking

The Secrets of Racing in the Rain

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•Jul 29, 2016

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SAFEisFAST
29.8K subscribers It’s often said that racing in the rain is more of an art than a science. But trust me, there’s also a lot of science behind going fast in the rain. And in our latest video, a group of the best IndyCar drivers explain just what that is.

Everything from car set-up - to finding the fast line - to dealing with near zero visibility. So join IndyCar rainmeisters Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato as they explain their secrets of racing in the rain. I think even the most veteran drivers will learn some new tricks from this video

 

Secrets to Winning in the Wet (Explained)

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•Aug 1, 2018

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Driver61
181K subscribersRacing in the wet is one of the biggest challenges a driver will face, and one that as fans, we all love to watch. It’s the great leveller of machinery and the moment when great F1 drivers can outshine their cars, showing off their incredible feel and car control.

Think Schumacher in Spain in '96, Hamilton at Silverstone in '08, Senna at Monaco in '84, Senna at Donington in '93 or, Senna any time it happened to rain. Or, as it happens, any other time. Today, I’m going to explain why racing in the wet is such a challenge and the techniques great F1 drivers use - to extract the most from their machinery in rainy conditions.

 

The Art of Defensive Driving - Success and failure in overtaking in Baku

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•May 1, 2018

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/chainbearf1Chain Bear
342K subscribersThere were loads of battles throughout the Azerbaijan GP - most involving Max Verstappen! In this video, we look at six particular battles in Baku to examine how to drive defensively and how NOT to defend position.

 

What Was Senna’s Bizarre F1 Technique About?

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•Mar 19, 2020

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Driver61
181K subscribersAyrton Senna had a really unusual throttle technique that simply doesn't make much sense. What is the technique, why did you do it and would it work in today's modern F1? You may have read online that Senna had this really unusual technique where he would stamp on and off the throttle as he was exiting a corner.

In this video, we take a look at footage from Senna where you can clearly hear this blipping of the accelerator as is driving through the corner in his McLaren F1 car. ➤ New content weekly! Jonathan Palmer was a test driver at McLaren Formula One team and he describes Senna’s technique while they were driving together.

“Although I spent six years racing against Ayrton Senna in formula one, it really wasn't until I joined McLaren as a test driver in 1990 that I had the chance to see exactly how fast he was and exactly how he did it. Normally I do the first day or two pounding around getting down to what I thought was a very respectable time before Senna came along and within 10 laps, he would have been a second faster."

Senna had such an unusual technique with many people saying it was because of his days driving turbo cars. The idea being that you can spool up the turbo with a flip on the accelerator pedal to reduce the turbo lag - basically when you get on the accelerator it spins the turbo up, which in turn forces air into the engine. This means you can add more fuel and produce more power.

When you're braking and going through a corner only on part throttle the turbo won't be spinning quite as quickly and therefore you won't have as much power.

 

How Alonso's Strange Steering Won Two F1 Titles

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•May 30, 2020

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Driver61
181K subscribersFernando Alonso had a really weird steering technique during the 2005 and 2006 F1 season. He'd shock the Renault F1 car into understeer with a rapid steering input, a technique which had not been seen before in Formula One.

No one else on the grid was doing it, no one had previously driven in this way and no one has done it since. So what was this strange driving technique, why was Alonso using it and how did it make him faster? All of that, coming up in this video. Watch the steering wheel of Alonso’s car and notice how aggressively he’s turning into the corners.

A traditional style for steering input in F1, or any other type of racing, would be to introduce the car into the corner to prepare the car to turn. Typically, the best style for initial steering input is to allow the car to roll over and the tyre to flex, until both are supported. This allows a driver to maintain the highest amount of grip in the tyre and car, ultimately meaning higher cornering speeds and a lower lap time.

This is why you’ll see F1 drivers creeping on to an entry kerb before a fast corner - this allows them to start the turn a fraction earlier, with less steering angle, giving the car chance to roll over and the tyre to deform before the main load is added.

But Alonso was causing the front tyres to break traction on purpose, ruining the balance of his Renault F1 car and making the car understeer at the corner entry.

 

How Schumacher’s Driving Style Won 7 F1 Championships

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•Apr 1, 2020

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Driver61
181K subscribersSeven world championships and 91 wins over 19 years in Formula One. Michael Schumacher is still one of F1’s most successful drivers, but how did he manage to be so fast over so many seasons?

What was it in particular about his driving style that allowed him to dominate Formula One and how did it compare to other drivers such as Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton? Michael Schumacher was in Formula One for a very long time. Therefore it would be unfair to say that his driving style remained the same.

Throughout the whole period, even in between races, the cars are constantly being upgraded each weekend. That's not to mention that Schumacher also changed between cars each season and also teams like Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes. On top of that Formula One tends to have big regulation changes every three or so years. The very best drivers won't have a static technique.

There's no one size fits all driving style and they really need to adapt to the changing grip, the changing balance of each individual car, tyre and circuit. This adaptation of driving style is a skill in itself. It's actually a lot easier to see differences in driving style from Schumacher's era of the 90s and 2000s than it is today. F1 cars back then were a lot less refined than they are nowadays.

That’s what we’re going to take a look at in today’s video.