Hey guys......Just found a place where they are trying to get some flat track racing going. Its the only flat track racing around here. Basically, I think its going to be on an oval dirt track, that is also used for stock cars to be raced on too(not same night). I've never been around this type of racing on the quad side of things, been around race cars all my life......so I understand some of that.


My question is.....any suggestions as to what I need/how I should setup to be at my best performance???


I've got fully adjustable triple rate springs......and that is about all.......but I might be able to help myself a bit there. I've also got nerfs.....

Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Brad

-------------------------
03' Predator, WB Pipe, Twin Air Clamp On, Nicholas Cycle Race Modified Carb, Niicholas Cycle Race Port and Flowed Head, Wiseco 12.5:1 piston, PMR Rear Bumper, HPD Front Bumper, Gunner Tether Cord, Rath Racing Vicous Pegs, Rath Racing headlight covers, HPD steering dampener, JetBlast air scoops, HPD triple rate springs, Fox rezzies, Lightened 30lbs, Lowered 2 Inches, 2-25 fin inline coolers.

86' 250R frame with 650 crotchrocket engine

Anyone do this stuff??


-------------------------
03' Predator, WB Pipe, Twin Air Clamp On, Nicholas Cycle Race Modified Carb, Niicholas Cycle Race Port and Flowed Head, Wiseco 12.5:1 piston, PMR Rear Bumper, HPD Front Bumper, Gunner Tether Cord, Rath Racing Vicous Pegs, Rath Racing headlight covers, HPD steering dampener, JetBlast air scoops, HPD triple rate springs, Fox rezzies, Lightened 30lbs, Lowered 2 Inches, 2-25 fin inline coolers.

86' 250R frame with 650 crotchrocket engine

In my opinion you need to lower and widen the quad, add a sway bar and most definetly add nerf bars. Check with places that sell after market ATV parts: Rocky Mountain, Dennis Jirk Etc. They should offer: lowering kits to drop the height, front & rear wheel spacers, sway bars. If you have the coin you can widen it with a wider axle and wider a-arms instead of using wheel spacers. Then of course an aftermarket dead man switch (kill switch) Tires can be either Low profile knobby tires or Hoosiers depending on the surface or track rules (hoosiers are costly) Of course ayou'll need all the standard safety gear

Rude Dog

cool.......as of now, my ride height is probably near 5".....as my suspension lowers my quad quite a bit. Also, its pretty wide from the factory, but i know what you mean....wider is better....just don't really have the cash right now. I've got nerfs.....so hopefully no wheel hopping.....and I've got full riding/racing gear.....


Wondering more on the lines of can/should I mess with my suspension(front) and like make one side higher/harder than the other.....to help it go around the track?? Also.....I'll be running some knobbies(not real small ones....but decent).....so should I do anything with my tire pressures??

-------------------------
03' Predator, WB Pipe, Twin Air Clamp On, Nicholas Cycle Race Modified Carb, Niicholas Cycle Race Port and Flowed Head, Wiseco 12.5:1 piston, PMR Rear Bumper, HPD Front Bumper, Gunner Tether Cord, Rath Racing Vicous Pegs, Rath Racing headlight covers, HPD steering dampener, JetBlast air scoops, HPD triple rate springs, Fox rezzies, Lightened 30lbs, Lowered 2 Inches, 2-25 fin inline coolers.

86' 250R frame with 650 crotchrocket engine

Nah, don't mess with your shocks. Your already low but could go lower (swingarm level).
The sway bar is a good idea! Well actually it is highly needed. That's what you would adjust for handling.
Wide from the factory...HUH? LOL Turn the wheels around is what the budget racer does.

I feel you'll need American racers/hoosiers (99% run american racers). Maybe not at first, but you'll want them if the track gets blue grooved. I've ran mine for years (and I got them used from my daughter). You'll hear story's about needing new tires every race. If your slow like me, they will last forever.

Flat track racing is awsome!! Have fun!!

-------------------------
88 framed 2-fiddy-R 300cc's 2000 GNC 40+ class 5N 2001 GNC 40+ class 9N 2004 GNC 40+ class 9N A few fast LT-80's ATVA / WPSA member Father of the "9" time National Champion and worlds fastest woman ATV racer. Survivor of the 12 hours of ATV America '04 and '05!!
TT RULES!!

SET YOUR RIGHT FRONT SPRINGS PRETTY STIFF ANN THE LEFT SOFT SO IT WILL WORK SOMEWHAT LIKE A SWAYBAR UNTIL YOU CAN GET ONE.

AS FAR AS TIRE PRESSURE IS CONCERNED I START OUT AT:
L.F. 9LBS
R.F. 10LBS
L.R. 8LBS
R.R.9LBS
CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURES AFTER HOTLAPS AND HEAT RACES TO SEE IF THEY COME UP, IF SO AND IF YOU FELT LIKE THE QUAD GOT FASTER THE LONGER YOU RACED START THE TIRE PRESSURES A LITTLE HIGHER.

