USMCDrifter

Lesson 5: Throttle Manipulation and Control



Enabling Learning Objectives

1. Describe Sectioning.

2. Describe Feathering.


Terminal Learning Objectives

Using the log book you created, head out to the track and test and document you results from varying throttle manipulations.


Foreword

Just a little insight to say that this is going to be one of those sections that are remarkably small yet descriptive. This section doesn't have to be very large due to the fact that the focus here is drifting not racing. Because of this, throttle control will be covered in more detail later on, this section is basically here in order to help you get a grasp on what is expected when on the track and what you would have to practice in order to master the complexities and control factors of your vehicle.



Thank You,

-David Adams


Sectioning:

Sectioning is the controlling of your throttle inputs by setting various positions or "sections" in which you will set for your throttle at while driving. This skill is and advanced one but it's easy enough for even amateurs to grab the concept of and practice daily.



Let's look at it this way, when you drive your car on the highways and side streets, chances are, unless you just cannot drive, you are sectioning your gas pedal all of the time. You give it enough gas to reach 45 and after that you modulate your throttle and hold it where it needs to be held in order to maintain 45. This is the same principle when racing except on a more specific and technical scale. Where as on the highway most people will simply push their foot to the floor to pass some one or when accelerating, on the track it's imperative that you always have full control of your car.

In respects to sectioning, you should remember the following pointers:

First what you are going to want to do is divide up a number of sections on your pedal. I usually work with 7 sections of throttle. However many you choose is completely up to you just make sure that it's easy for you to remember and to stick to when in an intense racing or drifting situation. These sections should evenly range from light acceleration to a full throttle shot forward. When this has been acquired you can then move on to the next step.

Here what you should do is get a feel for what each section feels like and how you can effectively use them. Do you want to use it when passing on the straightaway or when passing in a turn? Perhaps you want to use it when trying to control the back end of your vehicle through the apex of a sharp turn or moderate turn. Once again, this is completely up to the comfort and skill level of the driver and how well he or she knows their car. No one person can tell you what your sections should be they can only suggest the number of positions to use. Just remember, as with braking, you do not want to change your form frequently, this will lead to a situation where you will most likely hesitate and when racing or drifting any hesitation at all can spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R.



After the above mentioned factors have been determined, all that's left to do is practice using them in a full-out performance driving environment. What does this mean? It means driving your car at about 70 to 80 percent of your full driving potential at first to get a feel for each of the positions and how they will work for you and how you will want to apply them. After this is done, you will want to take a deep breath, relax your muscles and prepare for 100 percent all the way around that track. Remember no matter how intense the situation gets you MUST continue to use the throttle-sections that you've set for yourself, if you do not, you will totally negate the purpose of practicing them.




Feathering

Chances are if you've ever watched someone drift or have been in a car while someone is drifting you've heard the exhaust note rising and falling rapidly. This sound is caused by the driver "feathering" their throttle. Feathering is rapid depressing and releasing of the throttle. This is another technique that you will have to learn by feel and by what is natural for you and your car. Everyone's vehicle is different when it comes to this technique. My car for instance, requires quite a bit of throttle feathering due to the high torque and oversteer characteristics of my vehicle. On the flip side, your car may have less power and/or torque ( e.g. 1986 Toyota Corolla, 1989 Nissan 240sx) and will require that you produce higher RPMs and therefore less throttle feathering in order to maintain a slide. It's totally up to the driver and the car in question as to what you will need to do in order to feather your throttle correctly. It's an easy concept to grasp, but difficult to learn because whenever you modify your car or change your vehicle, your feathering will have to change in order to compensate for the change.



Some pointers for feathering that you should remember are:

Sometimes full throttle will save you. It sounds absurd, but especially with understeer-heavy cars such as the 240sx or the Trueno, the act of lifting your foot off of the throttle can actually send your car into a heavier spin then it was in. With cars like this whenever you car starts to spin deeper than expected you would want to feather less and apply more throttle. I, at one time, had a 1990 240SX and I know that they are understeer-prone. The best thing to do when starting to spin is apply less feathering, corrective steer and apply full throttle, this will start to send the car on a path to straightening out.





Don't get carried away with feathering. This technique is only to be used when you need to "set" the balance of your car. After the car is set at it's angle and desired path, chances are that you can use all of your throttle or less of your throttle to make the car do what you want it to do. By continuously feathering your throttle you can dramatically kill the momentum that your vehicle has by traveling sideways due to the fact that there is a large amount of friction that you are overcoming when drifting. You can also send your vehicle into an out of control spin or understeering situation and we've come way to far by now to have this happen.



Feathering doesn't necessarily mean 0 percent to 100 percent throttle. Feathering applies when alternating between ANY two points of throttle percentage. Remember this and keep it close because it will save your drift one day.


Summary

That's it, as you can see, throttle control and brake control are very important. These are THE most crucial factors in drifting that you can master and this is why it is SO imperative that we concentrate on them so thoroughly. You will notice that in the coming lessons that attention will be no where near as detailed as it is here. This is because the control of your throttle and brakes are more important that anything that you could imagine. They come first even over your steering control due to the fact that when you become advanced enough you will learn that with the right speed, entry and control you can enter a drift with little input from the wheel and maintain a drift with zero input.

This lesson wraps up the Back To Basics section, the next section starts to take you into the meat and potatoes of drifting, the entry techniques. This is probably the section that you have all been waiting for. After that section we'll move on to the smaller section of control techniques and then even further on to the exit techniques. Once you are done with these lessons all that's left is to get out there and start practicing.





Thank You,

David Adams

Mid Atlantic North East Drift Association Instructor








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