Master Momentum and Survival at Summit Point Raceway - Short

How to maximize consistency, safety, and maximizing exit speed for the Ray FF1600 (Formula Ford) at Summit Point Raceway - Short.

1) TRACK SNAPSHOT

• Location & layout: Summit Point, West Virginia, USA. Short Course length approx. 1.1 miles / 1.77 km, clockwise. Official turn count (assumption): 7.
• Character:
  • Low/medium-speed technical laps with several transitions; momentum preservation is everything.
  • Mostly flat with mild camber in a few corners; surface is aged/abrasive in places with occasional patches.
  • Curbs are mostly modest/flat; cut-through curbs on the short link can unsettle a light car if attacked aggressively.
• Three corners that matter most for lap time:
  • Final corner (T7): Exit speed carries the full front straight — your biggest time gain.
  • Hairpin/right (T3): Key traction zone onto a short chute; good exit sets up the middle of the lap.
  • T1 (heavy right): Major braking zone; survival and a clean exit set up the entire lap and race starts.

2) INCIDENT & TRACK-LIMIT HOTSPOTS (Rookie Priorities)

• T1 brake zone: Big speed delta, divebomb central. Lockups and rear snaps on trail-brake; off-tracks at exit if you pinch throttle too early.
• T2 medium-left: Rear gets light on a lift; easy 1x if you open hands too late and drift beyond the exit curb.
• T3 tight right: Trail too deep = late/slow exit. Inside curb can bounce the car; greed on throttle = rotation snap.
• Cut-through/chicane link (T4–T5 area): 1x/slowdown risk if you shortcut; high curb hit can upset the FF and push you off-line for the next bend.
• Final corner (T7) exit: Over-rotation mid-corner and grass on exit right — common 1x and spin-to-inside incidents.
• Starts/rejoins:
  • T1 runoff: If you miss the apex, go straight, slow down safely, rejoin parallel to traffic; do not cut across the apex line.
  • After the chicane: If you drop wheels, rejoin on the straight with eyes up; check relative radar before crossing the racing line.
• Pit entry/exit gotchas:
  • Entry: Commit early on the right as you exit the final corner; don’t dart across late. Speed limit line is near pit lane entry — brake while straight.
  • Exit: Stay in the blend lane on driver’s right along the front straight; do not join racing line until past T1 apex/exit markers. Cars on track have priority.

3) RACECRAFT PLAN (Ray FF1600)

• Drafting zones and clean passing spots:
  • Front straight into T1: Best passing zone. Set up with a slightly later apex at T7 to maximize front-straight draft. Preferred pass: inside into T1; show nose early.
  • Short chute after T3: Secondary opportunity. Force a compromised T3 exit from the car ahead with pressure; pass inside under brakes into the next bend.
  • Final corner (T7): If you have overlap, a controlled inside move works — but prioritize your own exit over forcing a marginal pass.
• Defensive lines:
  • T1: Take inside early, brake a fraction earlier, and late-apex. Do not park the car mid-corner; roll speed to protect exit.
  • T7: Cover inside, slow in to fast out. Don’t run them to the grass on exit; keep enough room to avoid contact penalties.
• Start/first-lap survival:
  • Brake earlier for T1 than you think (add 20–30 m on Lap 1). Expect three-wide; plan an outside-overlap avoidance route.
  • Concertina at T3 and through the cut-through: maintain space, no last-second dives. Keep vision long; coast instead of panic-braking if a stack-up starts.

4) DRIVING LINE & MARKERS (Corner-by-corner)

