In the street, it doesn’t matter which wheels propel your vehicle. But on the track, the layout of the drivetrain has a big influence on how you approach the corners and move around the course. This is what Randy Pobst is talking about in the last episode of “The race line. “
Pobst begins by reviewing the differences between rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive. The front-engine and rear-drive setups provide balanced performance on the track, and as many of you already know, this is one of the funniest setups thanks to its easy drift ability. Front-wheel drive is trickier to manage on the track, as the front wheels do most of the work. This means that you cannot ask them to do too much at once or you will overheat your tires. Last but not least, all-wheel drive provides stability and traction at the cost of extra weight.
Next, Pobst explains how to approach corners with each type of drive. Rear-wheel drive has another advantage here as it can rotate the rear to point the car in the direction you want to go. Front-wheel drive requires finesse, but can pass a corner more easily using track braking. If the car starts to go into a fishtail, you can straighten up by lightly pressing the accelerator. Finally, Pobst explains that the behavior of an all-wheel-drive car on the track depends on the power distribution between front and rear wheels. But regardless of the power distribution, you’ll get intense grip and explosive acceleration out of corners.
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