Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info?
07-06-2003, 10:15 AM
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Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info?
Well my dad has decided to get into dirt track racing with our shop. We have a few mechanics and my dad loves NASCAR and the local circle track races so we have decided to go for it ourselves. I personally have never been really big into the circle track thing, but it looks like I will be driving. Although it isn't road course or auto-x (which is all I do right now) it will be good experience and actual wheel to wheel racing. Do you guys have any experience with it or know any places to get more info on the driving aspect? Any advice? Thanks.
07-06-2003, 01:15 PM
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Re: Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info? (ActiveAero)
Get yourself a copy of Speedway Illustrated for starters. Dick Bergren has a lot of stuff in there. There are several others including National SpeedSport News that are worth looking at. Since you seem to have a local dirt track-go and talk to them and find out who the sanctioning body is (USAC for instance has several series) and get involved with that part of it.
Good luck and have fun. Our nearby 1/2 mile has hosted WOW cars and has a weekly series for all sorts of cars.
Good luck and have fun. Our nearby 1/2 mile has hosted WOW cars and has a weekly series for all sorts of cars.
07-06-2003, 08:24 PM
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Re: Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info? (jc836)
Here's a checklist of what you'll need:
1. Beer tee-shirt.
2. Gun rack for the truck.
3. Truck.
4. Case of Papst Blue Ribbon in the bed of the truck, half empty, and empty cans.
5. Blue jeans with Skoll in the back pocket.
6. Extra facial hair, non groomed preferred.
7. A Southern Accent.
Or maybe I have this mixed up with Stock Car racing... Ah... close enough.
1. Beer tee-shirt.
2. Gun rack for the truck.
3. Truck.
4. Case of Papst Blue Ribbon in the bed of the truck, half empty, and empty cans.
5. Blue jeans with Skoll in the back pocket.
6. Extra facial hair, non groomed preferred.
7. A Southern Accent.
Or maybe I have this mixed up with Stock Car racing... Ah... close enough.
07-06-2003, 09:05 PM
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Re: Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info? (kb58)
Not sure this fits in your negative description of either Stock Car or Dirt Track racing.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
...
Meanwhile, Mario's career flourished from the start, as he won 21 of 46 races in the modified stock class in 1960 and 1961. His first Indy car appearance came in 1964. A year later, he won his first Indy car race (the Hoosier Grand Prix), earned Rookie of the Year honors at the Indy 500 (he finished third) and the first of his four Indy car championships.
Andretti repeated as champion in 1966 before branching out to test his skill in other forms of racing. He won NASCAR's Daytona 500 in 1967, averaging 149.926 in his Ford.
The next year, he entered the Formula One Grand Prix racing circuit, capturing the pole position in his very first race, the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. However, he was forced out of the race early by clutch trouble. His first win on the Formula One circuit came in 1971 in South Africa.
After finishing second in the Indy car championships in 1967 and 1968, he regained the title in 1969. He won nine races, including the Indy 500 when he averaged a then-record 156.867 mph in his STP Oil Treatment Special. But that would turn out to be Andretti's only win in 29 starts at Indy as, for the rest of his career, he was haunted by one frustration after another.
"If anybody was ever unlucky at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was Mario," said two-time Indy 500 winner Gordon Johncock. "So many times Mario should have won the race and his car would break down."
From 1966-69, Andretti won 29 of 85 Indy car starts. Then he sought to juggle Indy car, Formula One, Formula 5000 and Can-Am racing. While he didn't have much success in Indy cars (he won only three of 111 starts from 1970-82), he captured the USAC dirt track championship in 1974 plus several Formula 5000 races, finishing second in the Formula 5000 series in 1973 and 1974. He also won the grueling 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race three times (1967, 1970 and 1972).
From 1975-81, he focused primarily on the Grand Prix circuit, winning 12 races and earning 16 pole positions. The highlight of his international career was in 1978 when he won six Formula One races and became the second American (Phil Hill was the first in 1961) to win the world championship.
