you slow down around the corner using your toe on the brake, then once you're out of gear, you press the gas with your heel to keep the rpm's up, revmatch and shift rapidly into the next gear without the clutch slipping
Not necessarily, it's also handy for daily driving. I wouldn't use it on the streets til you've got it down though, or if there's traffic around. If you press to hard on the brakes accidentally (which can happen cause you're doing two other simultaneous movements: rotation and heel down) you may get rear-ended.
Heel to toe is used by normal car racers too, not only drifters. If you think about your normal shifting, and heel-to-toe shifting, it is slightly faster because you don't need to brake, and after that shift (and maybe wait for the clutch slipping to stop).
I find it a lot more comfortable to put the heel on the brake, toe on the gas. A fun technique to play around with. This is also how i do brake torques. But only on FR cars, of course.
Heel-toe Downshift
The heel-toe downshift is a fundamental technique to driving fast through corners. During a heel-toe downshift, you'll be steering with the left hand, shifting with the right hand, clutching with the left foot, and working both the brake and gas pedals with the right foot -- all at exactly the same time.
It takes some getting used to, and it takes repetitive practice to become smooth, and have it be second nature. At first it takes a lot of concentration. You're doing a lot of things at the same time. Besides working on all the controls, you also need to be sensitive to the tire grip during braking, you have to be watching your reference points heading into a corner, and to make matters worse, if you're racing, you might have to be looking for traffic. However, after a couple of weekends of practice, you'll get the hang of it, and in no time you'll be able forget about your hands and feet, and concentrate on the track.
On the street when you approach a corner, you were probably taught to complete your braking before the corner, coast through the turn, then as you straighten out from the turn downshift, and start accelerating again. This works on the street, but it is entirely too slow a process for the race track.
For racing, the time spent transitioning from braking to accelerating must be absolutely minimized. You're racing! You don't want to be wasting a bunch of time coasting while you're switching between pedals (even if it is only 1/2 of a second). To maximize the speed and smoothness through a corner, it becomes necessary to do some cockpit acrobatics and operate the steering wheel, shifter, clutch, brake, and accelerator all at the same time.
On the race track, as you approach a corner, your right foot comes off the gas pedal and presses the brake with the ball of the foot. Before the braking is done, you need to shift gears so when the braking is done you can immediately be back on the gas. When the braking is almost done, your left foot pushes the clutch pedal in, and your right hand downshifts. However, while you've been slowing down, the engine speed has dropped. If you let the clutch out now, the car will jerk severely as the engine works like a huge brake. If you're at the edge of traction limits (which you should be), you'll lose control of the car. To prevent this, something needs to rev the engine back up to the right speed before the clutch is released. The right foot is closest, so it is elected to tap the gas pedal. Even though the right foot is busy braking, you swing your right heel over the gas pedal and give it a short push (a "blip" as it is called) to rev the engine while the left foot also lets out the clutch (the ball of the right foot is still on the brake). The amount of blip, and the clutch release timing need to be perfected so there is a perfectly smooth transition when the clutch engages the engine. Meanwhile, the heel is rotated back off the gas, the ball of the right foot has still been braking, and has been easing off as the car approaches the turn-in point. The downshift should be completed before the braking is complete, and before the turn-in. As the engine and transmission are engaged, the braking reduced, and the turn-in begun as the foot makes a smooth transition back to the gas pedal. At first only enough gas is applied to sustain the initial corner speed, and then you gradually accelerate out of the corner.
The above description is the "what" and the "why" all mixed together, so let's look at the just the steps involved in the "what" part again:
Lift the right foot from the gas pedal and press the brake pedal
Just before the braking is done, the left foot depresses the clutch pedal
The right hand downshifts (the left is still on the steering wheel)
The right foot is still applying, but easing up on the brake pressure, then rotates so the heel is above the corner of the gas pedal
The right heel gives a quick push of the gas pedal to rev the engine quickly (the ball of the foot is still on the brake easing up even more)
The left foot releases the clutch, the right foot rotate off the gas
The right foot completes the braking
The right foot slides over to the gas pedal to assume the normal position only to maintain some pressure to sustain the vehicle speed through the first part of the corner. Then accelerating out of the turn.
The whole sequence above from the second bullet to the last takes less about half a second. This takes quite a bit of practice to get right. The whole idea is to transition between braking and accelerating with absolutely no delay, and with perfect smoothness. Done correctly, there should be no jerking of the car during the downshift and transition back to acceleration.
One other note about the above description. We have assumed the use of a street car, and a street transmission with synchros. If you're using a true race transmission without synchros, then you need to modify the above shifting with a double-clutch procedure. To do this, the clutch is pressed in, the shifter moved to neutral, and the clutch released. Then the accelerator is blipped, while the shifter is in neutral (again with the heel, while the ball of the foot continues to brake), the clutch pressed back in, the shifter placed in the lower gear, and the clutch released. This is required for maximum longevity of the transmission. If you expect to get in a race car some day that is likely to have such a transmission, it's a good idea to practice this shfting technique with your street car as well, even though it technically is not necessary.
LEFT-FOOT BRAKING
Left-foot braking is a specialized high performance driving technique that allows a car to be slowed with minimal effects on the car’s balance, followed by very rapid resumption of acceleration. It provides unique benefits in particular applications. However, it takes time to develop reliable left-foot braking skills. The winter "off-season" is an especially good time to do this.
