Sure, we've all seen it. Those wacky Japanese racing videos where it shoes the driver, and then picture-in-picture of their feet. Everything looks pretty normal, and it's great to see them driving OUR car. Their shifting speed is greatly superior to many of our own, and we all listen and watch in awe as as you barely even hear that moment where the clutch releases the flywheel. But then you see something...different. Coming up on a corner, the car doesn't seem to lurch forward from shifting down a gear. He comes up to the next corner, and pay attention to the inside of the vehicle. You see some crazy s#it where he brakes with his right toe, and hits the accelerator with his right heel. His left foot slams the clutch to the floor, his left hand shifts gears down, and then he let's the clutch back up, only to slide his foot over to have his whole toe on the accelerator again.

So now, what's the concept and technique behind this. Correct any of this if I'm wrong, I know nothing of professional racing, and this is just an observation.

It appears to me, that heel-toe is to keep your revs up as you shift down. This will keep your car from lurching as you shift down, and makes the down-shift a smooth process. It allows you to take the corner very smoothly.

Now for technique. It appears brake first. Clutch in. Slide heel over onto accelerator and press it about a 1/4 down, while also pressing down harder on the brake. Shift gear down. Let clutch up. Left foot moves back onto dead pedal, and right foot moves back over to accelerator.

If you're dumb enough to try this without a teacher (like myself), you've probably grinded your gears once or twice (ouch!). I've tried it only going straight so far, and the downshift is noticeable very smooth but if you're not careful with that accelerator, rockets you forward after you let up on the clutch and brake.

 

my friend joe (JoePannone) can do it pretty good. Id try it and i can prolly do it but i jus never had the balls to try. I dropped a tranny already, dont feel like destroying another one.

 

I say if someone was going to practice this kind of thing they should concentrate on getting the transition as smooth as possible before trying to make the shifts lightning quick. I know for me, my ability to shift quickly has come with years of driving and riding motorbikes.
Come to think of it I've been rev-matching for over a decade counting dirtbikes. But I'm sure it would still take a lot of practice to get it right on a track... which is where I would practice of course.

 

It's not that hard.

 

i do it everytime i drive a manual.

 

i still say it's difficult to use at a practical level with my level of skill.

still practicing on straight streets, and of course, slowly. like this:

clutch....

...brake
slide foot over...
...tap accelerator
...shift down
...up goes clutch

damn those guys on the video do it so quick!

 

It won't hurt your tranny if you do it right or double clutch it. B-series motor throttle cables also have a nasty habit of breaking loose especially if you're hard on the throttle from downshifting so fast. So buy some threadlock now.

If you're still in the beginning stages and practicing, try to get the technique down to only ankle movement.

 

it makes your right ankle kinda sore after a while...

 

i used to do it in my civic with little difficulty. now with my teg i can still do it but not as well, i gotta keep practicing.

 

i'm really just learning standard now and figure on working heel-toeing in from the start. figure if ii dont know any other way ot might start to come easier