- LOCATION:
Speedway, IN
- TYPE: superspeedway
- LENGTH: 2.5 miles
- RACE
DISTANCE: 200 laps
(500 miles)
-
-
- SETUP
NOTES:
Speed is everything here; the long straightaways require a trimmed-out
car. However, since the exits off turns 2 and 4 are critical
to achieving maximum speed on the straights, and those turns
can't be taken optimally unless 1 and 3 are tackled successfully,
a setup should focus on getting into 1 and 3 with a minimum of
scrub-off and yet using as little wing as possible. Stiffen your
left-side suspension. Use your anti-roll bars to keep the car
loose. Set up 6th gear on the straight so the engine light flickers
just before you reach the turn with about a half-tank of fuel
onboard. Of course, pay attention to your fuel mileage.
-
- A LAP: It will take
three or four laps for your tires to get up to temperature, but
once they do, you should be able to run flat-out all the way
around Indy. Crossing the start/finish line at full speed, you'll
want to move right up to the outside wall before diving into
turn 1. You may need to let up a bit on the accelerator as you
turn in. Get right down to or slightly below the white line,
and remember - these are long corners, and the apex isn't immediately
obvious, so don't get down there too quickly. Furthermore, don't
reapply the gas off the corner too soon. On the exit, head for
the outside wall in the short chute, and get ready to point the
car down toward the apex of turn 2. You shouldn't have to let
off the gas at all through turn 2, nor should you hear any tire
squeal. Coming off the corner, fade to the outside wall and take
the backstretch. Here's where you'll ideally be able to pick
up a tow and overtake, but beware - if it doesn't look like you'll
complete the pass before turn 3, you may want to hold off and
wait for your next opportunity, because entering the turns from
a low line is a recipe for both slow lap times and accidents.
Turn 3 may be taken similarly to the first turn, though you'll
find they're not identical. Turn 4, however, requires the same
precision as turn 2 - no lifting and no tire squeal! - in order
to achieve the best possible speed on the front straight. Note
that, although low entries into the corners are not recommended,
traffic often requires that you at least be capable of taking
them and of keeping the car from washing up and into an opponent.
And never forget that most important trait of the superspeedway
champion: patience. That draft is a huge temptation, but every
pass must be made with extreme care.
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