Meister Fahrer

Did my first real auto-x a couple weeks ago with PCA at the old El Toro airfield.

I had a blast and very happy with how it went, considering it was the first competitive auto-x I've done.
It was great to get to know the car, behavior, and limits.

It was a longer course I guess, as my best time was about 86 seconds and that was rather competitive among stock 996s and 986s.

The course is all 2nd gear, and I was always right-foot braking.
(Normally I heel & toe at when shifting at speed, but this was all 2nd gear.)

However, on my best run toward the end of the course there's a kind of "carousel" 270* turn, and I realize I actually pushed in the clutch rather than braking, because I was used to left-foot-braking on my home PC game setup on EA's Porsche Need for Speed, ha.

-- Sorry for the prelude, but what's the consensus on left-foot braking, especially in autocross?

(Tried searching, but didn't see a relevant thread on this.)

HarryD

Depends on your outlook. This is an outcome of a Corvette driver who is a left foot braker when he borrowed a pals GT3... https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-and-drivers-education-forum/346876-gt3-wrecked-at-autocross.html.

Mussl Kar

At the EVO school we were told that some national champs do, and some don't. I don't (not a national champ either) and really don't want to try it because I don't have a harness, yet. My size 12s also make it kinda hard to get my left foot over to the brake pedal without hitting something.

Cassandra

I went for several years doing only right foot braking. When my instructor, who had been helping me those years, finally started introducing me to left foot braking I was slower at first just due to getting used to it. But once I had enough practice and it felt natural, I could easily see an improvement in my times by around half a second*.

*results may vary.

Meister Fahrer

Um, that was not a good outcome, crikey.

Yeah, I guess the national champs would put in a lot of practice using left-foot braking.

I think I could position my foot okay, and I'd agree with Cassandra that I feel like I could get better times if I could get it down (i.e. a little trail brake effect to help turn-in).

I was just a bit surprised that such a long auto-x course could be run in just 2nd gear, but of course our cars have long legs and I was just below redline at end of the longest straight.

Thanks for your input, might be something to try at some point.
Have fun!

Cassandra

I have found with my '98 that I use second gear only on every course I've been on.

A few times here or there I've thought that it would be nice to pop down into first for only a BRIEF few seconds, but when I consider the the time it takes a human to actually make the shift (plus the fact that I'm normally maneuvering through some really tight section that is requiring intricate handwork!) overall it's probably better for me not to "waste time" shifting.

racer

Left foot braking is a great tool. For me, I've never developed the same feel with the left foot as I have with the right, so I tend not to do it. When I've borrowed a TIP i've been a bit more sucessful though. Maybe develop the "feel" on the street so that it won't be a completely new skill "in the heat of the event".

butzip

Whether DE or AX, if I need to slow down (and not downshift), I'm left foot braking, period. My car requires as little time off the gas/braking and maximum time on the gas, I consider it a necessary skill to be competitive. Perhaps in higher HP/torque cars you can get away without doing it but if you are conscious of every milli-sec the time spent going back and forth from the gas to the brake and back, adds up. And for me, I feel more in control if I'm one, if not all three, pedals at ALL times. It's an acquired skill but in my opinion, a valuable one.

butzip

P.S. - 'You Tube' "Walter Rohrl at Portugal, 1985 (onboard!)"

Most, I'm sure, have seen this. It speaks for itself.....

VNTGSPD

+1
Left foot braking is definitely a worthwhile skill to master. Not only does it speed the transition from accelerating to braking and back again, it also SMOOTHS out this transition which is also key to faster lap times. Smooth is fast, remember?
Also, when it becomes second nature, you will find that you can use it to balance the car. For example, if I want to take a 3rd gear sweeper flat out but the car won't turn, I can quickly tap the brakes (without lifting) to set the front of the car and get more bite.
I have autocrossed at a high level for more than 10 years and would rank left foot braking as a top 3 skill to have. I use the brakes for far more than just slowing down.

David

Joe Weinstein

Most current Porsches have PSM of one sort or another,
which will have it's own idea of what to do if the throttle
and brake are ever being touched at the same time. It
may still be OK, especially if you really are quick, and
really are on one pedal at a time. The last time I heard
an informal poll, about as many national autocross champions
did or did not LFB...
Joe

JohnVitamvas

Don't try it on a PSM car, it will bite you very quickly even if PSM is off. Actually, the PSM cars will always bite you, even with the system off.

I just started LFBing again after years of not doing it. The two biggest benefits in a non-turbo car in my opinion are as follows: 1) less transition time from gas to brake and 2) touching the brakes to tighten the line is often less disruptive than the chassis than a soft or hard lift off the throttle is. I like how it settles the back end of my Boxster, which tends to be pretty loose.

Irksome

I have an '03 996 with PSM, and found out that the throttle is retarded when you engage the brakes, even with PSM off. I found this out when trying to dry my brakes from an aggressive wheel washing, and I couldn't counter light braking with the gas. What I don't know is if this is due to PSM or due to the egas. Does anyone have a '02+ 996 WITHOUT PSM that can try it? Or does anyone just outright know the answer?

JohnVitamvas

It's due to PSM. My car has eGas and no PSM and I can left foot brake and apply all the throttle I want. The PSM-equipped Boxsters I've driven exhibit the exact symptoms you're describing. Very frustrating.

grey ghost

I have co-drove with a SCCA National Champion, he is a Left foot, and I am a Right foot, we co-drove
a Rx-t TT, in SS we would run times very close to each other. he tended to be faster at the Pro-Solo's
and I at the Tours. we ran a Camera in the car and would do segment times for comparison purposes. I feel that I was not giving up much to him.

I have spoken with some of the Great Drivers, some feel left foot is marginally faster, others say it's a wash. Mark Daddio says that Left is good for .2 or .3 on a sixty second course if both drivers are equal.

take Gary Thomason SS champion this year in a GT3, he is a Right foot brake.

thanks Rob.