cmain

iTrader: (23)

GENERAL
party_wagon and t4ftracer

Have fun and help other racers whenever possible
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Tips by AndyMoore and MarkieMark231----
Not wrecking is the single most important thing you can do.
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Secondly, in practice, run a middle of the track line and then tighten it up as you feel more comfortable. This will give you a feel for both "the line" and what its like outside of the line (in case you need to make a pass there), while keeping parts breakage and wrecks down.
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by XXXCRRacer
On a new track I will overview the track first before the car hits the track. I start a few laps slowly, and then I will progressively get faster, in between learning the lines of the track. Once I learned the lines then I drive to my full potential.
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By SCUBA STEVE
Walking the track during down time is a good idea.... you'll see allot of bumps and ruts and so on that you did not notice from the drivers stand
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By bobf24
if you can't make a certain jump or part of a track, your better off not doing it, rather than keep trying it, even if its faster to do it, for the amount of time you save for the 2 out of 5 times you can make it, the time you loose the 3 out of 5 times is going to be at least double,
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another thing I’ve found, when you get out to a big lead in a main, don’t slow down, keep going at your fast pace, otherwise if you have a problem, it can be really hard to get back into that fast rhythm and make the time back up,
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another tip I remember reading from Matt Francis, always try to chase down the next car in front of you, no matter if that car is 20 laps behind you, its easier to be fast if you are chasing someone, than leading someone
byjfc_tech ----
drive crazy fast during qualification. Put everything in your power to get higher ranking in the qualifying

Drive conservatively during the main final. Fast but careful. Good for 45mins to 1 hour final
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Johnny_S.
Stay as close to the pipe as you can, as long as you won't case a jump that is after the turn. If you must go past the pipe the make the jump, go just wide enough, as if adding an invisible pipe to follow.

This is the way that I think of racing lines. In stock racing, your car is not moving very quickly, let’s say 15 feet per second on average in a turn. If you go 2 and a half feet past the pipe, that is 5 feet total: forward, turning, and then the other way. That distance when going 15feet per second on average in a turn, will be .33 seconds slower than keeping it tighter.

I feel that it is better to go slower through a sweeper or a turn and keep it tight than to go faster and wider. This is particularly useful when following someone closely. Going just slow enough to keep up with them, you will be able to keep a tighter line and will eventually make the pass as they go too wide in a section. Just hope that their going wide won't result in you getting rear ended.
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By golfinglenn
one of the best tips is to watch the faster drivers and see what lines they are using. You can also see how they are taking the jumps (double-single, triple, etc).
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By MonkeyWrench
try this sometime and see what you'd prefer. Most people drive with the middle portion of their pointing finger on the trigger. "Finger wrapped around the throttle". Try using just the very tip of your finger on the throttle, you'd be surprised at how much more precise the feel of the car is and also your reactions will be faster with less movement of the finger. I have switched back and fourth depending on how I am doing in a race. And I agree with the others that less time in the air is more ground covered. Try to backside every jump and keep your momentum up through the corners. Oh and keeping it on the tires helps a bunch too
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By Nay0k
if you believe you are faster than the leader, wait for an opening. Nobody is a perfect driver, and a mistake will eventually let you see an opportunity of a pass by this. It'd probably be less costly than an aggressive pass, seeing as those have the tendency to cause mistakes.
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By Pull_My_Finger
learn the tendencies of the other drivers.
Some guys will not budge an inch if you make an inside move on them. These are mostly the inexperienced drivers and the results are usually a tangle-up. A good driver realizes when you got them on the inside and will allow enough room for both cars to clear a turn. Likewise do the same if you are getting passed. Once someone gets their nose in beside, it will benefit both of you to let him go on through. If you fight him for the turn you may get lucky and come out without a crash, but if you get tangled up you’re not going any where until the marshal gets there.
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RB FIVE
My driving tip is this, when going through slow traffic or passing give the guy ahead of you more room though difficult sections of the track because that’s where you will most likely catch them or that’s where they will make a mistake. You definitely don’t want to hit and tangle
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carbon madness
Also don't rush to pass them, as some people can't handle the pressure of a faster car wanting to go around them (normally they end up crashing). Also don't give them the bump and run after you just catch them, as you will normally be look down on, instead of being looked up to. If you can talk on the stand, ask if they will let you go around them in the next corner, etc.
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MustGoFaster
Don't follow too close when you are waiting for the guy in front of you to crash, you may get taken out too. Give yourself 2 feet and occasionally close in on his bumper and fall back to add pressure.
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WheelNut
1/8th buggy/truggy: This is something I do a lot at regional and national races, maybe it’s not always the nicest thing to do, but whatever. This is maybe in contradiction to the above tip, but if you are a good driver it is not too hard. When you’re battling with another car on a high grip track I will always follow behind the guy in front of me really close. I'll follow somewhere between 6-18" behind them, and get extra close in some sections of the track, this will make the driver in front of you super nervous. If you hit the guy in front of you though you will look like a huge hack, so be really careful. This is usually good if you’re following a driver who is a bit better than you, so you can still keep up, but you will be able to learn their lines and braking points really quickly.
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Coal
As hard as this sounds. I don’t do it but I always try, drive the track not the other drivers. I hope that makes sense. Don’t let the other drivers rattle you.
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theanimaleide
practice without a transponder, it makes you work more on your setups and you won't be trying to get just that one fast lap every run *added* this is great when working on a bad handling car but once you get the setup close use the transponder you would be surprised to learn the best feeling setup does not always produce the fastest laps
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Jake S
Another one while on the subject of practice, go out when you see one of the fast guys on the track, let him pass you and just follow him around, it helps in finding a "fast line"

