How to Heel and Toe a Manual Transmission for a Drag Race

While the heel-and-toe technique is not commonly used in the world of drag racing, since it provides its biggest advantages during cornering, it can be used effectively to make smooth transitions between gears. By learning the steps of the maneuver and practicing out on the track, you will be able to effectively use the heel-and-toe technique on a manual transmission.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Car with manual transmission

Heel and Toe a Manual Transmission for a Drag Race

1. Start the heel-and-toe technique by placing the ball of your right foot on the brake pedal to slow the car down as you enter the curve.

2. Press down on the clutch with your left foot once the car has slowed sufficiently, and shift the manual transmission into neutral.

3. Take your left foot off the clutch.

4. Rotate your right foot so that your heel comes in contact with the gas pedal while the ball of your foot is still resting on the brake.

5. Press down on the gas pedal and rev the engine until the right amount of RPMs are achieved to shift smoothly into the new gear.

6. Step on the clutch with your left foot one more time.

7. Shift the manual transmission out of neutral and into the right gear. Which gear will be based upon your speed and the current level of RPMs.

8. Release the clutch and allow your engine to engage the correct gear.

9. Take your right foot off the brake and step on the gas pedal, allowing the car to resume speed.

10. Practice this technique until you can do it smoothly and quickly and until the activation of the clutch does not significantly slow your vehicle. During a drag race, a popped clutch will definitely cause you to lose enough momentum to throw the race. Finding the correct RPM level for each gear will help you to avoid losing the drag race.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that the heel-and-toe maneuver is very similar to double-clutching, with the one exception that your right foot is used to step on both the brake and the gas at the same time.
• Using the heel-and-toe technique is not recommended during a drag race, since the sudden down-shift will slow your vehicle significantly and probably cause you to lose the race. This technique should only be used in cases when a mistake in shifting has caused the engine to rev too slowly.

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