MW vs BT track question.

[xjarcher]

At our regional (Awana GP) We had a 30' Best for one group and a 30' Microwizard for another.
Times on a Best are always a little slower (2.53x vs 2.63x) due to the slope etc. of the track.
One car ran consistent 2.53x times on the MW and was 2.75x or worse on the BT. Naturally the parent and child were not happy as on one track it was #1 or #2 in the age group and on the other it was #4 or #5 against the same cars. The car was very well prepared.
I do know that the BT was rather rough and in need of some TLC.
My only rationale is that the car was built low to the track and the rear may have rubbed coming out of the curve section, however it didn't show any marks.
Any thoughts as to the disparity?

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

This strictly a guess ....maybe the car was set up in such a way that the gradual curve section on the MW/Freedom track allowed it to not touch the rears during/in the transition. On the BT, the transition is more aggressive and could have easily caused a car that was on the edge to touch the rears during the transition.

You mentioned that the BT was in need of some TLC? Another possibility is that they may have had a very light DFW. With the track needing some work, maybe the joints were causing some issues for their car? I have seen this at our local District races once before. One car was "popping up" at a particular track seam in only one lane. The other cars, while you could hear the issue and barely see it, were not nearly as affected. I know this because I helped two of the Cubs with their cars and know the DFW weight was what I would call medium for a CUB build. Finding the correct balance for a venue like this can be a bit of a moving target.

That is why it is important to know what type of track and what kind of shape it is in, that you will be racing on. If you know these people, tell them to consider this ....if they were the kids/parents that were doing well on the BT, they might feel they built a better and more consistent car that was capable of running on both tracks? It shouldn't however take anything away from the other build, as they obviously did well on the MW track. Use this as a chance to learn!

 

[xjarcher]

The build was pretty easy to determine, 12 cubes and a tiny amount of putty behind the rears. Long WB, 4.9oz and dad told me that the steer was 3". It tracked very well on the MW with no wiggles at all.
One of the other dads who is a friend said several cars had issues with popping up at the transition on the BT. So you may be correct that the track is the primary issue. That operator is a long time friend with zero maintenance skills so perhaps I'll have to book a Saturday morning and show him how to keep it working well.

 

[TRE]

I dont think 3 inches of steer with stock parts is enough on a best track

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

I dont think 3 inches of steer with stock parts is enough on a best track

I agree with this!

On our Scout builds for a Best Track and BSA wheels and axles with crimps, we set normally set it at 5"-6" over 4 feet. So was their steer 3" over 4 feet or 8 feet?

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

The build was pretty easy to determine, 12 cubes and a tiny amount of putty behind the rears. Long WB, 4.9oz and dad told me that the steer was 3". It tracked very well on the MW with no wiggles at all.
One of the other dads who is a friend said several cars had issues with popping up at the transition on the BT. So you may be correct that the track is the primary issue. That operator is a long time friend with zero maintenance skills so perhaps I'll have to book a Saturday morning and show him how to keep it working well.

Just to be clear, the "popping up" that I referenced, was not at the transition of the curve. Rather it was a joint issue where the track sections had become misaligned at the 35' mark.

I like the idea of you offering to help. Often it is a lack of understanding that a lack of care/maintenance can and does effect the outcome of races. Quite often The people doing the races do not know how much time and effort is put into building these little cars.

Maybe you can help develop a yearly maintenance plan/checklist that can be used going forward. If you have another dad that you trust to help, maybe get them involved also. Start to build a team that can have open and honest conversation about any work that needs to be done. Everyone will be better off because of it!

 

[xjarcher]

I agree with this!

On our Scout builds for a Best Track and BSA wheels and axles with crimps, we set normally set it at 5"-6" over 4 feet. So was their steer 3" over 4 feet or 8 feet?

I'm certain it was 3" over 4'. Those who watched didn't indicate any wiggling etc during its runs, just a "popup" on one lane, like many other cars. That validates the need for some work on it.
I was actually in another room running the MW track. The BT owner is a long time friend who does not have mechanical skills. I'm sure that once I have done the required maintenance on it I'll be called upon for some annual work.