Assumption: 7 corners on Short configuration

| T# | Name | Priority* | Approach Ref | Brake Point | Trail? | Apex Type | Min Speed (rookie target) | Throttle On | Exit Trackout | Kerb Use | Risk/Notes | | 1 | T1 Right 90 | Med | 4–3 boards on R | Start at ~3.5 board (~175–200 ft) | Light | Late | 48–52 mph (77–84 kph) | Just before apex | To far L | Small exit curb ok | Divebombs; rear snap if you rush throttle | | 2 | Medium Left | Med | Track R, sight line to left apex curb | Small brush/short lift; if hot, dab brake | Gentle | Late/one clean clip | 62–66 mph (100–106 kph) | As car is set, before apex | Mid-L | Entry curb light; avoid big inside hit | Easy to push wide to 1x at exit | | 3 | Tight Right (Hairpin) | High | Use 3–2 boards | ~2.5 board; down to 2nd | Yes, long | Very late | 38–42 mph (61–68 kph) | At/just after apex | Full L | Avoid big inside curb | Throttle greed = snap spin | | 4 | Left Kink / Link-in | Low | Visual: marshal post/trackside sign | Usually lift only | Minimal | Geometric | 70–80 mph (113–129 kph) | Maintenance | Mid | Skim only | Don’t unsettle the car for T5 | | 5 | Right on Link / Chicane | Med | Line up from mid-L | Short brake to rotate | Short | Late to straighten exit | 45–50 mph (72–80 kph) | As soon as pointed | To R | Avoid tall inside curb | 1x if you shortcut; respect limits | | 6 | Left Onto Short Straight | Med | Access road/patch on R | 2 board; 2nd gear | Yes | Late | 35–40 mph (56–64 kph) | At apex as wheel opens | To L | Inside curb gentle | Over-rotation kills exit | | 7 | Final Right onto Front Straight | High | End of fence/cones on R | Start at ~2.5 board | Light, release smooth | Late | 48–52 mph (77–84 kph) | Just before apex, feed in | Full L with slight exit curb | Exit curb OK, don’t drop outside wheels | Most lap time here; prioritize exit |

(*Priority = effect on next straight for lap time)

5) BRAKING & GEARS (Rookie Baselines)

• First laps:
  • T1: Brake at ~3.5 board; 3rd gear. Smooth initial hit, light trail to rotate; straighten hands before throttle.
  • T3: Brake at ~2.5 board; down to 2nd. Long, soft trail; car should pivot without stabbing the throttle.
  • T5: Short brake/2nd–3rd depending on ratio; prioritize rotation.
  • T7: ~2.5 board; usually 3rd. Feather trail, late apex, full throttle once pointed.
• Brake release notes: Aim for a long, tapered release at T3 and T7 to help the car rotate without sliding. Linear, shorter release at T1 to keep the rear calm.
• Mid‑stint adjustments:
  • If track grips up: Move braking 1/2–1 car-length deeper; keep same minimum speed targets.
  • If tires fade: Back braking up 1 car-length and lengthen your trail slightly to avoid locking.
• Gears (assumption baseline):
  • T1 3rd, T2 3rd, T3 2nd, T4 3rd, T5 2nd–3rd (test both), T6 2nd, T7 3rd. Validate by: no over-rev on exit, engine “pulls” cleanly, delta improves. If the car bogs, drop a gear; if wheelspin is chronic, try one gear higher.

6) CAR CONTROL CUES (Momentum Car Emphasis)

• Rotation method: Use gentle trail braking to initiate rotation at T1/T3/T7; avoid big steering inputs. For kinks/chicane, a brief lift will rotate the car without adding scrub.
• Steering discipline: Hands calm, minimal steering angle. Open the wheel early on exits (T3, T7) to reduce scrub and protect momentum.
• Throttle patterns:
  • Squeeze, don’t stab. Aim to go to maintenance throttle before apex at medium-speed corners, then build to full as you unwind.
  • If front washes mid-corner, lift 5–10% momentarily rather than adding more steering lock.

7) CURBING, BUMPS & SURFACE CHANGES

• Curbs to use:
  • Exit curbs at T1 and T7: light brush OK for width; don’t drop wheels.
  • Inside curbs on fast kinks: skim only.
• Curbs to avoid:
  • Inside raised curbs on the link/chicane (T5): can bounce the FF and trigger 1x or a slow exit.
• Surface/bump notes:
  • Expect a slightly bumpy T1 brake zone; keep the car straight during initial braking.
  • Occasional patches at T2/T3 entries; if ABSENT in your build, still brake progressively to avoid rear lock.

