RFrancis

Hi people,

I was looking for ways to prepare a track with sugar water.

If anybody has some kind of experience in this subject, please fell free to give me some tips how to do it.

In our country, tracks don’t have a grip high, so I was looking a way to give more traction and with that, more fun to drive.

Please help with the better way and the percentages of water and sugar to use.

Thanks in advance.

SirSwiftAlot

iTrader: (11)

There are several ways to accomplish traction try grape soda straight not diluted or pancake syrup diluted 25 - 50 %. Spray a fine mist at first over the entire track remember you can always apply more put its hard to take away too much. It will take a few days of racing to create a groove as long as the rain doesn't wash it away. Hope this helps I am sure there is someone else who might have alot more experience with this that can help, but thats a good starting point.

edseb

Make sure the track is dust free before you spray any sugar water or soda. You can use a leaf blower or wash the track, but the dust has to be gone and dry, then apply.

A. Rhodes

iTrader: (32)

We tried the sugar water last season, and did not get the best results. Maybe it was our climate (NE US), but we got much better results with soda/water combo.

A good mixture for sugar / water is 1ld of sugar for every gallon of water. You will also need to add some amount of soda. I forgot what, but there is something in the soda that is needed to make it work right. We found that the the sugar never fully disolved, even with warm water, and serval liters of soda. Also, sugar/water ended up costing more each week than soda/water.

We ended up running a 60/40 mix of grape soda / water, and had no issues with traction until the fall when it got a little cooler at night. This mixture cost about $12 a week in soda, and we were able to treat the track in about 30 minutes.

Either method you choose, the basic theroy is the same. The "traction mixture" is to keep the dirt down, and help build up a groove, not provide traction by being sticky.

Here are couple of pics of the sprayer I built.

RoachRacing

I so need that sprayer!

razzor

We use 2 x 12kg sugar with about 70/80 litres of water and 3 x 2litre Coke or Grape soda.We sugar a track that is just on 300 meters long and do a few rounds with our water machine that sprays the track with a 2meter spray bar.
Always help to blow track of to get rid of loose dust and sand and also to get teh track washed every once in a while.
Track always is at its best when sugar after some heavy rains.

AdrianM

iTrader: (4)

The magic mix the local track owner uses is 5gal water, one 5lb bag of sugar and one 2 liter bottle of grape soda.

The soda has chemicals in it that allow the water to dissolve more sugar than it normally could and it will not crystalize back into solid sugar.

This is way better then straight sugar and water.

This was what was used at the 2005 ROAR Nats and traction was great (between rainstorms).

InspGadgt

We've tried grape soda both diluted and straight and could not get enough traction on our track. The mixture that works best for us is mixing Strawberry punch syrup and water 1:1. We use both a deck sprayer and a spraying machine one of our racers made (when he is there)

vtl1180ny

How many bugs does this attract

RFrancis

Thanks for all your opinions...

We will try and see how it works.

Can you tell me if the surface of the track should be very wet, or just a little bit?

And the sprayed area should be all the track, or just the curves, acceleration and braking zones?

Thanks again guys

or8ital

iTrader: (38)

You dont have problems with bees?

RFrancis

Just another thing, here in Portugal, I don’t know any grape soda…
We do have orange, pineapple, peach and other fruits sodas, but grape… I don’t know…
Will Coke or 7up do the same effect?

Thanks

t4m1y4niac

ridicilous question...

BullFrog

iTrader: (4)

First blow off the track, If you don't have a blower sweep. Next get a sprayer like was shown earlier. Mix 1lb of sugar to 1 gallon of water( warm - helps dissolve the sugar better). I've never used soda mixed in but since you don't have grape Orange has worked okay. If not try some of your other flavors and add it to the mix. Spray the entire track with a heavy mist.Don't worry about bees or anything else just go out and race and have fun.If you have a two day event repeat the next morning.

or8ital

iTrader: (38)

I heard one of the tracks here tried it and then they couldnt race b/c so many bees were attracted.