daverx7

Just curious... when do you guys do the downshift to 1st? When I was in the stock class, if I saw ~37mph or was below 6K RPM, I did it.... no questions asked... a given!

IMO, this approach doesn't quite work for STR for several reasons.
1. Less grip with street tires and very easy to piss them off
2. VTEC engagement can be different
3. Allowable mods changes things

So... how do you guys determine when to do the downshift or not? Of course, adding other variables to the equations (i.e. following element allows for the acceleration or there is a good spot to do the upshift to 2nd).

Thanks for taking the time to read and share your thoughts/approaches.

-Dave

daverx7

Oh... I forgot to add... if I totally screw up a slow turn by going in to hot, I do the downshift to bail me out. Come on, you know you've done that too.

tracysports2000

I can see a downshift to 1st gear in auto x but I primarily run road courses and nasa events. Ive never had the need to go down t 1st gear but I can see what your saying about going in hot in into a corner and putting it in first for a bail out situation.

chetly

I must be living the dream then... I've never been to an event where ive had to downshift to 1st. 2nd a couple times but not 1st. I remember last season we had a course where we had to shift into 3rd 5 times... I love autox in California!!!

762

In my AP2 with VTEC at 4500 I never really downshift back to first. However locally, I do not think I have been to an event where Random1 in his AP1 has not gone down to 1st.

josh7owens

Chetly- our last local event took 3 shifts to first gear. I've never once been able to go to 3rd while autocrossing.

Its very rare that I even get over 8k in second unless I'm at a tour race.



Looking forward to see what people say a out the maximum speed they downshift at.

H22A_CD5

There have been very few situations where it is better for me to downshift in my tuned AP2. I typically try both ways and it usually ends up being quicker for me to stay in second in my car. On day one SD Nat'l tour earlier this year there was a tight turn in the NE corner of the course where I downshifted to first and ended up for the better, but that was somewhere in the ballpark of a 140 degree turn during an uphill section. The following day (course reversed) I stayed in second with no issue.

My VTEC is set on and activation window at 4k WOT or 5k light throttle. I dont downshift to first unless I am down around 3k in second (not sure what exact speed).

daverx7

Chetley, 762, and H22A_CD5 proved my point about this really applies to the AP1. In fact, if I go to an event where the AP2 must downshift (besides Marc P), I know the AP1's are going to whip up on the AP2's as our 1st gear is so much more useful.

Chetley, I've only been to one event where I had to go to 3rd gear and it was at the finish, so no downshift to 2nd was necessary. I am soooo jealous of you guys where you have the big courses... plus, you pretty much can race all year long.

Tracysports2000, yeah I would hope this would be an autocross only thing.

762, you 2.2 guys having more torque (esp with a tune) and engages lower than the 2.0... plus your 1st few gears being lower than ours, I would hope that an AP2 would not have to downshift. Yeah, not to sound snobby, but the fast AP1 guys almost always do the 2-1 downshift whenever they can. It is just punishing if we don't.... hence Rob's time improving by almost a second with a proper downshift at Nats. Amazing!!

-Dave

Forcednduckshn

I never downshifted in STR this year at Nationals in the AP1. A tuned AP1 with a lower VTEC engagement point actually makes "not terrible" mid range power. Still, it was very nervous rolling on the throttle early. No doubt with the street tires, a first gear downshift would have been wasted in wheel spin and wiggling. And it would have been even more wasteful in AP2.

My opinion:

If you are retarded optimistic enough to still run an AP1 in BS trim (LOL, here we go again), then a 1st gear downshift is definitely warranted occasionally (2010 Nats had a "no doubt about it" 1st gear downshift. You have far less mid range power to work with, and alot more mechanical grip from the Hoosiers. It almost always works out that when the AP1 needs to downshift, so does the AP2.

The short Answer:

STR = Don't donwshift
BS = Downshift

Rule of thumb = Don't downshift unless you really need to. Generally speaking it is slower, and more high risk. But the super diggy, slow tight hairpins (the annoying ones) require the downshift.

Jadrice and I definitely needed 1 downshift per run to go fast at the Delaware National Tour this year in his CR.

Cheers,

Nick