A little trick I learned from an autocross champion driver when I first began to autocross the p-car: if you are getting in trouble, feel the rear end coming out, just let go of the wheel. It's amazing.....the car just snaps straight. Try it in a safe location.

As I get more confident with the car, and feel the rear starting to step out, I squeeze the throttle a little. It's counter-intuitive and took me a long to feel when to balance on the throttle.

MFB

I've never been bitten in the 911, but I have had numerous close calls. I try to "test" things in areas with lots of asphalt, lots of run-off, no curbs/obstacles, and no people/cars.

Now, in the past in other cars... That's a different story.

I had a similar incident in Tampa (Temple Terrace actually) years ago in a Ford Ranger. I was coming down an off ramp that had a very slight curve. I had just started raining and was really slick. I actually thought about that ahead of time and slowed way down, much further than usual, but the lack of weight and the extra slick conditions bit me anyway, I did a 180. When the car hit the edge of the road broadside (straight from pavement to grass) there must have been a slight lip because the truck came up on two wheels for what seemed like 5 seconds, but was probably only a fraction of a second. When I got to my destination a few minutes later they said I was still white as a ghost. I had foot long grass and weeds wedged in between the passenger side tires and wheels for a couple of months.


MFBarnes is right. If you've seen enough of Jack's in car video you've likely seen him let go of the wheel when the rear came out. The secret is that you have to catch it again at just the right time. It's pretty neat, kind of fun, and very scary to do, but it definitely works. I think it must be partially a function of our caster camber settings. I don't think all other cars will do it.

I have never heard of this before, learn something new everyday. I've read performance driving books and never heard this mentioned. This has to be a unique trait of the 911. Anyone have video of this?

I have never been backwards on the streeet.
But last weekend autocrossing for the first time
I got to test my limits and the rear end broke loose a few times. The experience was well worth it.
MFB is right, throttle response makes a huge difference. and takes a little to learn.

"Letting go of the wheel" never worked with my BMWs. I THINK, but I'm not sure, that this technique only works in p-cars.

Not long after I bought my car I was cooking down a country road and came into a corner a little hotter than I planned.

I lifted and the rear end started to come around on me. In retrospect I hesitated too long in trying to catch it and the only thing I did right was get the car into neutral as I started going ass end first.

Went off the road into the grass and continued my rotation. Ended up in some guys front yard. Almost did a complete 360

No damage to the car other lots of mud and grass every where and the owner of the house was really cool about it. Told me not to worry about the damage to the yard.

Funny thing is I have autocrossed many many times since and have never come close to spinning again. Had the rear step out a few times but was always able to quickly catch it.