...
</TD></TR></TABLE>
from http://espn.go.com/classic/bio....html
From my understanding, Mario Andretti ran dirt track races throughout his career.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
...
Meanwhile, Mario's career flourished from the start, as he won 21 of 46 races in the modified stock class in 1960 and 1961. His first Indy car appearance came in 1964. A year later, he won his first Indy car race (the Hoosier Grand Prix), earned Rookie of the Year honors at the Indy 500 (he finished third) and the first of his four Indy car championships.
Andretti repeated as champion in 1966 before branching out to test his skill in other forms of racing. He won NASCAR's Daytona 500 in 1967, averaging 149.926 in his Ford.
The next year, he entered the Formula One Grand Prix racing circuit, capturing the pole position in his very first race, the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. However, he was forced out of the race early by clutch trouble. His first win on the Formula One circuit came in 1971 in South Africa.
After finishing second in the Indy car championships in 1967 and 1968, he regained the title in 1969. He won nine races, including the Indy 500 when he averaged a then-record 156.867 mph in his STP Oil Treatment Special. But that would turn out to be Andretti's only win in 29 starts at Indy as, for the rest of his career, he was haunted by one frustration after another.
"If anybody was ever unlucky at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was Mario," said two-time Indy 500 winner Gordon Johncock. "So many times Mario should have won the race and his car would break down."
From 1966-69, Andretti won 29 of 85 Indy car starts. Then he sought to juggle Indy car, Formula One, Formula 5000 and Can-Am racing. While he didn't have much success in Indy cars (he won only three of 111 starts from 1970-82), he captured the USAC dirt track championship in 1974 plus several Formula 5000 races, finishing second in the Formula 5000 series in 1973 and 1974. He also won the grueling 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race three times (1967, 1970 and 1972).
From 1975-81, he focused primarily on the Grand Prix circuit, winning 12 races and earning 16 pole positions. The highlight of his international career was in 1978 when he won six Formula One races and became the second American (Phil Hill was the first in 1961) to win the world championship.
...
</TD></TR></TABLE>
from http://espn.go.com/classic/bio....html
From my understanding, Mario Andretti ran dirt track races throughout his career.
07-08-2003, 08:56 AM
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Re: Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info? (phat-S)
Thanks for the info. I guess the I really need to go watch some events in the coming weekends.
What I'm wondering is how much the line in dirt track racing will relate to road course/auto-x line. From the video's I've seen there sure is alot of sliding going on, which I would think wouldn't be the best way around. I'm sure there are alot of guys that know what they are doing, but at the same time in the lower classes I'm sure there are plenty of people that don't (seeing as it requires no sort of license or experience), not that I'll have a clue what I'm doing anyway
. It also seems like the car can run a biasis camber setup since it will only be turning one way. Negative camber on the right and positive camber on the left.
I'll keep you guys updated.
What I'm wondering is how much the line in dirt track racing will relate to road course/auto-x line. From the video's I've seen there sure is alot of sliding going on, which I would think wouldn't be the best way around. I'm sure there are alot of guys that know what they are doing, but at the same time in the lower classes I'm sure there are plenty of people that don't (seeing as it requires no sort of license or experience), not that I'll have a clue what I'm doing anyway
. It also seems like the car can run a biasis camber setup since it will only be turning one way. Negative camber on the right and positive camber on the left. I'll keep you guys updated.
07-08-2003, 05:06 PM
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Re: Might be driving a dirt track car. Where to find info? (ActiveAero)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ActiveAero »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What I'm wondering is how much the line in dirt track racing will relate to road course/auto-x line. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Although not as dynamic as rallying since the same turns are used over and over again, dirt track racing will teach you car control. The more experience you have at this, the better you will do in any kind of racing.
Although not as dynamic as rallying since the same turns are used over and over again, dirt track racing will teach you car control. The more experience you have at this, the better you will do in any kind of racing.
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