Big track-high bank

[team32]

Ok, I'm going to ask for opinions of "must do's" setup tips for the High banks of Bristol. The biggest track we've been on is Devil's Bowl which is advertised as a 3/8 mile.

I'm thinking that the car will need to get over on the right side less, so I intend to start by lowering ballast, maybe taking some chain out of the left rear. What else?

[TheJet-09]

I might be off from current thinking, but my understanding is with more banking there is less weight transfer left to right. I like to look at things in extremes, so consider trying to turn on a flat track (zero banking), like driving them big old four door, rear wheel drive cars when they had broken sway bar links...they'd feel like they were gonna practically roll over around a corner. Now consider 90* of banking, like them motorcycle guys that would ride inside a giant barrel at the County Fair...there's zero weight transfer left to right (all four wheels would gain weight in the corner, or at least just the two for the motorcycle example).

Food for thought, If I'm wrong, I accept my punishment.

But hey, good luck! Enjoy the experience!

[Jking24]

I don't know if I would be lowering ballast but the right side load will definitely be higher necessitating higher smash numbers than you would typically run

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I might be off from current thinking, but my understanding is with more banking there is less weight transfer left to right. I like to look at things in extremes, so consider trying to turn on a flat track (zero banking), like driving them big old four door, rear wheel drive cars when they had broken sway bar links...they'd feel like they were gonna practically roll over around a corner. Now consider 90* of banking, like them motorcycle guys that would ride inside a giant barrel at the County Fair...there's zero weight transfer left to right (all four wheels would gain weight in the corner, or at least just the two for the motorcycle example).

Food for thought, If I'm wrong, I accept my punishment.

But hey, good luck! Enjoy the experience!

You are correct. I've experienced first hand taking a car that worked well on a flat track and it couldn't even hike on a high bank.

[team32]

Thanks for the replies. I was going off of the on-track videos that I've seen from there. It looks like you will need a car that drives more like a straight asphalt type style. That's why I was thinking lower cg and maybe higher roll centers- maybe not..

[TheJet-09]

My lone experience running a race on dirt placed over asphalt was a few years back at a tight little 1/4 mile bullring up my way. Decent banking, but the track ended up being extremely rough...so bad the WoO ultimately deemed it a non-points race. Now that's not to say Bristol will be rough as well, but with high car counts and the probability they might not want to stop the show very often for track prep (PPV, etc.), I'd at least keep that in mind. I have no idea where cars will be pitted, so you might have a hard time getting a good read on the track until you're actually out there.

But in thinking about what to expect, I would guess the cars that will be able to pass others will be the ones that can go from the top on the straights and dive to the bottom entering the corner (but I obviously could be wrong). I would definitely want my car freed up though. Maybe take some tail % out? And with the entry speeds you're gonna have, make darn sure you don't bottom out the cross-member or right frame rail (I don't know what type or how old your car is). And if you usually run short track stuff, with maybe a short lift-arm set-up, I'd move that forward some (maybe the 35"-37" range) so your stuff isn't used up before you're off the corner.

And the obvious is to enjoy the heck out of it. You never know what tomorrow brings, so do it while you can (at least that's what I tell myself).

[billetbirdcage]

First and foremost would be tire pressure. I think you might be amazed on what guys end up with on pressures there: I would bet money it's way higher then you can guess or would even think to try.


Side Note: Keep in mind every pound of air will change the tires spring rate. Also each tire carcass has a different rate, meaning one # of air in a C2000 may not see the same change as a C4000 carcass (not sure what tire or tire options they are using there)

[team32]

We have a '12 Rocket BG updated crossmember this year by Bill Frye. We switched back and forth with the open and crate 604 last year. We'll be racing as a crate at Bristol on D21's. Thanks for all the tips. I like the idea of moving the lift arm shock forward and I will def be keeping an eye of tire pressures. We don't have high expectations but we don't want to suck either. Hopefully more info will trickle down once more teams have an opportunity to get on the track.

[billetbirdcage]

We have a '12 Rocket BG updated crossmember this year by Bill Frye. We switched back and forth with the open and crate 604 last year. We'll be racing as a crate at Bristol on D21's. Thanks for all the tips. I like the idea of moving the lift arm shock forward and I will def be keeping an eye of tire pressures. We don't have high expectations but we don't want to suck either. Hopefully more info will trickle down once more teams have an opportunity to get on the track.

I would not be moving the 5th arm forward, I would do the opposite especially on a crate but that depends on where your normally run it. Personally I would be back at 32/34 since you're basically going to be holding it wide open all the way around the track if it has any traction at all, so you don't need drive off the corner. I would start with your free'st set up there for your first laps and see how that goes.

If it goes like Charlotte was this year, most everyone was fighting tight to a degree even with the supers, but the crates really had a hard time getting free'd up.

[riddle28]

around our house most places have alot of banking but theres a couple places in tennesse with bristol banking just a little smaller, tazwell and thunderhill. When ive raced at thunderhill(in mods). Corner entry is so much faster than even places with moderate banking. Start higher on air pressure and work your way down youll be surprised, i like to raise my j bar on the pinion end 1" or so above normal conditions

[TheJet-09]

I only caught a few minutes of the WoO testing from yesterday, but I definitely noticed the Rocket house car had taken off the break-away portion of their spoiler at one point. It also looked like the main spoiler was shorter than the standard 8" (I'm guessing, but maybe only 4-6" tall).

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