Small track advise

[leonard85]

Looking for advice on what to change when going from a big 1/2 mile to a small slick 1/4 mile. We are good on a bigger tracks but seem to struggle getting grip when we go to a small slick track. What would be good adjustments to make?

[TheJet-09]

I don't do the big track stuff anymore, but I tend to look at things in a general sense. So for me, I think a "short" track needs shorter things on the car....maybe a shorter lift bar (5th coil further back), maybe a shorter J-Bar, maybe a shorter LRU, or even a shorter RRL link. And these are all really just things that likely react quicker than what you'd run on a bigger ("longer") track.

I wouldn't get too carried away with wholesale changes, but it sounds like you've at least run the smaller track and just want to be better. So I'd do the obvious thing and start analyzing your set-up at the flag stand (as they say), then entry and so forth. I've read (and agree) that on small tracks we adjust links more, and on big tracks we adjust springs more.

[billetbirdcage]

Looking for advice on what to change when going from a big 1/2 mile to a small slick 1/4 mile. We are good on a bigger tracks but seem to struggle getting grip when we go to a small slick track. What would be good adjustments to make?

Assuming the small track is considerably slower, problem I see a ton is guys that are good on the small tracks (like fast as hell) then go to a big track and stink it's usually weight/COG related and they have weight too high for that much speed of track. So you might look at that the opposite way.

PS: define GRIP? forward/sidebite/etc

[Jking24]

This is to broad of a question to give a answer other than make laps their. The configuration of the track and general surface condition play into this to much to tell you to do any one or four that matter group of things. I agree with what billet says. I tend to see guys coming from one to the other just struggle figuring out how to drive the particular track the best way. As far as adjustments go. We race on big tracks and little tracks around here. Some we do the exact same adjustments at the small as the big others are polar opposites. I will say that I find small tight corners tend to amplify any areas that lack balance in your setup later in the night when it slicks off. Example your car is a little tight across the center at the big track the driver hardly notices and generally performs pretty well. At the small track he qualifies well but it seems like a soon as the feature takes the green he throws a anchor out after a few laps and goes backwards. He can't drive around or through the throttle tight center now that the brown is gone

[leonard85]

It just seems like the car is on top of the track and not in the track and that is where I lack grip from. Could it be that the car is to rigid when it gets slick? Should I soften up on shock settings or springs?

[billetbirdcage]

It just seems like the car is on top of the track and not in the track and that is where I lack grip from. Could it be that the car is to rigid when it gets slick? Should I soften up on shock settings or springs?

This isn't against you but a general statement coming from a guy that has to decipher a drivers statements: What the hell does "on top of the track mean", lol?

I get told this a bunch and it means something different to everyone and I want to scream and slap people when I hear that saying. I usually hear this more when the driver is unsure/doesn't know what's actually wrong with the car (I'm including well know regional and national drivers too in this) Typically most are going to assume this is RR tire side bite so basically meaning the car is loose. Again might mean something different, fixes are different for a loose entry car vs if they mean it's a 4 wheel drift vs I can't steer worth a crap.

[Jim11h]

Throttle is huge between two

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Throttle is huge between two

I was thinking the same.

[Jking24]

To build on what billet said. Alot of drivers especially more experienced ones seem to have trouble identifying weather or not they had to rotate the car with the brake or not. Especially the guys that grew up on the tighter tracks that aren't as slick. They just instinctively make the car turn as needed or at least a they think it needed lol. I used to help a guy that was a hell of a Wheelman but he couldn't give you much feed back. I felt like Harry and Cole lol. I would always say I only get one corner to see what the car is doing because after that first corner he would start doing "racecar driver (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)" with his hands and feet and the car would look the same from their on out good or bad

[ZERO25]

My advice to you is trust your gut instinct. If your car is loose on entry and youre pretty positive it is, and youve tried some small changes without much success. Throw something big at it, so you can really feel it and know youre going the right way!

[crownman25]

biggest adjustment is j bar on pinion wide sweeping fast tracks like the j bar around center of pinion slow slick paper clips like a lower j bar on the pinion..... say bottom on a standard pinion plate and the do make a plate that goes lower but you have to massage the torque arm or cut it out....if yourdriver cant feel the car on a short slick track start working on the j bar!