santinuchi

Whats goin' on guy's? I wanted to start this thread to pick your brains on what keeps you going to tracks that aren't your home. I have noticed in running carpet that the tracks are few and FAR inbetween. What keeps you (or would keep you) going back to a track that's an hour or two away from youir home facility? I know that the track and competition are probably 1 and 2 but what type of attitudes and things of that such are you looking for when you wake up real early on Sunday morning and say, hmmmm where am i gonna throw my car down today? Thanks!!! Tito

tc3team

Friendly people

Some clubs I would go to and hardly anyone says a word to you,it's a bit offputting really.

PitNamedGordie

iTrader: (8)

Well I am not a regular racer BUT I did go to our local track weekly before it closed if to do nothing more than pratice. When it closed the nearest track was almost 1.5 hours from me. After a long lay off I decided that I was going to make the trek because I missed the track too much. But when I got there I had an ecounter with a guy who, to put it plainly, was an a$$. This and the somewhat expert only crowd detered me from going again. I made the 1.5 trip 3 times before I said forget it and I almost sold my stuff. But recently a track in Wisconsin renovated their track so i decided to give it a go. When I went up there they were friendly and the track was great, the store was well stockled for racing, and it was about 45-50 minutes from home. So to make a long story short (too late I guess) here are the things that get me going to the track on a regular basis:

1. Somewhat close proximity (about 1 hour)
2. Nice facility. Well stocked. Nicely setup.
3. Friendly enviroment and staff. There's nothing worse than the guy who's head is burried in their pit space and they grimmace when you make eye contact. Most of the poeple at the track seem to know eachother and are open to get to know new people too.
4. Range of talent. I look to the fast guys for tips and help. I wouldn't go if I wasn't trying to get faster.


I'm sure the criteria will differ for the hardcore racers, but for me, a guy with intermmidiate skills, this is all I need.

santinuchi

I appreciate the input guy's keep it commin'.

Pitnamedgordie- i am a HUGE Pit fan, thats a good looking pup!!!!!! I'll have top share some pics of mine with ya!

santinuchi

In my opinion ATTITUDE is the key! Your track can be full of the fastest group in the world, but if their attitude sucks then what do you really have? You have got to be willing to help the average Joe realize his goals weather the are lofty for his skill level or within reason......the way i see it is, every one is out to have fun and in this hobby evryone's idea of fun is SPEED, attitude is what makes my local track a great place to call home, there is not one single non-approachable person there even if he did just get peeled out of his tq spot in the main.....keep that in mind.

bxpitbull

iTrader: (6)

Things that keep me going to any specific track...hmmmm

1. Good competition-If people are slouches, how can one step their game up?
2. Organization-If the people running the track are clueless, it turns into one big clusterf**k!
3. Good support staff-People on hand to give newbies and amateurs a helping hand without making people feel like morons. Nice way to keep the hobby going.
4. Parts support-Unless you have an Ebay "knock-off", access to parts. Better known cars and brands should be stock or within access to the track.
5. Atmosphere where fun is in the mix-No one likes an announcer that plays favorites and makes the hometown crowd feel they are superior to those of us who have trekked in the wee hours of the morning to get some burn.

tc3team

The only way you get faster is with practice and advice,so i've stayed with the same club all season for that reason too Ive found if i'm always going to different places i'll feel like i'm not learning as much, but that is all down to personal preference.

santinuchi

point taken, but do you believe that a new atmosphere can lead to a new piont of view, on things that you may not see at your home track, in my observation guys at the same track tend to do the same as what worked for the guy next to him. i bet if you look around if there are 2 or 3 guys running the same car and one of them has a decent car that works pretty well the other 2 are doing the same thing with theirs, and of you go to a different place i bet no-one is doing exactically the same thing that you are at home. it may work out that what they are doing differently is not as good as what you are already doing, but someone has something that may work better. Isnt that worth a shot?

santinuchi

Practice is key but everyone has a different approach......Just a thought.

tc3team

I totally agree with you Santinuchi,I just wanted to race in a championship this year and dont have the time to commit to anything else.

Like I say,it's just down to personal preference and your time limits I guess.

Maybe next year i'll be at a different club learning new things and seeing new faces

bxpitbull

iTrader: (6)

Nothing wrong with getting advice on a set-up and getting tips on a winning formula.That being said, one must get their own style because if you are only emulating, are you really stepping your game up? I don't want to be like Hara, I want to beat Hara. Fat chance at that happening, but we all should aspire and if beating that one dude who always seems to catch wreck is your goal, then hey, it's a start.

PitNamedGordie

iTrader: (8)

Thanks He's a bigger guy now...about 58 lbs. And he's turned out to be a mama's boy

bxpitbull

iTrader: (6)

What his bloodline? He looks like Eli or Redboy. Maybe even some Snooty.

Tubaboy

iTrader: (9)

My "other" track is a 2 hour drive away. I like the guys who run it, but the racers there are kinda off-put and sometimes rude to your equipment (such as a marshal kicking an upside down car to get it upright)

At our track, most of the guys go around and talk to eachother. Anytime a new person shows up, we encourage them to pit near one of the good drivers so that they have a helping hand close by. We just try to chat it up with everybody there.

At the other track, the guys mainly just sat there, didn't talk to each other, etc. (not even the locals). Overall, I'll continue going back, because I can run mod there (our local track doesn't have many drivers comfortable driving mod) and their track layout is so large (100'x200'!!) The track primarily races nitro, but the guys who run the show know how to make the track challenging for nitro and electric, without being to hard on electric equipment.

Overall important criteria for me include:
1. Track Layout
2. Friendliness of the "local" drivers.
3. Track distance. (it's hard getting up at 5:30 in the morning for racing most weekends heh)

Paul

bxpitbull

iTrader: (6)

[QUOTE=Tubaboy]My "other" track is a 2 hour drive away. I like the guys who run it, but the racers there are kinda off-put and sometimes rude to your equipment (such as a marshal kicking an upside down car to get it upright)

A track like that better have cops on hand because someone would get that ass TAXED if they kicked any of my vehicles! When I marshal, I am like one of those nerdy kids you see at a tennis match...scoot over and get the vehicle on all four wheels as soon as possible to keep the competition going. Someone kicking a vehicle is a distraction and at these costs, can alter or break something. That track you make reference to, the people who run it should be shot for letting ish like that happen!