Autocross braking

[NTIman]

Left foot braking: valuable or not?

[.RJ]

absolutely.

[BLINGMW]

I never learned to do it well :oops: And I'm sure it's useful.

[NTIman]

absolutely.

Cool deal, thanks for the help. I guess I need to add that to the list of things to learn.

[D_Eclipse9916]

absolutely.

Cool deal, thanks for the help. I guess I need to add that to the list of things to learn.

Make it a low priority. I have done over 100 autoxs and use left-foot braking as a tool only in the last 20 or 30. I have won multiple championships and god knows how many FPTD (fastest pax time of the day) without it. If you want to become fast, read a few speed secrets books. Its all about getting comfortable, if you over think your driving, you are going to suck. Period. That was your first autocross, I say just do a bunch more and have fun. Once you start to get a rhythm or feel like you hit a plateau, then start looking at your form. I promise you, you will pick up 5 seconds just being comfortable in the car, far more than any left-foot braking.

[NTIman]

absolutely.

Cool deal, thanks for the help. I guess I need to add that to the list of things to learn.

Make it a low priority. I have done over 100 autoxs and use left-foot braking as a tool only in the last 20 or 30. I have won multiple championships and god knows how many FPTD (fastest pax time of the day) without it. If you want to become fast, read a few speed secrets books. Its all about getting comfortable, if you over think your driving, you are going to suck. Period. That was your first autocross, I say just do a bunch more and have fun. Once you start to get a rhythm or feel like you hit a plateau, then start looking at your form. I promise you, you will pick up 5 seconds just being comfortable in the car, far more than any left-foot braking.

That was going to be my next question

I don't plan on incorporating it any time soon. I was actually very comfortable on course, especially for my first auto-x. At least I have a baseline, and I know some areas where I need to improve.

The best thing is just going to be experience for now, and I have 2 events I'm registered for in March, and I plan to do plenty more this year. I'm severly traction limited in my stock Corolla and have decided not to modify it any, with the exception of maybe some good tires. I think with experience I can stop spinning tires so much off the corners.

But because I'm not modifying my Corolla (because it is a Corolla), I have cooked up another plan that may or may not involve co-owning something more driveable :twisted:

[Jake]

I've tried left-foot-braking, and so far all I can do with any consistency is hit the pedal so hard I put my head through the dashboard.

So no, I don't do it. Yet.

[FlaakCM]

I've tried left-foot-braking, and so far all I can do with any consistency is hit the pedal so hard I put my head through the dashboard.

Quoted For Truth!

[xvxax]

This is a heavily contested topic.

I think it can be faster, but there are plenty of very fast people who avoid it and have won championships too.

Using your right foot for everything definitely makes you much more aware of whether you are over-braking.

[NTIman]

This is a heavily contested topic.

I think it can be faster, but there are plenty of very fast people who avoid it and have won championships too.

Using your right foot for everything definitely makes you much more aware of whether you are over-braking.

I might try it in the test and tune this year. My drive to and from work is pretty epic for a 15 minute drive, and I left-foot-brake quite a bit on it, but obviously there is a lot more time to think about a lot less intense braking there. I'm not really sure if it is going to help much at this point, especially in a dead-stock Corolla.

Certainly worth a try! :dunno:

[D_Eclipse9916]

This is a heavily contested topic.

I think it can be faster, but there are plenty of very fast people who avoid it and have won championships too.

Using your right foot for everything definitely makes you much more aware of whether you are over-braking.

I might try it in the test and tune this year. My drive to and from work is pretty epic for a 15 minute drive, and I left-foot-brake quite a bit on it, but obviously there is a lot more time to think about a lot less intense braking there. I'm not really sure if it is going to help much at this point, especially in a dead-stock Corolla.

Certainly worth a try! :dunno:

You will learn more sensitivity driving around town with your left foot braking then in an autox/road racing. Simply because newer road racing/autox people tend to "stand" on the pedal. With around town, you have varying levels of pressure you use on the pedal = more range of motion = more sensitivity in your left foot for braking.

[CaptainHenreh]

I dunno about autocross but...

[NTIman]

I dunno about autocross but...

That's pretty awesome. :thumbup:

[BFisch06]

Nice post on Jalopnik - Why You Should Brake With Your Left Foot

[NTIman]

Nice post on Jalopnik - Why You Should Brake With Your Left Foot

Good find! I'm definitely going to begin incorporating it into my runs, but at this point, I feel like I'm leaving enough on the table just with my driving line and lack of smoothness that I should work on that first. I must learn throttle control at some point this year. :lol:

[BFisch06]

Good find! I'm definitely going to begin incorporating it into my runs, but at this point, I feel like I'm leaving enough on the table just with my driving line and lack of smoothness that I should work on that first. I must learn throttle control at some point this year. :lol:

You need to? I'm running 315 lb-ft of torque now! These new Ecsta XS's are going to be gone in no time... :roll:

[NTIman]

Good find! I'm definitely going to begin incorporating it into my runs, but at this point, I feel like I'm leaving enough on the table just with my driving line and lack of smoothness that I should work on that first. I must learn throttle control at some point this year. :lol:

You need to? I'm running 315 lb-ft of torque now! These new Ecsta XS's are going to be gone in no time... :roll:

Open differential, all-season tires, and the worst calibrated electronic throttle body on any car ever... :thumbup: