Slow Poke Helper Plan Idea

[561 racing]

I have been doing that jbd and still no sub 3 for me. But guess what u don't here me complain about it. Only ran two races and got faster so I am happy with that. I love playing with the cars and learning.

Great comment. I enjoy it as well, but ran out of time this week with the holiday and end of school stuff that I ran out of time to do all the testing that I planned on and as a result I'm sure one of my car won't break 3 seconds, with time and more experience I'm sure I can get it sub 3. Looking forward to my first race this weekend.

 

[Guest]

This site has so much good info- lost of hidden gems scattered around when you start digging around.

I'm still waiting and hoping for the derby dating section to open up like Laserman suggested/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif

 

[speed bump]

561. It's to much fun! Yes I am rookie and can not get that sub 3. Going to get my car on the right track. I am like u work ( flying) has been real busy. So I to did not get to do the things I wanted to do to my car. Maybe our cars will b close to that 3 mark. Good luck 561!!

 

[aircooled]

I started racing before there was a NPWDRL and we had racing teams. It is a slow process getting faster and some get lucky and pick it up fast. For me it has taken time and it is still is a work in progress. The amount of correct information on this forum and the willingness of some top racers to help others is second to none. John's DVD is key, that combined with searching the forum and reading can produce positive results. Nothing is easy and racing these little cars is another example of that. Jimmy Johnson has won 6 NASCAR Championships in recent years while others racers my never win one, but they keep trying looking for the edge and speed. The same basic idea applies here. I for one am thankful the NPWDRL is here and we have such a great venue to race and meet fellow racers.

 

[Kinser Racing]

The comments are great. When I picked up the most speed was when I started racing more classes and building more cars. This month I'll be racing all of the classes except BASX and I've spent over sixty hours in the last few weeks working on cars preps and tunes. How much you work at it will increase or decrease your chances accordingly.

 

[GravityX]

+1 on your comments Kinser.

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Decide: Do you want to just race and have fun or do you want to win? You can't go at this halfheartedly and expect great results. Sorry, it's not going to happen.

Commit: Now that you have made your decision. Commit to it! Commit at least an hour or so, or at least some time, to a particular part of the build or process. I can't always spend several hours building cars so I divide it up over several nights. Make a punch list of the things you needs to get done. Attack it one piece at a time until you complete the tasks. You won't perfect it the first time out. Practice, practice practice.

Succeed: I can promise you that if you follow the first two components of this list you will succeed.

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

I think I can recite the DVD by heart and must agree with JBD. The tips in the DVD will get you to sub 3.

One idea I thought of along the lines of this topic:

Maybe if a particular racer is struggling, a pro could take a look at that car and suggest where the racer needs to make improvements.
Like your weight balance is way off or you should try polishing the bores next time. Or in ODD's case, don't use CA glue for lube![/QUOTE]

We'll see if that solves the problem this go around.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

The problem we have now is that even when you run great you can still finish 25th. This is actually the reasons why the other leagues end up getting formed. There is always going to be a few sour apples that claim their cars are getting messed with or come up with some kind of excuse as to why they aren't winning and run and try to their own thing that will surely be better and take everyone with them.

You want to win a race?
1st- Understand just exactly how hard that is to do.
2nd- Learn the hard way!!! If you are given everything or having cars built or tuned for you and you don't win you will quit in no time. I will always say the fun part is the climb up.
3rd- Realize this is not like any other league. Yes you might do very well somewhere else but this isn't somewhere else. You haven't won anything until you win an NPWDRL race nowadays. There is NO COMPARISON to the difficulty of this league.
4th- When a top builder tells you what to do DO NOT run to the next one and ask the same question! This is the quickest way to lose help. I will not spend my time if you come to me and I tell you exactly what to do then you run off to someone else like you don't believe what I said. Most of you that struggle are doing so because you are mixing theories from a lot of different people. Quit making it harder than it really is.
5th- DO NOT EXPECT to be told every tiny detail and secret! The more you are around me and the more you listen to me, the more I give you. Very simple.
6th- Loyalty is not a bad thing regardless of what some try and make you feel. Understand this! Loyalty gets you farther than anything else.
7th- Quit freaking complaining if you don't do as well as you think you should have! Nobody is messing with your cars. Realize that when you "try new things" they don't always hold up. You want to win? You better get some grit to you! You will have to work for it now. You want it easy then you better start your own league or try one of the other clubs.

This is the big leagues. Get to the top and carve your name in the shrine of the very best racers to ever polish a wheel. The main thing is DON"T QUIT UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR GOALS!

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

My goal is to be able to wake up and build a 2.97 car... Problem is I keep sleeping in.

 

[~JBD RACING~]

Exactly what we talked about JOHN.. +++++1 I couldn't agree more with you

 

[resullivan]

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2zyeVRcbs[/video]

 

[Minions Racing]

I'm still in the middle of the climb but finally making progress. Been roughly a year and a half for me. I'm just slow and it has taken me a while to recognize what a smooth clean bore looks like and a straight drill looks like. I followed the DVD but struggled with inconsistency. Honestly, you are going to laugh but one big thing that has helped me is putting large bright overhead lights in my garage. I only have time to work at night after the kids are in bed and having more light has allowed me to better see if the bores / axles are dirty. I used to have to hold up a flashlight as I drill my holes LOL. The posts on drilling straight were also a huge step as they helped me recognize that my drill press had too much runout and was bending my carbide drill bits and not drilling at a consistent angle. Those 6" extension bits and square recommended in that post by pony express really helped me see this. Other guys use other methods, so I guess it's about finding one that works for you. But I finally got a proxxon, made sure it was square, and all of the sudden my cars are faster. I don't have a track so I have to study how the cars act on the tuning board and a test strip down the side of the tuning board. Some cars are still a tad faster than others and I'm trying to figure that out, but in all it's starting to come together. I also bought some pre-drilled blocks from DD4H and they are dead on. I also got a set of pin gages recommended in that post by 5Kids. Those have really come in handy as well. Anyway, just my 2 cents. This thread struck a chord.

 

[speed bump]

Haha quit!! Y'all are not that lucky. Goal sub 3. If that's 19 th place fine with me. Is anyone else racing just thought it was only me racing. Love it guys!! Not worried about first place, more guys gunning for u !!

 

[OPARENNEN]

IceMan's post: -- It would be cool to come up with a Slow Poke helper plan. Like guys that have been trying hard but just can't find that speed. Maybe like 'Under a Pros Wing' or bottom five of the last race series gets special help. I'd hate to see guys get discouraged and leave!

Just create a list of those who would be like a "big brother", and let those who want help IN THE SS CLASS contact them via PM's. Let the goal be simple. Help limited to creating a Sub-3 SS car. I know this stuff is all on the forum somewhere, but back when we had team races, our team had two relative neophytes. I helped mine via several dozen PM's and phone calls. I actually enjoyed to see his progress.

However, if I were to take one again, part of the deal would be that they enter at least 4 out of the next six month's NPWDRL events. For me the purpose would not be to win BSA races, but to become one of the league pros. Also, IMHO they need to commit to at least $150 in car parts. I.e. Proper axles and wheels, tungsten, decent body, proper axle holes, etc., not to mention proper tools and time (wives and or budget can be a real hindrance for some).

To help someone in eh top two classes requires too much expense for new league hopefulls.

 

[Mister B Racing]

I know I have stepped out and helped a few racers but everyone need to keep in mine .. All the goodie don't get told that easy... I had to work hard to find speed ... It takes time it don't happen over night... Patience and neatness, and taking notes is the best advice. Don't race to compare yourself to a PRO racers. Race your own times monthly .. That's what I did ..

+1, I keep notes on everything from build notes to test and race notes. I have a log for each car that I record everything about that car. It really helps when I re-prep a car I can refer back to the log for all the settings like wheel gaps, steer seting, etc.

 

[Bullet]

This thread is a good grounding and reminder for me as a new guy...

I was excited about the chance to try some new things or ideas above and beyond what can be done in scouts. This is the appealing side for me...the testing, comparing, calculating, charting and graphing progress, etc. Its has been said more than enough on the site that you should just learn and master the basics with known products first...Im just realizing that all the testing and changing really means nothing without a basis of comparison and cosistency...without a track this cannot be done in a couple months. Think I will try to stick to the basics until consisent and then try the other fun stuff....a track would definitely speed this process up. I've spent about the same amount of money on tools and parts as a track would cost already!

Wont ever hear any complaining from me though, the only one to blame for the car I put out is myself, if I'm unhappy with it, only I can fix it (with guidance from here /images/boards/smilies/wink.gif)...same as most other things in life! lol

 

[The Iceman]

IceMan's post: -- It would be cool to come up with a Slow Poke helper plan. Like guys that have been trying hard but just can't find that speed. Maybe like 'Under a Pros Wing' or bottom five of the last race series gets special help. I'd hate to see guys get discouraged and leave!

Just create a list of those who would be like a "big brother", and let those who want help IN THE SS CLASS contact them via PM's. Let the goal be simple. Help limited to creating a Sub-3 SS car. I know this stuff is all on the forum somewhere, but back when we had team races, our team had two relative neophytes. I helped mine via several dozen PM's and phone calls. I actually enjoyed to see his progress.

However, if I were to take one again, part of the deal would be that they enter at least 4 out of the next six month's NPWDRL events. For me the purpose would not be to win BSA races, but to become one of the league pros. Also, IMHO they need to commit to at least $150 in car parts. I.e. Proper axles and wheels, tungsten, decent body, proper axle holes, etc., not to mention proper tools and time (wives and or budget can be a real hindrance for some).

To help someone in eh top two classes requires too much expense for new league hopefulls.

+1 Thanks OPARENNEN Now that's what I'm talking about!

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I have a log for each car that I record everything about that car. It really helps when I re-prep a car I can refer back to the log for all the settings like wheel gaps, steer seting, etc.

I do the same. I also include different prep methods, types of axles and wheels, weight distribution L/R...

Also, IMHO they need to commit to at least $150 in car parts. I.e. Proper axles and wheels, tungsten, decent body, proper axle holes, etc.

Not to scare anyone, but that barely covers 1 competive car. I have much, much, much, more in it with John than that. Then again, thre are far worse things I could be spending money on........like food.

In all fairness, this hobby is far less expensive than some others I have (RC, photography, coin/stamp collecting, etc.); and its more exciting.

 

[Crash Enburn]

Also, IMHO they need to commit to at least $150 in car parts.

To be completely honest, this is simply never going to happen for me. Thus, the new BASX class is ideal. Pretty much straight outta the box stock. No need to purchase $40 wheels, plus axles, plus...

I've got tungsten now, several designs in mind, and am waiting only on free time to put together a BASX. And to correct my SR. And to build four others -- just because I really dig the model making...

So, when I finally get some cars entered, the help I'd like is any feedback at all on improvements.

Good luck this weekend, all!

 

[GravityX]

Quite honestly the BASX class is the best place to start the journey.

If you can produce a sub 3 car here you'll have a very good handle on what it takes to produce a sound car every time you build one.