I ALSO RUN HOOSIERS AND AMERICAN RACERS DEPENDING ON THE TRACK AND CONDITION.
GET SLICKS OR YOU WILL NOT BA ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEM.
IF YOU WANT TO WIDEN THE QUAD THE ECONOMOCAL WAY GET SOME MINI QUAD SHOCKS OR 300EX SHOCKS AND PUT THEM ON, BUT KEEP YOUR QUAD THE SAME LENGTH ON FRONT AND BACK(VERY IMPORTANT)
IF YOUR FRONT END IS WIDER THAN THE BACK YOU WILL GET ONTO THE CORNERS BETTER BUT YOU WILL PUSH LIKE A SNOWPLOW COMING OUT OF THE CORNER AND RIDERS WILL GO RIGHT UNDERNEATH YOU.IF THE REAR IS WIDER THAN THE FRONT YOU WILL HAVE A TENDENCY FOR THE REAR END TO COME AROUND ON YOU AND BE VERY LOOSE.

-------------------------
2001 stockbore shorttrack quad. Won 42 out of 60 races entered.

2006 shorttrack 700LE(trying to get dialed in before the winter)

Thanks man!!! That was the exact info I was looking for!!!! Anymore, feel free to post it up!!

-------------------------
03' Predator, WB Pipe, Twin Air Clamp On, Nicholas Cycle Race Modified Carb, Niicholas Cycle Race Port and Flowed Head, Wiseco 12.5:1 piston, PMR Rear Bumper, HPD Front Bumper, Gunner Tether Cord, Rath Racing Vicous Pegs, Rath Racing headlight covers, HPD steering dampener, JetBlast air scoops, HPD triple rate springs, Fox rezzies, Lightened 30lbs, Lowered 2 Inches, 2-25 fin inline coolers.

86' 250R frame with 650 crotchrocket engine

IF YOUR FRONT END IS WIDER THAN THE BACK YOU WILL GET ONTO THE CORNERS BETTER BUT YOU WILL PUSH LIKE A SNOWPLOW COMING OUT OF THE CORNER AND RIDERS WILL GO RIGHT UNDERNEATH YOU.IF THE REAR IS WIDER THAN THE FRONT YOU WILL HAVE A TENDENCY FOR THE REAR END TO COME AROUND ON YOU AND BE VERY LOOSE.
-
Hmmm ??? This is the pretty much the opposite of what I've always known/been told... I'd suggest more opinons on this area. Every thing I've raced, or been around "the front end is always wider than the rear" (stockcars, go-carts Etc). If the rear end is wider it will "over drive" the front end, causing a push (ATV will go up the corner, not stay on current line). If the rear is narrower, it free's it up and so allow more manuverability. The difference between the front & rear isn't much... Also too much toe-out on the front end can cause a push or plowing effect
which hurts handling and speed....

Rude Dog

Quote

---

IF YOUR FRONT END IS WIDER THAN THE BACK YOU WILL GET ONTO THE CORNERS BETTER BUT YOU WILL PUSH LIKE A SNOWPLOW COMING OUT OF THE CORNER AND RIDERS WILL GO RIGHT UNDERNEATH YOU.IF THE REAR IS WIDER THAN THE FRONT YOU WILL HAVE A TENDENCY FOR THE REAR END TO COME AROUND ON YOU AND BE VERY LOOSE.

---

just telling him what i know from past experiences, you don't win 42 out of 60 races in three years without knowing how to set your quad up.


i've never heard of what rudedog is talking about,but try racing both ways and go with what works best for you.

-------------------------
2001 stockbore shorttrack quad. Won 42 out of 60 races entered.

2006 shorttrack 700LE(trying to get dialed in before the winter)

Edited: 08/17/2006 at 04:57 PM by whitebread

all are good suggestions but as far as the tire presure listed by whitebread, I'd take those numbers and cut them in half for flat track racing. I do on dirt. If you're going to get competative a sway bar and a lowering kit is a must IMOA for flat track(the lower the better). Regarding flipping your rims around to get wider with stock rims, make sure the air valves don't hit your break callipers up front. You may need to invest in some wheel spacers if that's the case(alot cheaper than extended a-arms). Some tracks will only allow hoosiers or slicks if they run a blue groove track. Since it sounds like you'll be running on asphalt you may want to get slicks. I personally don't run any larger tires than 20's upfront and 18's in the rear for racing due to side wall flex . On dirt you can compensate with tire presure for the most part by running less air to get more traction or more air if you're hooking up to much. Also adjusting the sway bar can distribute the weight exactly to each rear tire how you want depending on the track layout and how tight the turns are (in your case ovals are easy but adjusting is still needed).

I've found that for flat track TT racing you never want to run the rear end the same width or wider then the front. I know people that even run shortened swing arms as well to get the traction under them in turns for TT racing (same goes for ice racing). This is in contrast with drag racers that run extended swing arms because they are going straight forward and want to put the power to the ground w/out wheeling.

