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Read This!! About Downshifting..

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Gerlando 
#1 ·
ive seen various jap racing flix and i see them downshifting, pressing the brakes with their toes, and pressing the gas when they downshift with their heel.. please explain to me why they cant just downshift normally w/o hitting the gas and is that really better when you're downshifting?:confused:
 
#2 ·
They match the engine RPM for the speed of the car. Example: With my car at 40mph in 3rd gear the RPMs are about 3000. If I want to downshit to 2nd and maintain 40mph I know the engine RPM needs to be about 4000, so I need to increase the RPM from 3000 to 4000.

When on a race track, drivers usually have a target speed they want to enter a corner in. So they are braking the car and at the same time gettting the engine set to the right RPM so when they put the car in gear again, the car will be ready to accelerate.
 
#4 ·
The main benefit of heel/toe shifting is that you don't upset the balane of the car when entering a turn. Say you're right about to enter a turn. If you don't match revs you would get some engine braking that would shift weight to the front of the car.
 
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