Traction Control

[BNaylor91s]

As I'm at PRI, I am seeing (and talking to) numerous traction control companies. These companies are all saying that majority of the guys we will run against are actually running it. What's your opinions on this? Or is this one of those subjects comprabable to steroids in bodybuilding. All of the guys are using but they claim they are not.Also, I watched the video from the Dome of Kenny Wallace and at the 1:20 mark you can see he is hammering on the throttle, yet you see his tires slowly instantly. I could be thinking into it too much

[westlingracing]

It will hurt a good racer, but will help one that is not so good at throttle control.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

They are full of crap. Does it get run? Sure. But very little by really good teams.

[toyracer]

MBR I have to disagree.

Racers are willing to spend thousands on newest style motor, shocks, light weight parts etc etc.

If they think traction control will give them an edge they will buy it & try it.

You just won't get an answer from them if it helps or hurts b/c they don't want to admit to using it.

Same as for tire treating.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

MBR I have to disagree.

Racers are willing to spend thousands on newest style motor, shocks, light weight parts etc etc.

If they think traction control will give them an edge they will buy it & try it.

You just won't get an answer from them if it helps or hurts b/c they don't want to admit to using it.

Same as for tire treating.

They have tried it. Then they sold it. I know where the original poster races and can personally attest that at least a couple of the fastest cars he races with do not have it. I can also tell you from first hand experience you can run laps as fast as any Lucas guy on a slick surface with no TC on your car.

[cutman]

Gotta agree with Masters. I know one that used to race on tour that tested it. Took it off after one session. I think Terry Casey took them all when he quit racing lol

[Josh Bayko]

I know a few drivers that tried and disliked it. The primary complaint I heard was that they couldn't break traction when they needed to in traffic.

[HEAVY DUTY]

There sure are a lot of them for sale all the time. They tell you you are running against it so you will by it. The only guys that I have seen with it, doesn't run good. Maybe the guys who run good with it hides it better. Maybe not. I can tell you this though. When I put a better driver in my car, it picks up 2 or 3 tenths a lap over me driving it myself. I have had some of the best in dirt late models right now drive for me in the past. Some guys are just better than others, and the guys that aren't as good will buy anything trying to go faster. Tire prep, new chassis, new shocks, you name it. Then they look for excuses as to why they aren't running with the guys that are beating them. Traction control companies and the like exploit that to sell more product. Just the cold hard truth.

[fastford]

i can remember several years back, bloomer tested it and was close to 2/10 faster with out it , he said sometimes you need to spin the tires a little , especially with a car a little on the tight side. i think he did the test for circle track , but not sure.

[westlingracing]

I thought it was.Moyer did the test for Circle track or whatever magazine did the write up? Musta been 10 years ago maybe?

[Stede Bonnet]

As I'm at PRI, I am seeing (and talking to) numerous traction control companies. These companies are all saying that majority of the guys we will run against are actually running it. What's your opinions on this? Or is this one of those subjects comprabable to steroids in bodybuilding. All of the guys are using but they claim they are not.Also, I watched the video from the Dome of Kenny Wallace and at the 1:20 mark you can see he is hammering on the throttle, yet you see his tires slowly instantly. I could be thinking into it too much

Traction control in and of itself will NOT make you faster, unless your a complete tool behind the wheel. If the chassis isn't tuned correctly to maximize traction to begin with all the TC will be able to do is make you more consistent. It will also hide flaws in the setup and hinder your FULL potential. This is kinda old news. I worked with a team and we tried it for 3 weeks, even had a HOF driver and he hated it, referred to it as, "The Choke". Didn't make us one bit faster, but the car owner just had to know. He bought it off Robby Gordon after he won Loudon with it. Same complaint as mentioned by another poster, "couldn't turn the car with throttle when needed".

[reid boys]

https://youtu.be/LBKA3l_JzRU

[formercrewguy]

We tried TC years ago........the driver forgot which switch was TC and nitrous, and piled it into the wall.