8) SETUP / DRIVER ADJUSTMENTS

• FIXED (assumed): Driver adjustments only.
  • Brake bias: Start 60–62% forward. If rear is too lively on entry, add +0.5–1.0%. If understeering on entry, try -0.5%.
  • Tire pressures: Use series default. Expect 2–3 laps to come in.
  • In-car: If diff coast or brake bias is available, bias small changes toward stability; consistency > ultimate rotation.
  • FFB: Ensure you can catch small slides; reduce clipping in heavy-brake zones.
• OPEN (if applicable): Safe baseline philosophy
  • Pressures: Aim for mid-session hot pressures per car doc; bias even temps across tread.
  • Camber: Moderate negative to keep edge temps within 5–10°F across.
  • Toe: Small front toe-out (0.5–1.0 mm total) for response; near-zero rear toe for stability.
  • Brake bias window: 60–62% start; tune ±1%.
  • ARBs/Diff: Keep soft and neutral; prioritize compliance over razor-sharp response on curbs.

9) TELEMETRY & METRICS TO TRACK

• Sector breakdown (suggested):
  • S1: Start/Finish to exit T2.
  • S2: T3 through T5 exit.
  • S3: T6 through line (includes T7).
• Rookie target metrics:
  • Min speeds: T3 ≥ 40 mph, T7 ≥ 50 mph, T2 ≥ 62 mph.
  • Lap-to-lap variance goal: ±0.3–0.5 s over a 5-lap run with zero 1x.
• Traces to review:
  • Brake release timing at T3/T7 — smooth, tapered release correlates with better rotation and earlier throttle.
  • Throttle pickup delay — measure time from min speed to first 90% throttle; aim to reduce without adding corrections.
  • Steering saturation — avoid long periods at max steering angle; earlier unwind equals less scrub.

10) PRACTICE PLAN (45 minutes)

• 0–10 min: Out-lap + references
  • Find brake boards and static landmarks for T1, T3, T7.
  • Success: Clean laps, tires warm, stable references identified.
• 10–25 min: Corner families — exit first
  • Focus T3 and T7 exits; log min speeds and exit RPM.
  • Success: Hit min speed targets within ±2 mph three laps in a row.
• 25–35 min: Two 5-lap race-pace runs
  • No 1x; leave 2–3 car-lengths to AI/ghosts for clean air.
  • Success: Variance within ±0.5 s, zero offs.
• 35–40 min: Pit in/out at pace
  • Practice commitment, speed line, blend-line respect.
  • Success: 2 perfect pit-ins and 2 perfect pit-outs, no speeding, no unsafe rejoin.
• 40–45 min: Draft practice + cool-down
  • Practice a T1 pass set-up with draft and an early lift to avoid contact.
  • Success: One clean overtake attempt without time loss on the next lap.

11) QUICK CHECKLIST (pre-race)

• Brake bias start point: 61% forward.
• First‑lap brake margins: +25 m at T1, +15 m at T3.
• Two “free time” fixes:
  • Open hands earlier on exits; add throttle only as you unwind.
  • Commit to a late apex at T7 every lap — straightest exit possible.
• Two safety traps to avoid:
  • Last-second lunges into T1. If you’re not fully alongside by turn-in, live to fight on the straight.
  • Hopping the inside curb at T5; it ruins exit and risks a 1x.
• Fuel note: Most FF1600 official races here do not require a stop. If fueling is needed in hosted sessions: estimate ~0.10–0.12 gal/lap (assumption) — plan race distance plus +2 laps buffer.

12) ONE‑PAGE SUMMARY

• Survive Lap 1: brake 25 m earlier at T1; avoid three-wide sends.
• Final corner (T7) is king: late apex, early but smooth throttle, unwind early.
• T3: long, gentle trail to a very late apex; throttle only once it points.
• Use third gear where possible to reduce wheelspin; drop to second only for true hairpin speeds.
• Don’t fight understeer with extra steering — lift 5–10% to rotate, then reapply.
• Respect cut-through limits; avoid big inside curbs.
• Defensive lines: cover the inside at T1/T7 without killing exit.
• Watch pit exit blend line; stay right until past T1.
• Track targets: T3 ≥ 40 mph, T7 ≥ 50 mph, T2 ≥ 62 mph; lap variance ±0.5 s.
• Zero 1x goal in practice runs — consistency beats a single hero lap.

This plan is optimized for a momentum car and rookie priorities: clean laps, strong exits, and smart racecraft. Adjust references a car-length at a time as conditions shift, but keep the fundamentals — late apexes at T3 and T7 and smooth throttle — non‑negotiable.