Good pointers. but, I think my track might have closed down...That is the sh...turds!!! I will have to keep an eye out to see if they are even open anymore. so much for making money!!!
I looked on hotrodgossip.com and didn't see anything about it (I didn't go back to the archives). With the Sealy track closing, and now Angleton, HMP is going to be getting a lot of the 10.5 cars. They're also expanding the concrete pits, re-routing the turn-around road, adding more lights and outlets, but most importantly, they are moving the starting line back 225' (currently has a very short shut-down - I've seen more than a few go off the end of the track). But I am sorry to hear your track is closing. Baytown is just up the road from you - a serious bracket racer would make the trek. You'll be there.
Do like DJ and race your truck!! My thoughts....starting out bracket racing is a sport and you have to want to do it, cause you will still be putting out alot of money to just go racing...that could go into the car. 30-50 bucks for entry fee, gas for truck, gas for drag car, enter for wife to go, food and drinks....your over 100 bucks just to get there.
Lots of good pointers...Can't wait to start trying them out As far as the closing at Angleton, I haven't found out for sure if they are closed or what. They just recently had a bunch of fund raisers to pave the return road (it was gravel with lots of pot-holes) and I heard they finally made the money. THen they have been closed for a few weeks, phone number is no good anymore, and links on their website are all dead, even though the main page still works. I HOPE they are just closed while paving the road, but I fear they needed to make some quick cash to pay off some bills and then closed up. I don't know, I hope not! I guess I better start asking around town and find out... Baytown is in my near future. I just don't trust driving the car that far (don't know why...never had any break-down issues!). I would like to trailer it in the first time, just in case I break something while racing. Until I learn to trust her on full 1/4 track. Currently, I have only done 1/8 tracks, and I don't get to speeds fast enough to start her shimmying and shaking parts loose...
Well, in my experince, If you are driving your race car to the track. Sooner or later you will tow it home. As for making money braket racing, You can with enough practice. Although, everytime i go racing with the mentality(i need the money) i lose severly. My 1040 from the track last season i raced was near 7k... good luck!!!!
I agree that someday I WILL be towed home, which is why I don't want to drive anywhere but the local track. I could easily find a ride home to get my truck, or have a friend tow me home. As far as making money, I don't plan on quitting my day job. I would just like to win a little to bring the "value" of my car down. I am keeping tabs of how much I have spent on my car, and everytime I sell a part off of it, I subtract that from the overall amount spent. I would like to subtract winnings as well. currently, I am up near $5000 invested, with about $500 worth of parts sitting around.
all good advice. but everyone worries about consistency; the secret is predictability. long ago in the early days, i bought a $5 temp & humidity gauge at kmart. i eventually learned that each degree rise slowed my car .01 & each 5% humidity rise slowed me .01. so, 1st round if the temp was down 6 deg & humidity up 10%, i would dial .04 quicker than my last time shot. much later when jegs came out with their log book i was amazed at how close their advice was to my figures. Grainger has a good quality gauge for 50-70 dollars. keep it in the shade near your trailer, not with you in the lanes. use only your gauge; it may not read the same as someone elses gauge. you are interested in change, not accuracy. the only weather variable not covered here is barometric pressure. on most days, it doesnt change enough to affect et. if it does, you are probably dodging raindrops. get an inexpensive one if you want & watch it. generally, in the evening when it cools, a barom will go up slightly. have an excellent cooling system on the car. some guys will try to cook you. sometimes you get shut off in the water while they clear a problem on the track. if you end up leaving hotter than normal, you probably wont run the number. (unless you have learned that shifting 500 rpm higher makes you run .03 quicker as an example.) if your car is track only, alcohol cures this problem. welding the hood shut is an excellent thought. do perform normal maintenance. dont change anything that will affect et unless absolutely necessary. thats what test n tune nite is for. if you have a vac sec carb, dont lift at the other end to lose et; the carb wont react quickly when you get back on it. just drag the brake a tad. when you are both prestaged, look over & note exactly where you are even with on his car, and note whether he is going to take the stripe with his wheel or the front of the car. you should already know what you take it with. anyone who takes the stripe by more than half a car length is asking to break out. i could go on & on. there are many more ways to lose a race than there are ways to win one. i sat down several years ago and ended up with a list over 2 pages long, single spaced of ways to lose. had done most of them or seen them done. get a good light, drive the stripe, dont worry who's in the other lane, but notice what you need to know. if you always make the better run (called package), you will always win (simple isnt it). eliminate mistakes, make him beat you instead of giving away the race. pay attention to details; develop good habits. my son was having problems doing everything right. he printed a list in large print of everything he did after the burnout & stuck it to the dash where he could see it. started going more rounds than ever before. could concentrate on the race, not remembering stuff. have fun!
Is there anybody who is winning by using "the force" or just off-the-cuff, seat of pants driving? Or are all winners pretty much having to follow an obsessive-compulsive pattern of events and behaviors to win? If it is the obsessive-compulsive...I should do fine
I knew a guy who has rowed a '92 5-speed 5.0 Mustang to the winner's circle more than he should have. IMO, He is as lucky as he is good at it (I hope he's not reading this). When he'd have a bad pass, the other car would break out or red-light or he'd be running against some first-timer who'd cut a 1.5 light. Another thing that got him a lot of wins - he raced every weekend. From the "duh" zone: Obviously, the more one races, the more opportunities they have to win!
OK, it's getting bad now...when I click on Angletondragway.com, I get realtor information... I think it may be too late...have to go to Baytown...
most people racing by the "force" or luck only go a few rounds mostly. hate to tell you this, but just about all the racers who go rounds on a regular basis have to work at it to get there. if you can just get in your car, cut a .00x light every run along with running the number on your window, without working at it at all, more power to you. we used to figure most of the "lucky strokes" & patsies were gone after the 3rd round. time to tighten up the lights and the dial on the window. be a "duck" or be a player? your choice.
Well...you know, there are people on this board who live close enough to HRP to help you out. *Blatant Hint* Getting good at bracket racing is like the old joke about the guy in New York asking how to get to Carnegie Hall.......Practice man, practice. It's all about seat time. And don't think. Thinking has ruined more races than anything else.
I think I raced only a few races earlier this year when I still had my '89 Mustang Coupe. I only raced at HMP (the new 1/8th mile track @ Beltway 8 near 59). This has definetly been an off-year for me. I started a job that keeps me out of town all week and then the little time I do have, I have I mean GET to spend it with the girlfriend and other miskellaneous schtuff (too little on the Maverick). Most of my racing over the last several years was done at Lone Star Raceway (Sealy). Close and up for sale now. HMP or Baytown are the only choices in Houston now.