[toyracer]

I thought traction control was illegal in most sanctioning bodies?

I just find it funny all these top guys are telling everyone they are cheating & it doesn't help.

If I'm out running you with t/c I wouldn't be telling you & I don't think Bloomer would be either. Jmo

I haven't seen him advertise any of the tire treatments he runs

[zeroracing]

I would assume that few guys run TC anymore, I'm sure some do but not as bad as it was at one time. Cars are better, drivers are better and motors are smoother.

That said I find it almost a shock anymore when a guy passes a tire test... I would assume it is 100x more widely used than a TC.

[a25rjr]

https://youtu.be/LBKA3l_JzRU

That's the one I remember also. Hard to argue with those numbers!

Didn't Dale Mcdowell publicly test one also?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I thought traction control was illegal in most sanctioning bodies?

I just find it funny all these top guys are telling everyone they are cheating & it doesn't help.

If I'm out running you with t/c I wouldn't be telling you & I don't think Bloomer would be either. Jmo

I haven't seen him advertise any of the tire treatments he runs

Believe what you want. It just isn't all that.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

That's the one I remember also. Hard to argue with those numbers!

Didn't Dale Mcdowell publicly test one also?

Actually, not hard to argue. You ever had the car get faster in a test session and thought it was because you did something only later to learn it was tires or track condition?

But above all, this was an empty track.

[toyracer]

Barry Bonds was a great baseball player before steroids (oh wait he never used steroids lol).

Point is t/c is not going to make a poor combination good but will make a good combination better.

70-80 laps on hard dry slick track I don't know any driver who is looking for wheel spin at that time.

Trying to keep the car straight & on the gas.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Barry Bonds was a great baseball player before steroids (oh wait he never used steroids lol).

Point is t/c is not going to make a poor combination good but will make a good combination better.

70-80 laps on hard dry slick track I don't know any driver who is looking for wheel spin at that time.

Trying to keep the car straight & on the gas.

Zero wheelspin is never fastest on dirt.

[Wells Racing Photos]

Billy Ogle Jr did a test with it for Dirt Late Model magazine a few years ago, here is the video that goes along with it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBKA3l_JzRU

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Barry Bonds was a great baseball player before steroids (oh wait he never used steroids lol).

Point is t/c is not going to make a poor combination good but will make a good combination better.

70-80 laps on hard dry slick track I don't know any driver who is looking for wheel spin at that time.

Trying to keep the car straight & on the gas.It has been tested by every popular magazine out there. Any driver who is good doesn't want it. It does not make you faster. It'll make you more consistent, hide your flaws. As stated by everyone, it doesn't let a good driver do what he needs to do with the car. I know what you're saying, but I know people who have tried it too. And they also didn't like it. Tire stuff is another animal, and what Lucas and Eldora are trying is a huge step forward.

Barry Bonds was someone who depended solely on his body for the job. Who needed to heal and recuperate faster to stay relevant. So he turned to the PED's. I don't think there is a good comparison between different athletes, you're using different things to stay on top.

[Josh Bayko]

Zero wheelspin is never fastest on dirt.

Especially when you're attempting to make a pass and might have to get the car to rotate thought the corner a little faster than normal.

[Stede Bonnet]

I thought traction control was illegal in most sanctioning bodies?

I just find it funny all these top guys are telling everyone they are cheating & it doesn't help.

If I'm out running you with t/c I wouldn't be telling you & I don't think Bloomer would be either. Jmo

I haven't seen him advertise any of the tire treatments he runs

It is illegal pretty much across the board. They did a test with 3 drivers in a DLM magazine back when this was the hot issue with Dale McDowell and 2 other less known/experienced drivers. Dales times barely changed, but the two others did get better and the worst one was markedly more consistent. Believe whatever you like, its your money to waste if you want to, I believe in a free market. I shared my experience with it and it wasn't the end all be all it was touted to be. Bottom line, if the car isn't at its best, the TC won't get you there.