Do you set up differently for qualifiers?

[CrewChief6]

Not asking for specifics here -- unless you'd like to share  .

Generally speaking, what should I be thinking about when setting up a car for qualifiers vs. races? I keep hearing some people do different things specifically for time trials.

[goffin20]

Since qualifying is usually only 3 warm up laps and 2 on the clock for a total of 5 laps, we usually run the car a little tighter for qualifying so it can be driven harder right out of the gate.  Drop the pans a notch or two and a pound or two extra air in the right side from what we would race that day, depending on the weather and how the track is.  Sometimes we dont do a thing.

[racemom2000]

Definitely new tires for qualifying so you have optimum grip.

[goffin20]

With the new Hoosiers, we have gotten faster qualifying runs after they have had a good heat cycle in them then when freshly unwrapped, Vega’s and Dunlap’s were the opposite.

We took tires to practice, a new set, a set one race old and a set 5 races old to compare lap times on qualifying runs, 3 warm up and 2 on the clock just like on race day and those were our results.

Each car, driver, setup etc will vary so to see what works for your program by testing.

[CrewChief6]

Thanks Scott. Great info.

[ssssmoke]

now we only qualify at weeklies and we usually have a 2 or 3 minute warm up, and if your first out thats probably your race setup. if you have a few cars in front of you i usually drop the p hard a hole or two.

[racemom2000]

I read somewhere that if you don't gently warm up new tires, then run them just 2-3 laps at race temperature, letting them cool down before qualifying that you'll mess up your tires (1st heat cycle). Thoughts?

[sfreitas20]

For example, the right side tires we used for practice this past weekend, when AJ ran his fastest laps yet in Jr Honda setup, were on lap number 650 - 700 since we bought them.  Keep in mind this set also wasn't new when we bought them, they were from a Sr Honda team that we buy tires from because they have a sponsor that gives them new tires every week.  They had two Sr Honda practices (raceday practices), a heat and a main on them when I got them.

Don't take this the wrong way, I am not claiming the optimal window for racing on these tires is laps 650 - 700, but it shows there isn't a lot of fall off on these Hoosiers.