Setup for Wood track at Districts??

[The Iceman]

Last time on a best track I think we pulled 3.09
1. lack of knowledge
2. 1/2 COG
3. 2" per 4' RR
note: the car was all over the place at the end of the track.

I'm thinking
1. 3/4 cog
2. 4" / 4' RR

More cog and maybe 5"/4'?

Thanks
Ice

[Stan Pope]

Last time on a best track I think we pulled 3.09
1. lack of knowledge
2. 1/2 COG
3. 2" per 4' RR
note: the car was all over the place at the end of the track.

I'm thinking
1. 3/4 cog
2. 4" / 4' RR

More cog and maybe 5"/4'?

Thanks
Ice

Too many variables!

Quick! Find a Piantedosi that will be set up in the vicinity and beg time to run on it!
If you can't find a Piantedosi, settle for a Freedom track of same length.
If you can't find a Freedom, settle for a Best track of same length.
Go in with rears aligned just right.
On the track, only trim the DFW toe-in to just keep the DFW on the rail.
Then on race day, if the wooden track looks like it was cut with an adze or a chainsaw, add some toe-in!

[Noskills]

Ice,
Stan has the best advice if possible. If no track time and you have an extended wheelbase I would keep your COM at 1/2 and use the higher drift. Dialing both back is conservative if you are really worried though.
No skills

[FatSebastian]

note: the car was all over the place at the end of the track.

In addition to the above recommendations, cant the rear wheels a bit (~3 degrees) if your rules allow. Don't forget to indent the body ~1/16" behind the DFW. Wooden tracks tend to be in rougher shape than metal. I agree that ~1/2" CoM is difficult without ability to tune.

[Stan Pope]

... I agree that ~1/2" CoM is difficult without ability to tune.

15/16" CM is difficult without ability to tune, too!

Grandson went from "also ran" to "good" by removing almost all the toe-in!

[The Iceman]

Too many variables!

Quick! Find a Piantedosi that will be set up in the vicinity and beg time to run on it!
If you can't find a Piantedosi, settle for a Freedom track of same length.
If you can't find a Freedom, settle for a Best track of same length.
Go in with rears aligned just right.
On the track, only trim the DFW toe-in to just keep the DFW on the rail.
Then on race day, if the wooden track looks like it was cut with an adze or a chainsaw, add some toe-in!

I'll start asking around and see if I can find something. You know it might be a Piantedosi, is there a standard angle for those tracks?

Ice,
Stan has the best advice if possible. If no track time and you have an extended wheelbase I would keep your COM at 1/2 and use the higher drift. Dialing both back is conservative if you are really worried though.
No skills

I'm thinking that would be the safest, We've only run it at our local Packs race. (42' best track) We took the overall fastest but the only thing we had to dail it in on was my 4' test board with 2" drift! lol

In addition to the above recommendations, cant the rear wheels a bit (~3 degrees) if your rules allow. Don't forget to indent the body ~1/16" behind the DFW. Wooden tracks tend to be in rougher shape than metal. I agree that ~1/2" CoM is difficult without ability to tune.

yes it has 1/16 off and the rears are @ 3 degrees already.

Thanks
Ice

[Speedster]

The angle should be standard because of the design. We will be setting up the track this Friday, Feb. 28th, at 1 PM and racing all day Saturday. You're certainly welcome to come tune your car Friday or Saturday. Two different packs will be racing separately Saturday and there will be an intermission around Noon. Another way you can get a time on your car is to send it to me Priority Mail. I will get an Elapsed Time on the Piantedosi track and then get an Elapsed Time on my Circular arc track. I have records of cars from Sporty, Noskills and my own. I can tell from my records how well a car should do on a 29' Best track. Sending me your car is probably a little scary because you are close to your race. However, if you take care of the car and send it to me when the weather warms up we can still get valuable information. If you get an Elapsed time on the track you race on and get a time of the fastest car (if it's other then you) we will have lots of facts.
Best of Luck in your race.
I took a look at the 2013 Mid America Adult Division times. What wheels and axles do you have on Batman? If you turned a 3.09 on a 42' Best Track with some kind of basic stock wheels and axles, you have a fast car.

[FatSebastian]

You're certainly welcome to come tune your car Friday or Saturday.

What is the drive time between Omaha to Toledo... about 11 hrs one way?

[Speedster]

Yes, 11 hours is correct. The Interstate system is Incredible.

[The Iceman]

The angle should be standard because of the design. We will be setting up the track this Friday, Feb. 28th, at 1 PM and racing all day Saturday. You're certainly welcome to come tune your car Friday or Saturday. Two different packs will be racing separately Saturday and there will be an intermission around Noon. Another way you can get a time on your car is to send it to me Priority Mail. I will get an Elapsed Time on the Piantedosi track and then get an Elapsed Time on my Circular arc track. I have records of cars from Sporty, Noskills and my own. I can tell from my records how well a car should do on a 29' Best track. Sending me your car is probably a little scary because you are close to your race. However, if you take care of the car and send it to me when the weather warms up we can still get valuable information. If you get an Elapsed time on the track you race on and get a time of the fastest car (if it's other then you) we will have lots of facts.
Best of Luck in your race.
I took a look at the 2013 Mid America Adult Division times. What wheels and axles do you have on Batman? If you turned a 3.09 on a 42' Best Track with some kind of basic stock wheels and axles, you have a fast car.

Thanks Speedster that is a heck of an offer!! Man if I was ready I'd send it in a heart beat with a small screw driver! Tweek tweek I just got my Novus Yesterday and played with a test wheel last night. Niceeeeee!! FYI my brother inlaw is a hardcore Ohio state fan!

Batman ran Pro BSA 2 Groove Axles (derby monkey) and I think we ran Precision Stock BSA Wheels from them also. It was a RR 1.5 DFW 2.5 rears. I used the The Pinewood Derby PRO Driller from Pinewoodpro.com (I didn't clamp good enough and thats when had to figure out how to align the rears). COM was at 1/2 with 2" per 4' and was all over the track at the end. But still brought home the overall trophy. I heard the kid that pulled under 3 got in trouble and wasn't allowed to compete this year! We'll be ready for him next year!

Thanks Again Speedster!
Ice

[Noskills]

Speedster I may mail you a mid America contender if I have time.
Noskills

[Speedster]

Best of Luck, Team Ice. Write down Lots of Numbers if they score Elapsed Times.

Looking forward to it, Noskills. We've kept our Mid America cars safe so we'll have some numbers to work with.

[psycaz]

Try touching base with xanthrum, aka Greg Dawes. He runs the Mid America race out in Omaha. He might be able to steer you in a good direction locally.

[FatSebastian]

I'll start asking around and see if I can find something.

Try touching base with xanthrum, aka Greg Dawes.

Looks like this may have already happened?