Massive sparks and fire from rear brakes

[mopar92]

The guy help runs Hawk pads I think... We never see rear sparks coming out of the rear calipers. One of the faster guys throws massive amounts of sparks for a few laps. What's the deal here? Is he just running a super soft metallic compound? It's unreal how much some of these other guys throw fire from the rear pads.... What's up with that?

[kevpow]

Brakes

Is this happening just under braking or as he exits the corner as well??

[72Dubya]

I know this may not be the answer, but how each driver brakes can be different. If your driver brakes more conservatively, then there won't be many, if any, sparks from the brakes. You usually see massive amounts of sparks coming from guys who stomp the brake on entry like they have a stone foot. I have seen guys in stock cars who brake hard enough to get stock ceramic brakes to spark like a 4th of July fireworks show. Also the amount of rear bias that is ran can make sparks. A lot of rear brake means more aggressive clamping, which will give you sparks. Maybe your driver doesn't run as much rear brake as those other guys as well.

[Matt49]

We run Hawk black pads and I've not had anybody that watches us closely report sparks but I am not an aggressive braker unless the track is stupid fast and that would normally be early in the day when you likely wouldn't see the sparks anyway.

That being said, I've never felt the need to make my car throw sparks just because the fast guy's car throws sparks. Just food for thought.

Sparks mean heat, heat means friction, friction means wear. Something else to consider. The really aggressive pads are rough on rotors.

Not all drivers/driving styles are conducive to aggressive brake packages. Some would call it a crutch to run a less aggressive pad but not all of us are professional drivers :-)

[let-r-eat]

Read Donnie Moran's driving book. That would be my suggestion to the OP.

[mignum]

what is the name of donnies book?

[ep33510]

Massive sparks and fire from rear brakes

mopar92

Some of the brake testing I have seen here at some brake testing facilities they could be using some aggressive siping on the rotor face as well as a brake pad material to match with the siping. Its amazing you can turn a brake rotor into a lathe........ !!!!!! As the shower of sparks is impressive.

[7uptruckracer]

Its all a distraction lol If you watching his sparks you might miss your line

[ALF401]

No answer was posted if this was entering or exiting the corner. In dry slick, dragging the brake helps in getting off a corner. Seen a lot of big name drivers doing this over the years.

[powerslide]

No answer was posted if this was entering or exiting the corner. In dry slick, dragging the brake helps in getting off a corner. Seen a lot of big name drivers doing this over the years.

And if they are wide open in the slick and all of a sudden you see the rotors light up and start sparking its likely they have the brake grabbing traction control.

[sobe92]

And if they are wide open in the slick and all of a sudden you see the rotors light up and start sparking its likely they have the brake grabbing traction control.

or the driver just applied the brakes himself.....some of us do that sort of thing.

[powerslide]

or the driver just applied the brakes himself.....some of us do that sort of thing.

I can see if it started gradually, but when you are on their butt and again we just came off the corner and are to the point where you are usually getting close to wide open and all of a sudden the brakes start glowing and sparking i feel its highly unlikely. Also the car i'm talking about wasnt sparking and glowing on entrance. I understand some of us drag the brake on exit but i wouldn't expect it to happen so abrubtly and go away so quick. Its sad our tech guys can't find these types of units, they dont even try around here anymore.

[Len72P]

I first saw Bloomer doing this in East Bay 3 years ago. even in hot laps and warm up. Most all Bloomer cars do it now and I think Capital . mostly on heavy tracks , heat races , To me it looks like hammerdown on the fuel and braking thru turn even on exit. Obviously the pads have something to do with it !

[Matt49]

If Bloomquist mounted a j-bar bracket to the rear bumper with nothing even attached to it, half the cars at the track would have one the following weekend and there would be at least two theories explaining why it makes you faster. Some guys WOULD be faster and conclude that this is what made the difference.

[MADCAPRACING22]

Madden was heavy on them every lap at East Alabama. I never noticed Davenport, Clanton, Weaver or Cook hard on the brakes. Madden was flying! Just an observation and not sure why. Maybe just driving style.