3rd Gear at Pod?

M

Minimoke

Member
Hey all,
Went to Pod the other week and had a great time. Got to grips with my 14a and was giving it a lot of stick by the end of the day. One thing I didn't let myself try was 3rd gear at the top corner. The car's stage 3a, so power shouldn't be an issue should it? I was running low boost last time. Surely people do take the corner in third? Is it something I should avoid until I'm more experienced or just give it a go? Would the bigger power cars be able to do the whole course in 3rd if they kept it in boost etc? Sorry for the potentially silly question.

Ta.
 
Hey mate, I went yesterday in my 32GTR pushing around 400. As you come out if the big hairpin at the bottom, Transition to the right and flick it into 3rd then back left and hit it wide. The only issue i was having was handbraking and slapping it back into 2nd for the tight turn
 
diff ratio plays a big part but 3rd shouldnt be a problem at your power but depends on rear grip levels aswell.

3rd will make it easier/smoother than sitting on the limiter in 2nd all the way

Try it next time
 
emyrmac said:
Hey mate, I went yesterday in my 32GTR pushing around 400. As you come out if the big hairpin at the bottom, Transition to the right and flick it into 3rd then back left and hit it wide. The only issue i was having was handbraking and slapping it back into 2nd for the tight turn
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to get around the hairpin at the end of the big corner try,, shifting into second a little after the last concrete block, then keep the clutch down, then use the foot brake instead of the handbrake/ wind on lock to scrub off speed. or try one of each suggestion a few times as the solution will be a combination of all 10 things you think of.
 
Depends on power, torque, diff ratio, grip available and tyre size etc. I was there yesterday in my e30 and it will do the whole course in 3rd with a 3.15 diff but i prefer the revs and throttle response in 2nd for most of the track. I stick it in 3rd going past the toilet block.

I took some good advice from Ian Blackett yesterday and tried a technique for the hairpin corner that worked well. Basically you hold the 3rd gear drift for as long as you can, right onto the hairpin past the last concrete blocks. With the car still sideways dip the clutch and pull the hydro, this scrubs off the speed and then drop it into 2nd and back onto the throttle to drive it out.
 
Nice one guys, good to know. I did find I was limited bashing on quite often in second so it'd be good to be doing less of that. I'll get down there again soon.

Ta.
 
gaz_moose said:
to get around the hairpin at the end of the big corner try,, shifting into second a little after the last concrete block, then keep the clutch down, then use the foot brake instead of the handbrake/ wind on lock to scrub off speed.
Click to expand...

This. 100%.

People do some right odd things at the top corner, but the best way is above by miles. Feels the best once you get it right too. The big corner then footbraking it round the hairpin is my fave bit of pod, as the rest is just, well, normal.

This is actual drifting too, using the footbrake to rotate the car, rather than wanding it then trying to power out.
 
Couldn't think of another way to do it tbf. As long as the cars already sideways foot brake to alter angle, position and slow the car
How do people wand and change gear at same time?
 
Watching people up on the hairpin, people mostly just make a mess of it, long in 2nd before the hairpin (fair few cars can do that corner in 2nd without papping off the limiter), or wand it in 3rd then awkwardly change to second after and try and power out.

The handbrake culture of UK drifting (ie a hydro is the first essential drift mod in most peoples eyes) means most people don't use the middle pedal for anything other than slowing down when leaving the track.
 
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I've recently discovered the wonders of the middle pedal (have been a wand warrior before) and it's so rewarding when you get it right.
 
i remeber when the only thing required to go drifting was spare tyre's, a welded diff was a novelty.
 
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