teamking

Guys-

I went to my first autocross last year, and my shifting strategy was: get to 2nd and leave it there.

I'm pretty comfortable with heel-toeing, so I'm ready to try downshifting during the run, but I don't know when it's appropriate and when it's not.

Now obviously, it's going to be dependent upon the course, but:

1) Do you have a general rule of thumb about when to downshift, e.g. I'll downshift if I get below 36 MPH during the corner, or something like that?

2) Are there any other cars that would set a good example because they're torque curves and gearing are remotely similar-- perhaps an RX-8, but certainly not a Mustang. What about and STi, Boxster, Miata, or Evo? Any others?

In the region I'll be doing most of my autocrossing (Blue Ridge Region), there aren't any other S2Ks. I'm going to try to get up to the DC region, but I don't think that will happen very often. So any advice I get from S2Ki will help me out a lot!

Thanks!
-Will

PedalFaster

Since you're new, my advice is to forget about shifting, even if you're comfortable with doing so. Focus on always driving the right line and using all available traction. Once you've mastered those and are turning consistent times, then think about downshifting.

One advantage of the strategy above is that, by the time you're done, you'll know from your own experience when to downshift. But the short answer in the S2000 is -- pretty much whenever you'd get a decent (second or more) burst of foot-down acceleration in first exiting the corner. Watch the in-car videos from guys like Jason Saini, Brad Lamont, and Steve Wynveen; they downshift whenever a corner looks at them funny.

Part of the reason I suggest only using second for a while is that it will give you time to figure out the "right" speed for a given corner. This is important because otherwise, it's too easy to get overzealous and inadvertently overbrake for some corners just so that you can get it into first gear. It's also pointless to downshift if you have to significantly modulate the throttle at the corner exit; in that case, you're likely not putting down any more power than you would in second.

Steve

tmorrow

If you've just turned, what you think, is a good run and spent (what felt like) an eternity in the "bog-zone" (pre-VTEC) - it's time to try first. I'm starting to try it more and more after watching the Wynveen/Lamont split screen video from '04 Nationals. They both went to 1st two more times than I did. Saini's runs sounded like he shifted at all the same points too.

LateralPressure

If you get a chance try and attend an Evolution school. It is money well spent. autocross.com/evolution i think

shaggy

True enough!

My comment on this... these guys shift down more often than is necessary. The flip side is that if the make a little bobble in the corner, they have the power to make up the time.

There will be times that you know you should have been in first and times you wonder if should have been in first. Always downshift in the former situation, carefully weigh the pros and cons of the downshift in the latter.

Andy H.