When you find yourself in trouble, confronted by an emergency situation, all you have learned and trained for will come into play.
The most common skid that you will be confronted with is when the rear end of the car slides out, causing an oversteer. Left or right, it's the same. Usually, it occurs as a result of going into a corner too fast or incorrectly or hitting a slick area, causing your rear wheels to oversteer. Oversteer can occur when you heel-and-toe downshift and don't apply enough throttle, making the rear wheels lock up. You may also apply too much throttle in a corner before the direction and set of the car can handle it, or you may jump on the brakes too hard, locking up the rear wheels. Whatever the cause, here's what to do to correct it.
Stay off the brakes! If you don't, you might lose your steering control and make the situation even worse. Then, quickly, steer in the direction that the rear end of the car is sliding. If you have full throttle on, ease off enough to bring traction back to the rear wheels. Don't pull all the way off the throttle, or it will take what weight you have on the rear wheels and transfer it forward, making the rear end even lighter.
In wet weather, ease all the way off the throttle to lessen the skid or slide. If you corrected the first slide, be ready to adjust for one in the other direction (caused by overcorrecting). This is a quick situation and can happen back and forth several different times. Be ready each time, and keep the car going in a forward motion. Correct each skid by turning into the direction the back end is sliding.
If the front end is pushing to the outside, caused by understeer, ease off the throttle to transfer the weight back to the front tires to gain steering control. The rear of the car should get lighter, and your steering control will return; but the rear may then want to move out, so be ready to correct the steering in the same direction the rear end is sliding. Remember to look in the direction you want to go. When the slide is corrected, straighten your steering wheel. You will know that you have the tires pointed straight ahead when you are holding the steering wheel at the 3:00 and 9:00 hand positions.
When you make corrections in a skid, make them quick and positive. If you are in a race scenario, it will make a large difference in your lap times, so do try not to skid. Being consistent and smooth while you drive will save you time and be easier on your nerves.
Bob Bondurant, racer and entrepreneur, owns and runs the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix, Ariz. For more information on classes and schedules, click over to www.bondurant.com or call (800) 842-RACE (7223).
