While having braked the conventional way all of 45yrs going thru the headache of learning something different, with big feet, is not worth the stress. I'll continue my quest of beating every Miata out there in the street tire class, with my right foot. A fear nearly impossible, the Miata being the near perfect auto x vehicle. Left foot braking a fwd is the way to go if your left foots smart. Having shoes superior to pads, IMOP is not the way to go.

 

^that's what i'm getting at with all this really i'm just being a smartass about it. I am curious how it'd translate to road course and trail braking and if it'd be too much for longer turns like you'd see there (I mean too much rotation + spin, tires can't handle the forward and horizontal)

Like not having to change anything going from auto-x to road course with the same setup?

Well that's why I was curious about WHEN the shoes come into play and how effective they are compared to the front pads. Would a "lighter" pad up front + more aggressive shoe even out and make it neutral?

 

BUT, it is a technique which is HEAVILY course dependent. IF you master the technique, it can be vital in any low power FWD or momentum based car... How ever I know of numerous national champion class drivers who don't bother...

I have seen it be effectively applied only a few times. Typically in higher powered turbo cars trying to stay in boost. Once by an Auto GD3 on a FAST course with one heavy braking zone through a double gate before a big left handed sweeper.

There's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to AutoX On a real track or circuit though... different story!

 

On a Good day I am at the upper end of mid pack raw time wise with STS prepared NA Miata's, so don't give up all hope!!!

 

Yes! In many ways Hondas can be like boosted cars in that there are some situations the car comes out of powerband and is going too fast to make a downshift beneficial. I've even run into this and want to kick the clutch

Stay on throttle, left foot brake?

 

Never give up. Beat my fair share of 30 cars in class. At our level it's mostly about the driver/tires. ESCA rules are 4cy. NA/street tires. Everything else goes. The top guys are not close to stock, me being the 10th.

 

But that's not going to keep a Fit in the powerband. Last year I ran my front tires with lots of air pressure. Had lots of wheel spin and the aided in keeping it on the cam but, hampered mid corner speed which is a Fits strong point.

 

I honestly just get into 2nd and leave it there...

I plan my lines so that I am either on the gas or on the brakes, NEVER COASTING.

Yea, I may dip down to 2250-2500rpm, but I NEED to be moving that slowly, and 1st gear is too short. Even if I could execute a perfect clutch kicking rev match down shift, I would have to shift back out into 2nd soon after. In ROUGH AutoX maths, each shift costs you 0.5 sec... So get to 2nd and STICK IT!

 

Yes I suppose momentum is required with 117hp and any last minute adjustments would just slow you down more...

So the only real point of these shoes is to handle heat paired with equal brakes in the front.