1) Right of the cone shortens the distance.
2) Improves drive on to the back straight.
3) The surface is smoother there so obviously it's the fast line. :
Definitely not smoother.......quite bumpy regardless how it may look in the pic....but definitely pics up your times.
RE: Pic of me on "wrong" side of exit marking cone
I'm a long time skier.... My #1 rule is "don't fall down".... I find that I never get hurt if I don't fall down.... with that in mind -- I have been known to make what I refer to as a "Series of linked recoveries".
My driving style has evolved to include this same kind of thinking.... "whatever it takes" -- comes to mind. Meaning -- whatever it takes to not have Charley chewing my ass....