OK guys, it seems this comes up every year, and every year we have this thread. For those who have learned this, there’s only the hope that everyone else will get it
There will be a laundry list of penalties after tonight’s race. Dangerous driving, improper pitting, flaming, etc. This had to have been one of the worst races I’ve experienced in 4 years on the league. (Not only because I was wrecked out really bad 2 times! lol) These are my thoughts and you can take ‘em or leave ‘em. But if you leave them I, for one, hope you will eventually get axed.
What is the point of having a fast setup but one that WONT GO THE DISTANCE? This isn’t a sprint race on IRF. If you just want to go fast for a few laps, stay on IRF. The occasional slip and wreck is understandable (I do it too!), but it happened over and over again tonight. You could have gone 15 or 20 laps tonight. Do us all a favor and actually run your setup that many laps offline and see if you can without it getting so bad you wreck out. If ya cant, please pit more often. Because it’s obvious you're not gonna win the race. So no sense trying (especially early). When I started on the league I got my butt kicked and I got lapped but at least I had the common courtesy to practice a setup enough not to wreck someone else out. And pitting. Please practice that a little more so you can actually negotiate the aprons without spinning back onto the track.
You’ll learn. One way or another. And, typically, it’s the new guys that screw up the most but don’t get me wrong. I’m not singling anyONE out. We’ve all been there. We like the new guys coming in and racing with us. The league appreciates the full fields. But a few folks really screwed up alot of good car’s chances of winning tonight. Not taking anything from the winner EFGordon (gj bud). We just need to tighten that up a bit because it was pretty wild out there.
Talk amongst yourselves!
Edited by: d3efan at: 3/19/06 12:58 am
The Annual Stern Lecture...
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bover907
Re: The Annual Stern Lecture...
I'll second the motion! lol. Guys, don't try to win on lap 1. Long races here. I just got lucky enough to dodge the bullets tonight, but I did see some guys that I know wouldda beaten me well back.
Bover907
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TTR
Bover907
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TTR
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Ramrock47
Re: The Annual Stern Lecture...
Yep, and I third the motion! You new guys,. Stop and think about what you are doing and maybe talk to a few of the experienced league drivers,..you need to practice the race for that week off line and get comfortable with the setup your going to run ( in traffic ) and practice pit stops, maybe even do some practice during the week with some of the experienced league drivers ( get to know the guys you will be racing with ) Look, we have all been there, we all had to learn.
Be patient and dont try to win the race on lap 1 You have to be there at the end.
Ramrock47
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TTR
Be patient and dont try to win the race on lap 1 You have to be there at the end.
Ramrock47
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TTR
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EagleKeeper
lol
as D.W. would say......
"you need to first finish.... to finish first"
lol!
man.... i got caught up in alot of wrecks. and i can understand that california is a tuff track to get the hang of. it's hard to come up with the right setup that will go fast and handle for the 15-20 lap run. so... i can see where a newer dude might have trouble there. I didn't like california when i first started racing heat. i was always loose there.... or tight.... it was hard to find a medium set that was good.
i guess... the thing that made me so dissappointed was.... I had been working on my Cali setup for the past two weeks. I knew the Daytona race was just a pot-luck race. so.... i didn't practice for that one. instead i practiced Cali for two weeks. and to get wrecked 4 times..... not one time.... but 4 times in the race i spent so much time practicing for... really bummed me out man.
but..... next week is a new track.... and we all need to get tweeking and practicing. so... let's pick up all the pieces and load up the haulers. there's a new track awaiting us.... with a new winner!
EK
"you need to first finish.... to finish first"
lol!
man.... i got caught up in alot of wrecks. and i can understand that california is a tuff track to get the hang of. it's hard to come up with the right setup that will go fast and handle for the 15-20 lap run. so... i can see where a newer dude might have trouble there. I didn't like california when i first started racing heat. i was always loose there.... or tight.... it was hard to find a medium set that was good.
i guess... the thing that made me so dissappointed was.... I had been working on my Cali setup for the past two weeks. I knew the Daytona race was just a pot-luck race. so.... i didn't practice for that one. instead i practiced Cali for two weeks. and to get wrecked 4 times..... not one time.... but 4 times in the race i spent so much time practicing for... really bummed me out man.
but..... next week is a new track.... and we all need to get tweeking and practicing. so... let's pick up all the pieces and load up the haulers. there's a new track awaiting us.... with a new winner!
