USAC Racing Forum

General Chat => Point .25 => Topic started by: QSL on June 22, 2009, 06:33:36 PM



Title: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on June 22, 2009, 06:33:36 PM
We finally purchased a nice 2007 bullrider for our 7yr old. It was a used car that we scored in Phoenix (we live in CA). My son is a novice and we have not done this before but really look forward to it. I am stripping down the car and doing a cleanup and resto. That way he can be the one to mess it up!!  :D


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: goffin20 on June 22, 2009, 08:17:27 PM
Good Luck & HAVE FUN!!!


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: RBurns17 on June 23, 2009, 02:28:32 AM
Well, a 2007 Bullrider is a very nice car to start out with. The biggest thing with QM racing is that it's for fun. Sometimes even the best forget that. Have fun, because that's what the sport is all about.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on June 23, 2009, 01:49:25 PM
I thought it was a nice ride. It has advanced shocks and a a-main 120 in it. Good solid car. Probably much more then he needs starting out, but I like to try and do things right.

We are 100% into it for the fun. In the end, all it is, is a chance for your kid to drive a cool go cart for a day racing against other kids. Its as simple as that. If you take it any further then that, then i suspect it just would not be fun anymore... Not saying we dont want some wins, but at the end of the day, it really does not matter. I have work to stress about, dont need our hobbies to stress me out too :)


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: two_tenths_off on June 24, 2009, 08:33:08 PM
OSL, what track will you be racing at?



Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on June 24, 2009, 11:39:13 PM
Orange show in southern california. :)


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: two_tenths_off on June 25, 2009, 12:50:34 PM
OSL I sent you a Private Message.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on June 29, 2009, 12:37:50 PM
Here is the beast! Still needs a bit of work, but its getting REAL close!! Any big problems stand out to you guys here??


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on June 29, 2009, 12:38:24 PM
engine shot


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 06, 2009, 11:59:02 AM
Went out for the first time saturday... well... we set the throttle stop to half way and he was running the novice plate. He went out into the track and had it floored the whole time. The car started to go faster and faster and you could tell he was out of control. He went straight into the wall on lap 4. Fortunately he was OK. We have soft barriers at the track and those were a real blessing!! It scared him and scared me even more. After that, we disconnected the throttle and just set it to idle around the track. He was great with that. But I had to talk to him to get him to drive. All day he was on edge and did not want to be there. Crying everytime I spoke to him. It was a real rough day for son and DAD! Yesterday, he felt much better and was ready to go back out. We are going to give it another go this weekend. He has never really driven anything in his life and I think that is the biggest challenge. We are going to take him to a kiddie go cart track tonight so he can get a feel for throttle.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: two_tenths_off on July 06, 2009, 12:16:33 PM
OSL,
We will be out this weekend, I believe Saturday for an afternoon/evening sorting out session.

I can offer you no advice on your situation as mine is totally different and I never went through what you are dealing with. My son was 12 when we started and that is a whole different world than a young one.

For some perspective my son hops out of the car mildly disgusted and says "Dad, you know those changes you made....they were wrong!".. ;)

In a few weeks he is going out to Irwindale to run a few laps in a Legend car. 130hp and 1300 pounds!

-Eric


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 06, 2009, 12:51:01 PM
The big problem was that he just would not let off the throttle and he was not ready to go that speed. I think he froze up. The worst feeling in the world is seeing your kid out there in a car that he is not controlling and you cant do anything about it. I will feel much better when he goes back out with throttle control. I dont like sending him around the track either with it already set. It was probably my fault for not making it perfectly clear for the 200th time to let off the gas to slow the car down... :(


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: TysonThompson on July 06, 2009, 01:34:46 PM
Buy a Raceceiver .  You can use it with any 2 way radio.  The $100 investment will save you thousands in car repair.  That way you can coach him wil he is driving instead of bringing it up after he comes in. 


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 06, 2009, 01:36:02 PM
where is a good place to get them?


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: TysonThompson on July 06, 2009, 02:14:05 PM
You can buy them online from USAC.  It has the USAC channel pre programmed but you can set it to any frequency you might need.  They take standard I-pod style earphones. 


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: goffin20 on July 06, 2009, 02:58:15 PM
On practice days, I use our two way radios that we use for hunting and such.

For new drivers, disconnect the throttle and idle it up just enough so the car doesnt stall on the track and let them get comfortable with handling the car and track.

Then you can idle it up a little more until you feel that he is ready for throttle control and then start with only 1/4 the throttle available and work your way up slow from there.

I too had a driver freeze after months of talking about letting off the gas and using the brake and kill switch should they ever get scared.  Hit the gas, car got loose and he froze, full throttle into the wall.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 06, 2009, 03:55:51 PM
thanks guys.

