There’s a trick in racing, when the finish line is quickly followed by a sharp corner. The driver passes the finish line (end of race, or in qualifying) and doesn’t even try to make the corner. Doesn’t slow down. Just plows through the barriers, or spins out before ‘the wall’. These are cheat laps.
At the US National Championships at K1 Speed in Irvine, drivers were desperate to make the cut. With a series of esses before and after the finish line, some competitors realized that if they straight-lined the section, they’d set a faster lap…but be unable to make the next corner. Here’s how the sessions often ended.
When competition is tough, you’ve got to use every technique available.