Stock racing

Stock racing is all about driving. There is me, and then there is Luke. Our cars are identical speed on the straight. So therefore it proves the fact that in controlled racing, like stock, you have to have a good car setup to win. Now, my setup, as you have previously seen, allows me to competitively compete. So what’s the problem? Its not speed, its not setup, well it might be setup, but more on that later. It’s driving skill. I have only been racing in the stock class for 6 or so months. Luke has been for 2 years. It’s all about driving, if you went to the nationals, and the top guy, who had qualified 1st for the finals had to give you his setup, and you had the best motor in your car out there, you most likely would still finish below him. Why? Because these are the people who have been driving for 5 or 10 years and have the accumulated skill.

You may ask, Why bother going to a national or regional event, if you’re only going to be fighting for 14th or 15th place. Well, accept it. Go, have the experience and gain the track time. Who knows, you might even have some one there that is about the same skill level as you and you can have a great battle with them for 5th or 6th place. At the 2008 HD/RL International, held at NHRCCC, I was racing TT01, and I was evenly matched with Barry. It was the last final, and we were on the second to last lap. As I had been unable to complete the prior race, I had a little bit more grip left on my tires. I passed him on the chicane, and the pressure was on to keep infront of him for the last lap. Knowing that I would need it, I had skimmed my motor earlier on in the day and it gave me slightly more acceleration which, by the end of the straight, equaled about 2 metres. Having slightly more grip allowed me to get round the tight bits a little faster. But then, disaster struck, at the top of the chicane, I hit the curb. Fortunately for me, Barry, was still a couple of corners away. And with his worn tires, he wasn’t able to catch enough time to pass me. I maneuvered through the chicane and around the last corner and nailed it. Full Noise under the transponder loop and with Barry about 20cm behind. This is one of the reasons that I keep going back to these meetings.

Also, it could be that your setup is causing your car to be slightly slower through the corners. If this is the case, talk to the guys that keep winning, find out what caster and toe in settings they are using and change the car to these. If it improves the cornering, keep it. If it decreases the handling, go back to your old setting. Remember, change one thing at a time, and always write down what the car was set up to before.