Left Foot Braking in an EVO

[ringmaster]

After many, many years of high performance driving and instructing, these turbo AWD cars are forcing me to look long and hard at LFB. My initial thoughts are LFB will be required to do well in Auto-X events, and will probably be helpful at the track too.

How many of you consider yourselfs to be good LF Brakers? Does the tecnique really help to lower the lap times in your EVO?

[WILDMAN]

My dad used to win alot races back in his day, and that's just the way he taught me how to drive. I couldn't tell you how much better it is on the track, but I am a much better road warrior than most.

[Chris in HB]

I haven't tried left-foot braking in Auto-X (I'm still too much of a noob and trying to remember the course), but I've driven the Evo on gravel and LFB is a must. The car is so pointable with the throttle that you have to LFB to stay on boost and still keep the car under control. It sounds harder than it is.

[jbrennen]

Using LFB isn't really crucial in order to do well in autoX, but it probably can't hurt and may help just a bit if it is done well (lots of practice).

I was pretty successful this past season without ever left foot braking. I suspect that there is a little bit left to be gained with left foot braking, but note that left foot braking does change the balance of the car. AutoX is more about balance and control than it is about application of horsepower.

I find that when the engine RPMs drop low, you can get back on the throttle a little earlier on corner exit -- then when the boost kicks in a 1/2 second later, you're ready for it. Just planning ahead goes a long way in autoX.

[chrisw]

LFB works very well on an AWD vehicle. I am still a noob at it, but when I get it right, you can control the back end of the car with the brakes and use the right foot for keeping the throttle spooled for instantanious boost when you let off the brakes.

I don't use LFB in an autox because I have a tendency to over brake and slow myself down. But every now and then I will use the LFB technique to set the car for corner depending on the course

[bobaab]

Sorry, I dont mean to hi jack this thread but I'd like to know how beneficial LFB is with FWD cars? I went through my first season ever of autox last year without even thinking about LFB..can anyone give me any info on LFB with FWD cars?

EDIT: you know what, instead of hijacking this thread ill just make a new post

[shiv@vishnu]

LFB can be very helpful, to me at least, during stead state cornering (think cloverleafs in street terms). When trying to modulate at-the-limit corning atitude with only steering and throttle, it's very easy to get into a back and forth under/oversteer pattern which can be kinda messy. Especially on cars with big turbos that experience compressor surge or boost loss during such throttle usage.

Instead, simply "breathing" gently on the brake with the left foot to adjust cornering atitude while keeping throttle reasonably neurtral can be an alternative. But there are others far more experienced in this subject than myself so YMMV.

FWIW, a good place to practice left foot braking is rental cars since they always have auto transmissions, plenty of footwell area and service intervals that are not your concern

cheers,
shiv