Hope you take a little advise from all the responses on this forum to help you tweak your quad for racing.

-------------------------
'06 LT-R450, '03 Z400(rr), '01 RM125(rr), '03 YZ250. '03 Blaster(rr). '04 Predator 90 (rr)

Equall width front and rear is recommended. The rear tire width is either widened (more traction) or narrowed (less traction). Wider up front is better than wider in the back.
Stiffening the right front may help considering your just doing a circle but don't even come close to working like a swaybar cuz the swaybar eset-up effects the weight of the rear end. This is why we scale the machine.
Tire pressure:: Sort od a personal thing IMO: WEe used to run 5# in ther tires but pics showed terrible pancaking.
A higher pressure (like was mentioned) is better.
ALTHO, Tire pressure is not perfect. taking a tape measure and measuring around the tire is what the pro's do. It's obviously the correct way to set the tires.

Whitebread: Congrats to the 42 of 60 wins! That's awsome. You should race the GNC TT (EDT) series. Now if we could please get you to give the caps button the OFF signal so you quit yelling.
WHOA!! I see your in Alabama! And you don't TT??? Your close to TT tracks (nationaly)....

-------------------------
88 framed 2-fiddy-R 300cc's 2000 GNC 40+ class 5N 2001 GNC 40+ class 9N 2004 GNC 40+ class 9N A few fast LT-80's ATVA / WPSA member Father of the "9" time National Champion and worlds fastest woman ATV racer. Survivor of the 12 hours of ATV America '04 and '05!!
TT RULES!!

Hey thanks a lot guys!!!! I love all this info. I'll be on dirt track racing. I hope to do this more often(if I like it)....and if I do, I'll get the tires, sway bars, etc


Yeah on the dirt track race cars I'm around, we scale the cars.....and use a little aluminum measuring device to measure the tires.

Thanks again guys....I plan to use little bits of everyone's info to help me......again, any more info feel free to add it!!

Thanks,
Brad

-------------------------
03' Predator, WB Pipe, Twin Air Clamp On, Nicholas Cycle Race Modified Carb, Niicholas Cycle Race Port and Flowed Head, Wiseco 12.5:1 piston, PMR Rear Bumper, HPD Front Bumper, Gunner Tether Cord, Rath Racing Vicous Pegs, Rath Racing headlight covers, HPD steering dampener, JetBlast air scoops, HPD triple rate springs, Fox rezzies, Lightened 30lbs, Lowered 2 Inches, 2-25 fin inline coolers.

86' 250R frame with 650 crotchrocket engine

Quote

---

Now if we could please get you to give the caps button the OFF signal so you quit yelling

---

-------------------------
2001 stockbore shorttrack quad. Won 42 out of 60 races entered.

2006 shorttrack 700LE(trying to get dialed in before the winter)

I have an 03 and 05 preddy that I set up for flat track racing. I bought raptor shocks for them before the lowering kits came out. YFZ shocks work well too. Look on e-bay for take-offs. As for the rear shock, you can unload the spring for the right height. I ended up with 10"wide hoosiers for the best set-up on the rear. 11" were just too wide for the short tracks.

I did the nicholas racing carb mod as well, and that livened things up pretty good.

I have a rath racing sway bar that won't be used again... also upper a-arms as well, since the rath sway bar has tabs that are welded on.

-------------------------
Outlaw KTM 525 - Out of commission.
Predator NR 574
Predator 500
Scrambler 500

Note to self... bring a back-up bike.

So, did anyone go to the flattrack pactice day at Hollywood Hills?

Thanks,
BT

I live up in Vermont and i'm lookin for flat track racing, but cant find anything around here. so much out west but nothing in New England. Im lookin for race schedules or anything but havin no luck. I'm sure im lookin in the wrong places. I'm new at this but have been practicing on my family's own oval for the last 8 years! I'm ready please help me get out!

If your family owns the track why don't you start a racing series yourself?

-------------------------
2006 Shorttrack 700

If you build it, they will come...(field of dreams)

-------------------------
88 framed 2-fiddy-R 300cc's 2000 GNC 40+ class 5N 2001 GNC 40+ class 9N 2004 GNC 40+ class 9N A few fast LT-80's ATVA / WPSA member Father of the "9" time National Champion and worlds fastest woman ATV racer. Survivor of the 12 hours of ATV America '04 and '05!!
TT RULES!!

i have to agree Sway bar, hoosiers D-10 is softest but will not last long$$$$. lower is better up to a point. swing arm no more than level or will lose traction. and lastly is swaybar/shock set up. more pressure/compression on RF then less on RR but set up varies rider to rider. pm me for more info. pikes peak/ice racing/ and flattrack pro rider.

-------------------------
Raptor "all modded up"
2 Ford Trucks for work
Ice Racing, CHCA 11th place 2006
2006 Pikes Peak hill climb 11th place