also another good thing is to run back-to-back (if your racing two classes...or more) during practice if its "open practice" it more-or-less helps you work on consistency....then after running both I would make changes and run another practice round.
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alexb2000
The biggest mistake in off-road especially in 2wd is to overpower your vehicle. Until you can make it through an entire race with little to no crashes due to driver error don't make your car faster. I fast car is no good if your wrecking once or twice a lap
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MikeXray
Something I stumbled across this Friday that will be like "duh" to some people, and "oh I didn't think of that", but you don't have to go full throttle, except on the straight. My car was ok, but I had trouble pushing it, so I ended up just part throttling through the whole track except the straight. I ran my most consistent main to date, sure my laps times were a few tenths off my fastest, but running 5-6 more laps closer together was better than blasting one fast lap followed by 3 slower laps.
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party_wagon
When running 2wd you will have a lot more rear traction after you have had a little bit of throttle time and you will have more front traction after you have had a little bit of break time. I typically blip the throttle out of turns, not enough to lose traction, but enough to torque that rear end down, and then hammer on the throttle. Same thing for entering turns, I typically blip the brakes, not enough to really slow the truck down, so that the front end will come down and get a good bite when entering the turn.

When practicing only push your car harder if you made the last 3 or 4 laps mistake free. This will help you to learn which sections you can take at a blistering pace and which ones you need to slow down for.

Race at more then one track on a consistent basis. You will learn the lines of your local track over time, but this will not help you when you decide to travel to big races and do not have the experience needed to become quickly accustomed to the new track.
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Tripthreat
Simply put, DON'T CRASH. Kind of a 'duh' statement, but focus on learning you limititations on each layout in practice by finding the fastest you can do every part of the track, what jumps/line you can do w/o crashing. Let's call that 100%. Then back it down to 90% until you have to use that last 10%. That is something I have been doing since the Mod Nats, and has helped me a ton, thanks to Mr. Maifield for that.
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Scrubb
See if the track owner will let the local fast guy paint the fast line on the track surface so everybody can see where they are supposed to be and where they actually are. Then, drive just slow enough that you can stay in the "fast Line".
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party_wagon
I don't like the fast line idea, different setups and cars will be faster on different lines. Often times the fast guys setup will be completely different from yours in aggressiveness. If he is using a super forgiving setup then that point shoot ultra tight line may not be the one you want to follow if your using an aggressive setup that should be trying to carry more speed through that tight hair pin since you don't have as much rear traction*added* the fast line is pretty set if you are running a different line you either have found a new faster line or you are likely losing time
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F N CUDA
Get up on the stand and watch the fast/smooth guys. Try to copy their lines, go as slow as you have to in order to hold those lines and make all the obstacles without crashing. Also Checkout their hands.
Throttle finger is almost never pegged, always moving.
Try a mod motor in practice, stock will be a cakewalk in comparison.
Don't use a pro's setup if you don't drive like a pro.
Kit setups are easiest to drive for average racers.
Start tuning when you really know what you need.
Get help finding your setup.
START WITH THE RIGHT TIRES IS #1!
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Theanimaleide
Allot of times your car is just as fast as the fastest guy’s car at the track, but you over drive the car. So following will smooth out your driving.
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Mattnin
If you are consistently having trouble at one corner or section of the track, marshal that corner. You will get a different perspective on how to complete that section and it may help you out.
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ROV
Most people learn from there mistakes, but there only one.
Learn from everybody else’s and your way ahead. Time old saying, watch and learn. And you don’t look so silly when you have a first attempt
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Mafiaracers
I'll never forget what an old timer R/C racer told me once....I was in 2nd chasing the #1 car and totally driving like a jerk....power sliding every turn, wide open all over the track just to try and catch up and make the pass. This guy was standing off to the side of the track hollered all the way over at me:

"SLOW DOWN CHRIS!"

from then on...every time I get antsy on the stand, I just tell myself...."slow down" and I instantly pick up some time.

Roll the throttle
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If you have a tip that works please post it.

I will add new tips as they come in so keep them coming