Cobrakit

I know the actual process is diffrene, biut this is how people refer to it. So what have you done to or what technique do you use to brake and work gas during downshift? Pedals seem to be a little far apart for me to side step both pedals. It can be done, but it takes concentration and that not what I want to be concentrating on, especially since these cars, well do not have great shifting characteristics, OK, but takes concentration. I usuallly just set my foot in front of gas and tilt it to brake, then move my knee to get foot to work gas. Any thoughts, about shifting that is

Evil_Capri

Here is a video featuring a driver and his 2012 Mustang GT . . .

Brandon302

To do a good heel toe you basically have to be hard on the brakes, that will allow you to blip the throttle easily. It is much harder when on the street because your not hard on the brakes and you'll probably either not hit the throttle enough or press more on the brakes, either looks a little silly.

Cobrakit

I agree the harder on the brakes the easier to do, didn't know if you guys used dumbee pedals or antyhing. The pedal heights seem OK, but they could be closer for racing. Another problem I have is that clutch has to be almost at the floor to guarantee smooth downshifts.

dean_acheson

The guys at Miller teach this very well, I thought. Kudos to Ford for putting Track Attack together.

kylerohde

Personally, I think the car is set up perfectly for heel & toeing, though I have size 13 feet so maybe that's why? I do it just like the guy in the above video does and find I can do it pretty effectively on the street as well with mild brake pressure, though it is most effective when driving hard, as Brandon302 said.

Cobrakit, I'm not sure how much closer Ford could make the pedals and still pass the law that probably exists about it. The brake/accelerator can't be much more than 1" apart in our cars, I don't think.

ApexCars

I have size twelves and some shoes I can heel toe on the street but on the track when I am really needing to put pressure on the brakes, I have trouble. It's hard to get enough foot on the brake and also hit the gas, so I just ordered some race pedals and I'm going to see if I can move the gas over a little to make it easier.

SBYBoss

My feet are narrow and long (12.5 B) so it works best for me to leave the ball of my foot on the brake and stab the gas with my heel by turning my foot diagonally across the pedals. As others have mentioned, doing this during hard braking is easiest and it's important to keep your heel off the floor (unlike when driving on the street).

SD GT

I struggled with heal/toe for a while, but Track Attack got me straightened out.
Its a muscle memory rhythm. Get the rhythm at a slower pace, then you can gradually speed up the foot movements.
I methodically put my foot on the brake pedal so only 1/2 of my shoe is on the pedal--this allows me to reach the gas. I rotate the heal over, and twist my ankle slightly to blip the throttle.
I've also added Sullivan pedals last summer--they help alot. You want all the pedals textured (he has several choices), but the gas should be smooth. I've got Grid with no border on dead/clutch/brake and smooth throttle, in black/silver (holes machined after black coating added). Look great. Call him if you have questions. Leave a message, and he'll call you back--very helpful.
http://www.srpracing.com/cat_2005_mustang.cfm

Or cheat, and buy one of these. Several folks on BMO have them now, and say they work great.
http://auto-blip.com/auto-blip

Cobrakit

Man you guys have some big feet, not going to ask what else

So relooked video, is he using his heal to operate gas? When I learned race car had closer pedals and you put ball of foot on brake and side of foot on gas. Simple technique was to rotate knee and pressure would be applied to gas. Of course another interesting point was that it was non syncro gearbox, so you would take out gear of with clutch engaged to keep input shaft spinning longer and no double clutch.

Pedals look like inexpenisve option. Blipper looks interesting, but I don"t go to track enough to warrant. Already have little road race car with motorcycle engine and never use clutch to shift, so I can left foot brake.

Brandon302

It can easily be done without switching pedals, you just have to practice it just like anything else. Like I said before, hard braking really allows you to get it down without accidentally braking harder or letting off the brake. An instructor at Summit who worked for BSR said that any car can be heel toe shifted without the need for pedals, and I agree. Differently then what most people have said, I use the arch of my foot when heel-toeing and it works perfectly, you have to modify how you get on the brakes though to do that.

AlsCobra

Tell more about the little road race car. Would like to see it.

Cobrakit

I've beeb trying to side step the pedalsto date. Will try true heal on lower portion of gas pedal and toe/ball on brake. Agree hard to practice on street.

Race car is called a Baby Grand. its a 2/3 scale NASCAR looking body with a full tube frame an integral cage. 3 link rear suspension with quick change and SLA front suspension. Coil overs and discs on all 4 wheels. And power/trans is from a front mounted Yamaha 1000R1 water cooled fuel injected 180hp/80ftlbs. and a 6 speed sequential gear box driving rear through a drive shaft.

http://www.babygrandracing.com/newcars.htm

Brandon302

I have seen one of those at Summit, fun looking but obnoxiously loud.

Cobrakit

Dave Parker of OG Racing has one, white #26. He's also an scca instructor. Also Rodger Austin the Legnds guy races there with a white one and one other guy who has a Blue one.

Brandon302

That may have been what I have seen, they seem like a ton of fun on a big course.