Driving Tips Part 1: Smooth Acceleration
Achieving smooth acceleration from a standing start requires the balance of two factors; Wheel spin and engine revs.
To deliver the optimum torque from the tires to the road you need the right amount of revs. Too little and the torque provided will be insufficient for maximum acceleration to occur. Conversely if the revs generated are too high you will exceed the optimum torque and cause the wheels to spin, which, while impressive, isn’t going to move you very far.
Ideally you want an even balance of Traction vs Torque; this will grant you the maximum possible acceleration. However, in real world situations it is rarely possible.
The first of the hurdles to overcome is that you are in first gear and applying maximum torque to the wheels. Add to this the fact that the road surface and the changes in road surface in particular have a more pronounced effect at lower speeds. You would need to possess superhuman reactions to adjust the throttle and clutch at the speed and accuracy required to maintain the Traction vs Torque relationship in perfect balance. The only real possibility is to push the revs very high and gain the balance using your clutch…..the only slight issue with this is that your clutch would last all of about ten minutes if you kept that practice up.
For that very reason, the best realistic method is to make use of controlled wheel spin, by building the revs up until they are just within the power band. Then smoothly let the clutch out so that the wheels gradually begin to start spinning, then balance the spin so the wheels are turning at the rate just before they start to bite the road again. Continue this until you gain enough speed that the wheels would grip and you would still remain within the power band. Then you will be off to a flying start (literally)
Have fun, but stay safe.
Sources:
http://www.modernracer.com/tips/accelerating.html
Picture Sources:
http://livingleaf.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sentra-burnout.jpg