EK
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sledge4
Re: The Annual Stern Lecture...
I didn't have as much trouble in the Cup race, but I got wrecked twice in the Busch race. Neither time we intentionally done, but I think were brain farts from the drivers, so I hold no ill will.
But those were caused by a rookie and semi-rookie, of which one had the appearance of over agression on pit road. Either that or he wasn't ready for the slippery feeling of the apron with worn tires.
If I had to guess, I'd say a fair number of drivers that may test pit road entrance, don't practice with 15 lap old tires, so the feeling between pitting on lap 3 of a practice run and 15 is completely different.
My feelings on the rookies being in and around alot of these issues would be solved if all rookies had a year experience in the truck series, then they can be allowed in the Cup and Busch series.
I mean, in reallife, how many guys go straight from dirt track to cup? They all start in trucks or busch.
Will
But those were caused by a rookie and semi-rookie, of which one had the appearance of over agression on pit road. Either that or he wasn't ready for the slippery feeling of the apron with worn tires.
If I had to guess, I'd say a fair number of drivers that may test pit road entrance, don't practice with 15 lap old tires, so the feeling between pitting on lap 3 of a practice run and 15 is completely different.
My feelings on the rookies being in and around alot of these issues would be solved if all rookies had a year experience in the truck series, then they can be allowed in the Cup and Busch series.
I mean, in reallife, how many guys go straight from dirt track to cup? They all start in trucks or busch.
Will
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EagleKeeper
great point Camry
great point Camry. yeah.... what you said about practicing pitting on old tires with an empty fuel tank is very very important. I saw some duded during the 6 lap practice runs pulling down pit road on every lap. He would exit on the back stretch.... and then immediatly re-enter the pits b4 turn 3.... without ever leaving the apron lap after lap.
I thought to myself that...... who ever does that.... would get a false sense of the correct speed and everything. I don't even start practicing my pit entry until i get my setup and gears just right (mid-week) and then once i get my pit window figured out.... I start practicing on the exact lap that i plan to pit during the week.
Sometimes... you find that you need to adjust your "brake bias" to keep ya from spinning the car on worn tires.
another good trick is to "not downshift" on the apron. keep that baby in 4th gear all the way around on entry.
exiting is improtant too... practice the right gear/speed/and RPM to be at for a proper exit.
but... this is just what I do.
I hope this helps a bit.
I thought to myself that...... who ever does that.... would get a false sense of the correct speed and everything. I don't even start practicing my pit entry until i get my setup and gears just right (mid-week) and then once i get my pit window figured out.... I start practicing on the exact lap that i plan to pit during the week.
Sometimes... you find that you need to adjust your "brake bias" to keep ya from spinning the car on worn tires.
another good trick is to "not downshift" on the apron. keep that baby in 4th gear all the way around on entry.
exiting is improtant too... practice the right gear/speed/and RPM to be at for a proper exit.
but... this is just what I do.
I hope this helps a bit.
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sledge4
Re: I'm proud
Great point Eagle, in the past 2 seasons i've NOT down shifted when entering the apron for a pit stop.
It definately keeps your car "tighter", and on exit, I go right to 3rd gear and that also keeps my car "tighter".
Sure, I may lose some speed, but atleast I am in control of my car and not the other way around.
Will
It definately keeps your car "tighter", and on exit, I go right to 3rd gear and that also keeps my car "tighter".
Sure, I may lose some speed, but atleast I am in control of my car and not the other way around.
Will
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EagleKeeper
yep
makes me wonder if some of the dudes were running "automatic" transmissions. If this were the case.... the auto shift at the wrong place.... could cause a spin.
heck.... I was finding that my Cali CTS truck would spin on entry ... just because i was low on fuel and sputtering. I was thinking about making one of the buttons on my wheel a [N] neutral button... just to correct this. but... i will probably lengthen my gears instead.
-try manual tranny's dudes (shifting is cool any-who) lol
heck.... I was finding that my Cali CTS truck would spin on entry ... just because i was low on fuel and sputtering. I was thinking about making one of the buttons on my wheel a [N] neutral button... just to correct this. but... i will probably lengthen my gears instead.
-try manual tranny's dudes (shifting is cool any-who) lol