Some people originally learned to drive with an automatic transmission, using their right foot on the gas pedal and their left foot on the brake. For these people, left-foot braking is a simple, intuitive and safe way to drive on the street. However, for those who drive cars with manual transmissions in high speed driving events, left-foot braking is an advanced technique that must be approached with thought and planning.
In concept, left-foot braking is uncomplicated. The left foot works the brake pedal while the right foot remains on the gas pedal. The two feet establish an appropriate balance between acceleration (right foot on gas pedal) and deceleration (left foot on brake pedal) to slow and settle the car without a great deal of back-to-front weight transfer.
Normal (right-foot) braking produces the following sequence of events: You approach a turn under full power. At the appropriate moment you take your right foot off the gas pedal and press the brake pedal. The car’s balance shifts strongly from the rear to the front wheels, which provide most of the braking. When the car has slowed sufficiently, you take your foot off the brake pedal and gradually depress the gas pedal. (You are also doing some steering during this time.) As the engine speeds up, the car begins to accelerate and its weight transfers back to the rear wheels as the car moves through the turn.
With left-foot braking, the sequence looks like this: Approaching the turn under full power, you bypass the clutch pedal and rest your left foot lightly on the brake pedal. At the appropriate moment you press the brake pedal with your left foot, while maintaining moderate power with your right foot on the gas pedal. The car slows somewhat and its balance shifts forward just enough to help it turn. When the car has slowed sufficiently, you lift your left foot off the brake pedal and add more power with your right foot. The engine was already producing significant power during braking, so it the car now accelerates immediately.
Benefits
Left-foot braking makes for quick and seamless transitions. Instead of moving your right foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal and then back to the gas pedal you’re simply using both feet simultaneously to manage the opposing forces of acceleration and deceleration. This happens very quickly and smoothly, and helps the car maintain stability.
Left-foot braking has a special benefit for turbo-charged cars. The right foot continues to apply power while the car is being slowed with the left foot, so the engine can be kept at high RPM, staying on the boost. Maintaining engine speed during braking also provides similar benefits for normally aspirated cars. By keeping engine speed up while braking, the car seems to leap forward as soon as left-foot braking pressure is released.
Reservations and challenges:
Left-foot braking is an advanced driving technique that should be used only by drivers who have mastered the basics of high performance car control. It is not a good idea for those who are still working on the fundamentals of high-performance driving. This is definitely not for beginners! If you have any doubts about the suitability of this technique for you, check with a PCA driving instructor.
Here’s another reason for caution: Slowing the car safely is our most important safety skill. Consequently, do not try left-foot braking unless your basic car control skills are well-ingrained. Confusion or hesitation at the end of a long and fast straightaway could be disastrous.
It should be noted that left-foot braking is helpful only in certain turns in which no downshifting is required. (Remember heel-and-toe?) Select situations where you want to reduce speed slightly as you enter the turn, and can benefit from faster transitions and minimal unsettling of the vehicle.
Extensive training is required. This is not training for conceptual understanding, but training to build a reliable physical habit. We all know where the brake pedal is located, but your left feet has many years reinforcing the habit of reaching only for the clutch pedal. Left-foot braking requires that a new pattern be developed, in which the left foot reaches over the clutch to land on the brake pedal. To be safe, this pattern must be thoroughly ingrained so there is no confusion or hesitation under pressure
In addition, the left leg and foot must be trained to modulate pressure on the brake pedal. Your right foot has developed a sensitive touch on the both the gas and brake pedals – and maintains that sensitivity with daily training. On the other hand, your left leg has done nothing but mash the clutch to the floor. It lacks the delicate touch that is required on the brake pedal. First attempts at left-foot braking are often clumsy and abrupt, sometimes locking up the brakes.
Training left-foot braking sensitivity can take some time. High performance driving guru and former racer Bob Bondurant spent two months practicing left-foot braking with an automatic before he attempted to use it in a race car. The winter off-season is a good time to start.
Driving on the street is a great way to learn left-foot braking. Even if your daily driver has an automatic transmission you can practice left-foot braking as you drive to work or to the grocery store. For obvious reasons, your first attempts at left-foot braking should not be at high speed or in challenging situations. Make your first attempts at slow speed and in situations where you have plenty of room around you. An empty parking lot is a good place to start. Gradually expand your use of left-foot braking as you gain confidence and touch. I started practicing in December, driving to work. By springtime I had developed reliable left-foot braking skill and was ready to apply it in PCA driving events..
2 elements....dont even attemt heal and toe till u got the following down packed:
Downshift Rev Matching
Ok say that you are in 3rd gear and u'd like to downshift to 2nd gear...obviously if u just put it to 2nd and let out the clutch u'd lock up your wheels and look like an idiot. what you are supposed to do is push in the clutch, blip the throttle, then instantly u quickly move the shifter from 3rd to 2nd and THEN let out the clutch...this will make the transition from 3rd gear to 2nd gear smooth and u will not feel any jerk if this is done properly. the reason why u must blip the gas is because of the gear reduction difference between 3rd and 2nd gear...say in 3rd gear...u can be at 4000rpm and be going 70...but in 2nd gear going 70 u are at 6000rpm. u therefore will have to blip the gas that additional 2000rpm to match it up.
Heal and Toe
Heal and Toe incorperates rev matching but also puts in the element of braking at the same time...so say for example that you are entering a corner and you are on your brakes...this is a 3rd gear corner and u are in 4th gear...while pressing on the brakes with your toes, u move ur heal over and blip the gas as you are downshifting thus matching the revs and braking and slowing down at the same time. this enables you to be in the proper gear right after u let off the brakes and let's u give the car gas right away.
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