We have A main throttle linkage. When he went out, I had the throttle stop screwed all the way in. It only let the throttle move slightly, but it was still way too fast. Even though its very close to the idle speed I set him up on the track later that was nice and slow. I put the car on the stand and hooked up the tach. It idles at 1k and when you gently press the throttle it goes to 2400rpm if you fully throttle it, it only goes to 2800 rpm. When you completely let go of the throttle when you hold it at 2400 or 2800 it takes about 1-2 minutes to have the engine drop back down to 1000. There seems to be VERY little range between idle and full throttle. Does any of this make sence? I am just thinking it must be becuase there is no load on the engine???

Also, what RPM should my engine be set at to idle?


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: gadams on July 06, 2009, 08:42:43 PM
i too went through what you are going through my son practiced the car with out the gas peddle  in for a couple weeks, then when we put it in he did fine for a couple sessions then said he was done, he wanted to sell the car. I talked him out of that and now he is in junior honda. As far as rpm at idle our motor idles best around 1800 to 1900 rpm full throttle we are turning 5200 to 5400 at buckeye, that is with a blue plate in the car. If there is anything else i can help you out with drop me a line.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 07, 2009, 11:50:01 AM
is this RPM on the stand with no load or on the track with a load.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: BQwkR on July 07, 2009, 02:15:39 PM
My novice grandson ran at Orange Show also. Great track; really clean. I Bought him a used 80" that was supposed to be really hot. I put a Ziggy's 120 and set it up the hardware to racing spec's; it handled really great. I set the throttle at 1/2 range and it still turned sub 7's. So I put a kill switch in it. I had to use it once. I gave it to his mother and she never used it. You won't need one; but they are cool. Everything since then has gone south. Anybody out there want to buy a used 80" Storm that's really hot with a kill switch.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: QSL on July 13, 2009, 04:41:47 PM
went to the first novice training and all I can say is thank god!!! He did sooooo much better. We were very relieved. The car still does not like to drop down to idle though very good. Its kinda wierd. His car is very fast and no one could believe how fast it was going with that restrictor plate. I sure hope everything is legal in that motor :)


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: BQwkR on July 14, 2009, 04:17:06 PM
I think its just a really fast track that was constructed correctly. My 120 ran remarkably well too.Glad to hear you're up and going.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: racemom2000 on July 15, 2009, 09:14:19 PM
He needs to take it slow & gradually build up to max speed for whatever plate he's running. If you're not sure how to do this, ask a veteran at the track. I'd say to spread this out over several sessions, so he gets comfortable with the current speed before allowing him to go faster. He needs to get a feel for how to handle the car (with your baseline setup) during this staggered speed procedure, otherwise he'll be off into the wall/spinning/flipping & probably freaked to the core.

Here's another thing: one of our race mates shared that when they started out, they pulled off stuff from the car that could easily get damaged, then flipped the car (tail to nose) with the driver strappped in (in their yard). This showed him 1) what it would feel like (because it will usually happen eventually), & 2) that he'd be okay even though it may feel a bit weird.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: sfreitas20 on July 15, 2009, 10:00:48 PM
That sounds like really smart person that told you that. ;)  I still say that is why AJ wasn't freaked out at all over his barrel roll/end over end roll last month.  I think every handler should do it!


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: nashjr13 on July 16, 2009, 01:24:46 AM
JR flipped the car on Braden's very 1st session.  I have to say I was shocked at first, yet I felt it was a great training technique!!!


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: goffin20 on July 16, 2009, 10:46:45 AM
Like the idea, can’t wait to see what the neighbors think...  LOL


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: racemom2000 on July 16, 2009, 10:52:57 AM
That sounds like really smart person that told you that. ;)  I still say that is why AJ wasn't freaked out at all over his barrel roll/end over end roll last month.  I think every handler should do it!

Absolutely! I learn tons of stuff from the fabulous Freitas boys! ;)


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: racemom2000 on July 16, 2009, 10:54:36 AM
Like the idea, can’t wait to see what the neighbors think...  LOL

Oh poo - who cares about the neighbors. Just tell 'em to get their autographs free while they can. LOL!


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: racemom2000 on July 16, 2009, 10:55:15 AM
Here is the beast! Still needs a bit of work, but its getting REAL close!! Any big problems stand out to you guys here??

Cool paint job. Very eye-catching.


Title: Re: New driver / team
Post by: sfreitas20 on July 16, 2009, 01:10:11 PM
I rolled AJ's car every way imaginable in the yard before he drove it the first time.  I removed the engine, but had everything else in the car as it would have been on race day.  We also had him in his full gear as well.  I sat and discussed accidents with him and talked to him about how his car and seat will protect him.  Then without warning I grabbed to front bumper and flipped the car over backwards.  Needless to say he was shocked for a second.  Then while upside down I talked to him about the car and seat protecting him again.  In the end, I rolled it over sideways, over the front and each time we discussed how it felt and if it scared him.

I finally decided it was enough when he told me; "Dad, my "boys" are starting to hurt a little from this belt!"  Maybe for that exercise I could have left the 5th belt off. ;)