Quote:
Originally posted by 1.2gees:
[BThis is called late apexing, as you slow down in a somewhat straight line, turn in later, and hit the geometrical apex of the turn later. But as soon as the turning is almost completed, you can get on the gas, and thus get out of the turn at a faster speed, even though you probably spent more time through the turn, you're going to end up covering every inch of the straight away faster!
Hope this helps.
Ahmet
[/B]
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Definition of APEX (as it applied to autox): the point where your car is closest to the inner boundaries of a turn. Geometric apex on a uniform curve is half way through the turn.
Actually, in late apexing, don't you want to hit the apex AFTER the geometric apex? Meaning: you want to be closest to the inner part of the turn after you have past the geometric apex. That way you're already accelerating before hitting the apex. If you hit the geometric apex, you're in close too early and won't accelerate as well.
Or at least that's what I believe how Henry Watts explains it in his book, "Secrets of Solo Racing."
What Ahmet says is true: the faster you come out of a turn, the more speed you'll be carring down EVERY FOOT of the straight.
On the reverse side, if there's a long straight BEFORE a series of tight turns, it can be beneficial to early apex the turn: carry speed longer into the turn, hit an early apex and brake hard LATER. Of course you'll come out of the turn slower, but it's all a matter of where it is better to be going faster: prior or after the turn. You gotta pay the price somewhere!
Sorry if I've confused you, (and I'm not expert by any measure, just learning to apply these principals myself
)
-Z-man.
[This message has been edited by Z-man (edited 06-12-2001).]